Well, Saturdays early season opener was a definite blood pumper. Up at 4:25 am and at the gate to my favorite area at 5:30 am. Quietly as possible on a dry crunchy road, I made my way up the logging road to check some clear cuts. At 7:15 I had my first encounter! While facing into the wind, I had my eye on a wooded area to my left, while off to my right was a clearing. Not expecting anything from the right, I got my first surprise of the morning!
I hear this crashing sound and slowly turn my head to my right and slightly back. A beautiful blacktail doe was charging up the clearing headed for the wooded area on my left. She stopped at about 35yds looking at me head on. I wait, she waits and we both do not move. Finally, not for sure what I was but, also not alarmed, she turned slightly and headed back further behind me. I turned in hopes of getting a shot as she crossed behind me but, she had other plans and continued on 'til I lost complete sight of her. No shot but, man what an excitement it was. :D
So, I headed on up the road a little further and it made a downhill turn completely wooded on both sides. There is a small clear cut at the bottom and to the right I wanted to check on. About half way down the road, now 7:35 am I spot another doe, #2 coming towards me so, I drop and get my bow ready. She decided not to come any further and made a left to the opposite side of the clear cut. Once she was out of my view, I slowly inched my way down in hopes she would still be there. That's when I notice doe #3 in the clear cut on my right taking a morning urination. Excitement is now running through me from head to toe. Then I spot doe #4, poking her head up around a bush and slightly in front of me. She steps out and heads across to follow doe #2. To far away so, no shot opportunity. Doe #3 heads up hill in the clear cut and I loose sight of her with no shot opportunity there either. :(
I relax back on my haunches in hopes one of them will come back around. They never knew I was even there! :D I glance further down the logging road to the far end of the clear cut and see doe #5. She is eating limbs off a small tree. I decide to see if I can close the distance to her and maybe get a shot. Wrong move!
Well, needless to say, there was the disappointing crashing sounds of deer fleeing in all directions! :rolleyes: 5 blacktail does in a 20 minute time span, and I didn't get one shot. But, I did get a great exciting feeling and the opportunity to be right in the middle of something most don't ever get to experience. I hunted on 'til about 10:00 am and then got seriously rained out for the rest of the day. No matter, I'll be back out there Wednesday morning!
Sorry for the long post but, it sure was a great day to be afield!
Topic: Opening Day Delights! (Read 504 times)
