Finally, a day that felt like hunting season welcomed me when I got out of work. Although I had originally planned on taking a day off to get organized for my trip to the Midwest, I couldn’t ignore the conditions.
Right as I headed down the road after work, the rain let up. Since it had rained all day, I figured the deer would be on the move. I stayed close to home and went to an area that my dad has been hunting.
As I poked throughout he oak trees with the gun in the ready position, I could feel deer around me but didn’t see any. The leaves had all been freshly turned over, and I came across four scrapes that had just been made or reopened. New rubs littered the forest, and I got the feeling that this could be the night.
When I finally nestled in under a tree, the woods had a dark hue. No animals were making any noise, but then again, I wouldn’t have heard them if they were scurrying through the leaves. The rain had dampened the forest, allowing the critters to move without making noise. I was certain that a buck would show up at one of the scrapes to announce the ladies that he is on the prowl.
As darkness rolled in and ate up the light in the woods, I stood up and began my journey home. I saw a few deer in the distance and headed into a valley to avoid being seen. It’s not often that I hunt in that area, so I wanted to do everything I could to keep the deer from getting startled. I want them to feel safe and come back when they encounter danger in the surrounding areas. I hope that many of these deer live to see next year, but it’s not in my power to save them from other hunters. I’ll do my inventory check at the end of the season and cross my fingers that a few of them made their way through the gauntlet.
I need to finish packing for the Midwest. Although I’m just about done, I’m not sure if I should go north to hunt on Saturday morning before my nephew’s wedding or if I should just stay home and hunt near my old stomping grounds. I guess I’ll figure it out tomorrow night.
I can say that the bucks are on their feet and moving. Now is the time to be in the woods, and now is the time I love being in the woods. I’ll find it hard to miss any days in the coming weeks, but I will have to miss some so I can get ready for my vacation. I guess that’s the only negative to going on vacation…………I have to miss some of the best days right here at home. I’m hoping to see one of these in the coming weeks.
