I headed north late last night so I could get a jump on the morning. Driving through the darkness on the desolate roads, I could feel myself inching closer to success. The season has been difficult, and things haven’t lined up like I figured they would on many occasions. I’ve spent time all over the woods in different areas trying to learn as much as possible for the future. Although my dad has spent a lot of time in one place this year, I’ve been like a mad nomad, wandering from one mountain to the next while crossing this swamp and that one. I’m still not sure I’ve found what I’ve been looking for, but I will continue looking.
As I neared my destination, a doe darted across the road in front of me, and a buck was right on her tail. I slammed the breaks on and narrowly avoided missing the buck. Yes, the second rut is in full swing. I couldn’t wait for morning. Right before I pulled my truck off the road and parked it, I saw another buck race across the road in front of me with its nose on the ground. I could feel something special in my bones, something that doesn’t come around too often.
The alarm rang at 3:45, and my short night’s sleep made it hard to get going. Although I had no problem getting out of bed, I was worn out and tired. It was cold out and a little breezy. I wanted to get to an area that has always treated me well late in the season, and I knew getting there before daylight would be of utmost importance. My dad was also going to sit in an area that has treated him well over the years. We felt good about our chances.
As we marched through the woods, my mind told me I was doing the right thing. Shortly after daylight, the wind began picking up and the snow began falling. Before long, I was blanketed in snow and chilled to the bone. Instead of giving in to the elements, I dug deep and stuck it out. When the day came to a close, we hadn’t seen a deer. I ended up covering a lot of ground and got some intel for the next few days. I found a few places that appeared to look good to spend some hours in the vicinity of them. There looked to be a lot of deer traffic as well as some running tracks where bucks were chasing does. Although today was unproductive, we will see what happens tomorrow. Brian saw quite a few deer today and passed a small buck. I think he said it was a 4-pointer. I should’ve probably paid more attention when he was telling his story, but my body is tired. I need to sleep. At least I’ve finally escaped from the dreadful cough that has plagued me the last few weeks.