This date has traditionally treated me well. I’ve had a lot of success in the Adirondacks on this day since the beginning of my hunting career, and I’ve killed a few smashers, too.
I felt confident this morning, and Brian and I decided to head to an area that we only hunt a few times a year. We had about a half hour ride to get there, and I mentally prepared myself for the 13-degree reading on the thermometer. We decided to collect some cameras that we put out in late summer and do some still-hunting to get to them.
The morning went well for me. I spotted a doe and fawn shortly after daylight. They fed past me as I hid behind a tree. They had no knowledge of my presence.
As I continued making my way through the woods, I saw some areas with good sign and other areas that didn’t have a track.
At 9:15, I spotted a few does in some thick stuff, and they were making their way down a finger in front of me. After quickly glassing, I saw that there were three adult does and a fawn. Staying motionless, I let them continue their journey down the hill. I decided to hold tight in case something followed.
I didn’t have to wait very long. As soon as they were out of sight, I spotted a buck trotting through the thick cover, and he was right on their trail. It appeared that he had a good beam, but I couldn’t see it clearly. When he got closer to me, I saw that he was a nice buck, but he wasn’t one I wanted to wrap my tag around. It was a 6-pointer. If I hadn’t already shot a deer in Illinois, I might have considered taking him, but I still have a lot of hunting in front of me.
When the day finally came to a close, I had seen 15 deer. I’ve always known that it’s easier to see more deer when walking than sitting, and I enjoyed myself today. Brian saw four does today, and Dad saw two does.
Brian is not a happy camper today. All of the cameras we went to retrieve were his cameras. However, when we got to where we had put them, they were no longer there. Someone had stolen them.
This hunting season has made be wonder why people do the things they do. When I see people’s stuff, I either walk around it and pay no attention to it, or I wave to it if it has caught my movement before I saw it.
If I come upon a stand or a blind, I continue on my way and don’t return there to hunt. Although it’s public land, I try to respect the fact that another hunter found the place and is hunting there. The woods are a big place, and I know I need to find another place. It just makes me feel better to be away from people, and I always feel good when I do my homework and get the job done without using help from another person. I guess it’s to each his own. It’s just not for me to hunt in areas where I can clearly see others are hunting, even if they’re not there when I’m wandering through the place.
I’m hoping my decision to not pull the trigger today doesn’t lead to an unfilled tag, but if it does, I really can’t complain. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Looking at the forecast, it looks like the snow will only be with us for two more days, and the long-range forecast looks like we will end the season with no snow on the ground.