Even in the heat it was obvious that rut behavior was gathering intensity. I noticed a fresh rub along a brushy draw in the middle of the field one morning and that afternoon found a fresh scrape along the woodline I followed to my stand.
That this activity was happening well after dark I had little doubt. All I could do was bide my time and put in the hours on stand.
I even put a stand up in the little wood lot that held the oak which dropped acorns on the county road. I think I was too late with that plan. The acorns appeared to be gone as best as I could tell.
Then one evening I was sitting there counting hedge apples on a tree across the way when I heard the unmistakable sound of a squirrel foraging in the leaves to my right rear.
What's that old saying about "fool me once"? I turned slowly and carefully, straining a not so limber neck to see what was close behind me.
Bingo!! A small, lone, doe moved slowly in the direction the group had the other day. I looked around but saw no others.
It was stopped now and staring off across the fence toward the tree farm. I thought possibly it could be mama and twin or even a lusty buck, but saw nothing.
After a long time standing still the doe flipped her tail and turned all the way around. I knew instinctively that she would cross the ditch and come up onto the trail to my left.
I swiveled around, grabbed my bow and released the tooth pick/rubber band arrow holder. She could turn toward the fence and I'd have no shot, but since I figured she'd come from that way I doubted she would do that. I was right.
Topic: 2012 kennym lease hunts 6 DOWN (Read 7374 times)
