One more morning in the woods.

[RAF]

Went out again this morning. Still have one mulie doe tag but I'm not sure if I'll fill it as have plenty of meat in the freezer now. Things started out very dark . Suddenly saw a large white patch to the south about 80 yds away. A quick look confirmed it was a mulie doe but it was still 20 minutes before legal shooting time. Watch as she grazed. Played with her. Used a fawn bleat call which got her attention and she moved closer and then lost interest. Suddenly another deer appeared. A white tail doe came out followed by 2 fawns. They walked by and the doe stopped to sniff the nose of the mulie before she and the 2 fawns continued on there way. The mulie grazed for another minute and wandered off. In total she was there for about 10 minutes.
Started see more deer, all white tails. 2 more does with twins walked by. Then a couple of does with single fawns. The last 2 were followed by a small buck who watched, then went back in the direction he came from. These 2 came my way and suddenly stopped because a number of cattle moved in. The circles around the cattle and walked by me about 40 yds away. Saw one more mulie doe but she didn't offer a good shot. As I said I may not fill the last tag, 'cause if I do, not more trips to the blind. As long as I have the tag I can go out.
Muzzle loading ends on the 31st and for me rifle starts up again on the 13th of Nov. Will get back out on the 31st. This weekend will back up at the lake watch the deer around the cabin

 

[choc-dog]

still a ggod day hunting

As we get older our best memories of a a hunt is when we don't shoot. It is a pleasure just watching the deer when they don't know we are there.

Choc-dog

 

[RAF]

Choc-dog, you're right. That's the way I feel too. It's also a learning experience to watch the deers behaviour. Give you some insight to be used while hunting.

 

[cayuga]

I hunted years ago, and took my girlfriend's son with me. It was his first year with a new hunter's safety certificate and a license. We sat in a blind overlooking a secluded picked corn field. Deer after deer wandered around in the field and each deer caused him to about rub the material off his bucket. I told him to sit still and I thought he was going to explode. I allowed him to look at them through the scope on the rifle, but told him DO NOT FIRE.

He seemed sure that we were not going to shoot a deer that day. He could shoot a doe as it was legal for his first year hunt. Now everyone gets to shoot does. But at the time he watched the deer wander back and fourth through the field. Finally when I noticed he was no longer so excited, a large doe entered the field about 80 yards out. I told him to scope her and check her size. He was all lined up on her and told me, she's a big one! So I whispered take the safety off. She was standing broadside perfect. I then told him, take a breath, let a little out. I then told him, when your sure the cross hair is where we talked about, squeeze the trigger. The rifle suddenly roared and the deer dropped where she stood.

I was proud of him when he immediately put the safety back on. But his legs were shaking so bad and his face was so flush, he could not even stand up. So I told him to sit still and watch the doe. Make sure she stays down (which I knew she would by the way she folded).

He was so pumped that he had finally shot a deer. I actually had more fun watching him. I kind of forgot the joy and excitement that a person can feel with a deer. Of course he bragged about it to his friends, and family numerous times and the 80 yards turned into over 100 yards, but sometimes just being with a young person hunting is a lot more fun then going out and pulling the trigger yourself.