Thursday, December 8, 2016

I’m exhausted tonight. Although I should have skipped hunting this afternoon, the woods called my name, and I answered the call. I rushed to my old stomping grounds when I got out of work to see if I might be able to find a little bit of luck on one of the ridges that I’ve walked across since I was 14 years old.

After settling in and resting my back against a tree to break up my outline, I waited for some action. It didn’t take long before I spotted a flock of turkeys in the evergreens below me. The birds walked in single file before disappearing out of sight.

Shortly after they were gone, I spotted a deer making its way down the hill off to my left. I quickly identified it as a doe. A fawn appeared a few minutes later and began eating acorns with its mother. As they fed on the ridge and slowly made their way toward me, I spotted another deer filtering off the ridge behind them. Steadying my elbow against my knee, it allowed me to see through the scope and identify the deer as another doe. I figured a buck might be following them to enjoy the meal they had located.

Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when I could feel the wind on my neck. Seconds later, the deer were running back up the hill, and the woods became quiet once again.

I waited until the darkness overtook the sky before heading back to my truck. Time is running out on the season. My body is telling me that it can feel the stress that I’ve put on it. It only has to endure the pain for a few more days.

Here is one of the deer I killed on that ridge in my younger years. This deer dressed out at 180 pounds.

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