Gather round boys. The coffee's hot and fresh.
Will there be blood? I don't know....wait and see.
I finally made it out to bow hunt yesterday for the first time this year. Yea, I know, season's been in since Sept. 15th but I was short on essential supplies for part of the season and I need some cold weather to put me in the mood. Besides, I hate having a dead dear on my hands in warm weather. This past weekends weather got me going for sure.
It was almost a freeze here and in the daytime it didn't warm up much. We had a kinda NE wind here which is certainly not common but I had an idea of a place where it could work. There's a spot where there is a north south ridge that takes a bend to the west. It has timber on the east and south side and some thick brush on top where it makes the bend to the west. There are bean fields to the west up on top. There are quite a few oaks on the ridge and I figured it just might be the place to be. A handy path let me get up on the top/west side between the woods and the beans and the plan was to follow the ridge south then turn west (downwind) and walk a "J" hook by turning south then east to come into the timber from the down wind side and just sneak along looking for sign on the way in to a bit of a pinch point I know of.
I was just about around the "J" and maybe 30 yards into the woods nearing some thick stuff when I heard a bit of a crashing noise from directly ahead. At first I thought I'd spooked a deer but the crashing did not continue and there was no "blowing". First thing that popped into my head was to give a couple doe bleats on my old "woodswise" call to calm any deer in the area so that's what I did while I was still "froze" after hearing the noise. I stood there for about two minutes and was ready to move on but decided I wasn't in any real hurry and it might be best to just wait a bit more. I was standing in a bit of an awkward position but past experience has proved to me that just because I don't see any deer doesn't mean they aren't staring at me so I stayed "froze". Sure enough, in about another minute or so here comes a deer from my right front. It's facing me so I couldn't move. All I was able to do was let the bottom tip of my longbow (held horizontal at my side) rest on the trunk of a tree about two feet behind me to steady my bow. Moving bow limb tips have gotten me busted more times than I care to admit... The deer looks like a yearling but I don't care and plan to shoot if the opportunity arises. Well, that danged deer decides to stop almost broadside but kinda quartering towards me but ten yards or more out of range so I'm still pinned down. I've been there before and learned the hard way, most times, if you can see there eyes, they can see you so ya gotta stay still.
A battle of patience had begun. I kept thinking of stories of Indians or the San bushmen and their patience. Patience to the point of not having the same concept of time as we do. They simply do not move until they have a reason to. I decided to do my best imitation. Minus the loincloth of course. I'm wearing my wool coat and toting a fanny pack of about 15 pounds.
Five minutes into it and the fanny pack that I'm wearing is getting really uncomfortable. I normally sling it over my shoulder because I hate the way it rides down on my hips but that day I wore it around my waist. By the time I'd gotten into the woods and seen the deer I was already hiking it up and thinking of taking it off to sling it over my shoulder but didn't because I figured I'd be to my stand site soon. Oh....if only I'd moved it.... The only thing holding it up was my multi-tool on my pants belt. Note to self... get some suspenders for that thing. I'm standing in a goofy position and it's pulling down on my hips. My lower back starts to hurt in ways it never has before. Sort of what I imagine siatica (sp?) would hurt down my right leg. But cute little bambi is STILL standing there scratching an ear, chewing butt hairs and what not. I can see his eyes and he's laughing inside.
About that time, along comes Momma. She was a big ol' doe with a head like a horse. She popped up over the edge of the ridge coming right at me. I hoped she would either come in and give me a shot or walk away and take junior with her. Just make SOMETHING happen so I could move! Well, turns out Momma has a sense of humor too.
She comes in to about 30-35 yards and lazily plops her butt down on the ground and starts chewing her cud. AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Well ok, it's pretty cool, but dang I'm starting to be in real pain! Probably ten minutes into the whole scenario by now but it felt like longer. Heck, maybe it was. I don't wear a watch. Finally, Junior turns towards Momma and takes a step or two. I look back at Momma to check head position then back towards Junior and "where'd he go?" There is a bit of brush between him and her but I don't see him. Then I look at Momma and she's got two heads. What the???? Oh, there's another deer just over the ridge behind her looking this way. Must be junior but how'd he get over there without me seeing? Demon spawn deer have magic powers.
By now, I'm having to shift weight from left leg to right leg slowly and the pain has subsided a little. By watching Momma and moving slow I manage to take one good step back towards the tree I was resting my bow on and lean a shoulder against it. Pure bliss!!!! AHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh. Now I can enjoy the show. Hey, that demon spawn yearling is actually kinda cute.
All this time, the wind is changing constantly. I've felt it from my left and from my right. In my face and over my left shoulder but never quite from directly behind. Almost, but it's puffing so much and I'm only 30 yards from the downwind edge of the woods. I know it's swirling over the tree tops and back underneath where I'm at like eddies in a creek going over a rock. But the deer are totally calm. I'm amazed. Heck, this hunt was so spur of the moment I didn't even shower with the scent away stuff. In the morning I used the regular soap and body wash. Even put a dab of the ol' VO5 in my hair. I've gotta stink of perfume don't I?
If I had a wheel bow or a rifle it would be over and done. Heck, it would have been over before the second deer ever showed up. How lucky am I to be standing there with my longbow enjoying the show? My bow is light in my hand, ready and waiting the instant in time it was made for. It will do it's part if I do mine. Leaves are falling now and again. A squirrel runs laps around the trunk of the big oak near me. Patience Grasshopper.... It's only about mid afternoon. Wait for it.... Let happen naturally.
Maybe a half hour later Momma is done with her cud and gets to her feet, stretches and starts to walk right to left in front of me. This is a good thing since I'm right handed. This could be it! Fingers are on the string, I grip on the bow firm yet relaxed. Just a little tension and I lean away from the tree a tiny bit for elbow room.... Looking at the spot. Then Momma hangs a right and calmly drops out of sight over the edge of the ridge like she realizes it's in her best interest to do so. Wheeew! Big exhale and a bigger smile. I straighten my spine gingerly, reach up and scratch my forehead where something was making a meal of my blood and instantly hear "SNORT! CRASH, CRASH, CRASH...." Danged if li'l Junior wasn't STILL standing over there in that little bit of brush between Momma and where I'd last seen him. I guess it was baby sister I saw behind Momma. No wonder she looked cute after I got comfortable. Her demon spawn brother was pulling a Harry Potter routine standing under an invisibility cloak hiding in plain site the whole time. The ability of a standing deer to melt into the background amazes me for the thousandth time.
Busted again.... :rolleyes:
I guess I don't have the patience of a San bushman..... But I did have a lot of fun!
Ma nature threw me a pop quiz and I figure I passed more or less. I think I got all the questions right except for that last one.
Topic: Story of First day out, "A Treat and a Test...." (Read 282 times)
