The last week.

[monkeyball]

Last week was the end of our late season here in my part of Penna. It has been colder than cold and was just starting to warm up a little last Friday.

   Snow was on the ground and it was actually quiet enough that you could sneak around a little. I grabbed my Osprey,put some snow camo on and hit it.  

  Everything looks different in the snow...

   

[monkeyball]

The plan was to head up over this point then try to sneak down into a bedding area.

   

[monkeyball]

The snow camo blends pretty well...

   

[monkeyball]

Sneaking out along the north-side of the big ravine.


     

[monkeyball]

We go from all that beautiful color in the fall to the browns,blacks,and grays of winter. When you do see some color ,it pops out at you.

   

[oldskool]

   

[monkeyball]

Up over the first bench now, the wind is right and I am picking my way down over.

     


  Just down over from that one dead tree on the left there is a doe bedded down. The pictures are with my cell and it has no zoom so actually showing it was out of the question. She has no idea I am above her,maybe 75 yds away.

[monkeyball]

I glass the area as much as I can because you know there are going to be more. There was. Just to the right of that standing Oak and down below was a really big doe bedded and she also had no clue.

   

 Problem was,there was a huge mess of brush and jaggers to get through if I wanted to try and get closer.

[monkeyball]

Some of you guys will get what I am talking about here when I say, "It's not always about the kill,that makes the hunt special."

 

  I decided to try and backtrack out of there without spooking them,which seemed harder then getting up to them,but we pulled it off.

[monkeyball]

Snow-capped Fungus on the way down over...

   

[monkeyball]

And some "hard to give it up" Beech leaves...

   

[monkeyball]

Hunted back down thru the bottom,have to pick my wife up at work today,lots of tracks around...

[monkeyball]

Actually sneaked up on two doe browsing on the way out. I hung tight for a while and just watched then had to get moving. When they spooked there must have been at least eight of them take off. It was a great afternoon.

   

  Almost home now........

[lpcjon2]

What a cool day,thanks for taking me along.

[fmscan]

Craig, I LOVE your posts, always good pictures and feel like I am along with you. I also really like your sense of the hunt, killing not needed all the time, getting close and seeing nature is always well presented.

[D. Key]

Man that is great.  I really like hunting in the snow but down here in SE Texas, we rarely have the opportunity.  Better luck next time.

[Bernie B.]

I always enjoy your pictures and travels through the timber.  That's very beautiful country.  Thanks for sharing!    

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Great Photos as always Craig.

Love your Rasta Hunting hat!

[Cookus]

Nice pics of a beautiful day in PA!  One of these years I'll catch up to you at the Shade Mountain shoot!  Take care!

[jrbows]

Snow, the hunters friend, they really stick out on that white background (not saying I saw any of the ones you caught on camera but I really like hunting in these conditions) glad you're in an area that has a decent population, last time I was out when there was snow on I didn't cut a track in the area I hunt in GOOD POST.