Sometimes you just have to laugh.....

[capt eddie]

While on a javalina hunt in Old Mexico. I wastrying to put  stalk on a javalina feeding on the road.  About 100 yards away I look back and see a 6 PT buck walking 30 feet behind me.  They have a 10 pt or better rule on this range. So the deer was safe. I focused back to the javalina and the deer continued to follow me.about 20 yards from the javalina I stop behind some cactus ahead of the direction the Javalina was heading.  As the javalina got 10 yards away the deer walks past me directly at the javalina, then turns to the right between myself and the javalina.  The javalina turns broadside offering me a 7 yard shot while looking at the deer.  At the shot the deer bolted and was never seen again. I know the deer had human contact at some point but it was way cool to have it run interferance for me.

[Canyon]

I am not a cat guy finding most arrogant little air thieves, but there is one cat I respected for several years. She is gone now but what a personality.

It started a long while ago while I was working at the South Rim of Grand Canyon. I had stopped by a Ranger friends seasonal housing and as we talked we watched two mule deer does walk down his driveway towards the housing passing less than 15 yards from us. Out of nowhere this small kitten likely a stray from a nearby families litter could be seen in full sneak mode. The use of patience,timed movements, cover and terrain could be a lesson to us all. When one of the does came within striking range it was on as this kitten leaped onto the does neck. One of the funniest thing I had ever seen and I am unsure based on the look in the does face how she survived the perfectly executed strike without dying of cardiac arrest.

It made an impression on my Ranger buddy who adopted that cat who became a near constant companion to him for more than a decade. Though my cat allergies are pretty bad Ol' Weasel always got a pat on the head and a kind word as I knew we both had the heart of a hunter.

[Maxflight]

A few years ago I was scouting and stopped near the corner of a pasture fence over looking a bowl in between a bedding area and the pasture. About 1/2 hour later I was watching some deer starting to filter out for the evening's feed. A piebald doe with 2 fawn, one a small button buck made there way into the pasture. The fawns were being very frisky running back and forth. After about 5 minutes a nice 6 pt. hopped the fence at the far end and started feeding down towards me. The button buck immediately started harassing the buck, charging a few leaps then breaking away. After about the 3rd charge the 6 pt. turned and chased Jr. around the fence. This went on for over 10 minutes and I was almost laughing out loud.

Then Jr. circled around to approach from the rear. You could almost see the mischief in his eyes as he slowly closed to about 10 ft. Then he leaned his whole body backward and launched himself completely off the ground and head-butted the 6 pt. right in the hams. The chase was really on now but the 6pt. just couldn't catch Jr.

No longer able to contain myself I let out a little giggle. What I didn't know was that a doe had moved in to about 10 ft. behind me and when I laughed she snorted. I nearly had to change my underwear.

Memories like this have kept me addicted to the outdoors.

Keep the stories coming guys.