This morning was cool & damp, perfect for still hunting. So, I headed out through our woods that are still bordered by standing corn. This farm has been in our family since 1919. I grew up exploring these woods, so needless to say I know the area pretty well. This woodlot is not very big only about 8 acres. It is old mature white oaks, hickory and some very large maples. After getting the wind right and slipping through this stand of trees without seeing anything other than squirrels. I moved on to one of my favorite spots. It is a small stand of sassafras trees that is surrounded by corn on all sides. The deer love to bed in this little thicket. With the standing corn providing me some cover, I could slip along quietly and look in to this little patch of cover. I did see one nice young buck bedded. It was pretty nice for a young buck, and I could not help but think what he may become in a few more years. After watching him for a bit he got up and eased off.
It was getting on to around 11:00 so I thought I would ease up the old fence row that separates the two large cornfields. The fence row ends near my house. With the rain we have had the last couple of days the trail that is usually along the fence was turned into a sloppy mud highway. I had made it about halfway to the end of the fence row when a doe comes blowing out of the other corn field into the mud highway with me. She is running right at me. Behind her I can hear another deer in the corn chasing the doe and grunting every breath. It was a small 6 pt. behind him is a 4 pt. and about 30 seconds behind him was a nice 8 pt. that I knew I would shoot if he gave me a good opportunity. They all cut past me at less than 20 yards. All except the bigger buck, he was out of range trying to cut the corner and get to the doe. After they all ran out of sight I started easing towards the small wood lot the deer ran into. As they often do when in the rut they were running wild mowing over corn in and out of the woods, and paying little attention to anything else. As I got about 30 yards of the opening that connected the two fields, the deer came running through the opening. None of them stopped, but the bigger buck was not with them. I suppose he had lost track of the doe in the corn. I stood there on the edge of the corn looking for the buck. Then there he was in the open broadside. He stood just long enough for me to get an arrow through him. After the shot I decided to wait an hour before tracking him. I was only about 75 yards from my house so I went to tell Tracy of the action. Then I got to thinking about the buck running toward the road, and got a little concerned. So I decided to drive up the road to make sure he was not lying dead next to the road. That is when saw the blood trail going across the road. The deer ran right down a driveway and into the woods behind a house. After telling the lady what was going on, she says sure go ahead. I just want to see him on the way out. I know the story is a little long, but it was an eventful morning.
Topic: Zipper Strikes Again! (Read 2171 times)
