So close yet so far away!
Opening Morning 2020 Kansas Gun Season!
Start time is 7ish. So, getting up at 6ish aint so bad.
I had gotten up earlier during Wisconsin Gun Deer Season.
Forgot to pull my hair back, I am not a happy girl if my hair is not pulled back during hunting.
I have long hair, yes yes I do.
Plus, I found this new pullover hood thing in blaze orange that keeps me toasty, and when my hair is not pulled back , well let’s just say hair in the face and hair on my neck just don’t work for me, I don’t like the feeling!
Anyways, also forgot my Chapstick, oh my gosh yes Chapstick!
The morning was a little brisk, glad I started the jeep early as there is frost covering the windows.
The place we hunt is only a little way down the road.
The walk in not too bad, except for it was a lot colder and windier than expected.
The moon was bright and lite up the earth rather nicely for our walk in.
The chair placement in the blind was not ideal and needs a little tweaking.
It was a rather drab morning with little to no sun, the frost glistened on the ground.
I did not hear one gunshot all morning, which I thought odd for opening day.
Back home that is all you hear for the 1st few hours opening day!
Plus, the wind was really nipping at my nose with an icy cold touch.
We had spotted a rather large buck on the far fence line, unable to get a clear ID on the big fella.
We headed in mid-morning for a rest and breakfast.
So, glad for electric start.
We decided to try some public walk in only land for this evening.
We drove up a big dirt road to get to the top of a hill.
There is no public parking so we parked off the road.
We walked in through this vast area of cedars and tall grass/weeds.
There was sign throughout the area with rubs and scrapes.
I had no idea how to navigate this area, but Marcus had a good grasp of where he was going.
Back home we don’t hunt much wooded area, so that is what he wanted to sit in and me to experience.
Well we ended up in a woods on a ravine with a very sharp drop off to a woods below.
This area was sloped so it was hard to find a flat spot to sit. I sat behind Marcus as bit.
The view was magnificent.
I am afraid of height so I don’t sit in tree stands back home.
SO, sitting up on this ravine overlooking the woods below, must be what it’s like for those who sit in tree stands.
The wind up here was blustery and cold.
The owls hooted and hollered throughout the woods.
A few birds flew here and there.
And that was all she wrote.
We saw nothing!
Heard 2 other shots in the distance all evening!
It was a nice sit, one that I won’t forget!
Oh, the shrimp, Ceasar salad, and twice baked potatoes were so yummy!
Marcus’s mother sure is a wonderful cook!
Better hunting tomorrow!
The thrill was at the end!
Friday November 6 2020
I have been looking forward to this hunt all week
As it has been a whole week since I have been out hunting
Oh, wait I don’t need to hunt right now
I got me a big buck
However, going out hunting even if it’s not my hunt
Is as rewarding as if I were hunting myself
I love being outdoors
So, another Friday night hunt it is
This time Marcus had the bow in his hands
He said he had a new place to sit, I mean I trust him with my life 🙂
At 1st he just wanted to old school ground sit
But I said let’s take the Ghost Blind
Some cover is better than none
Well the walk in was horrendous
The field we thought was half plowed
Was fully plowed
You ever walk the edge of a farm field
Were the field meets the grass
Horrible especially for a girl that had ankle surgery this past year
I was carrying a hunting chair with no strap
I have carried this chair before and it sucks
I know my arm strength is weak
Thanks for the reminder that I am a wimp
So, the chair got the best of me
Plus, I carried the Ghost Blind, I have not broken down and bought the backpack for it yet
But the thing is awkward to carry
Long walk over
I can’t even tell you how far that walk was
But I never wanted to walk it again
I thought of how I could get back with out going back the way I came
Marcus had picked a spot on the bottom of a huge bean field(that was tilled up already)
This bean field butts up to marsh and lots of cattails
Next to an ancient huge tree, which I have always been fond of
I knew this to be a promising spot
As over the years I have seen many a deer here
Once we got settled in it didn’t take long for a deer to be spotted in the field over to our left
Far away for sure
Then another comes out in front/left of us
From the cattails
100 yards would be my guess
I don’t know my yards from feet, so who knows
The weather was so nice 70 degrees for sure
It was nice to bask in the warm air
As I know soon it will be gone
I spot a flock of birds over head
This turned out to not be a normal flock
I am assuming they are blackbirds, red wing black birds, and grackles
Their flight in the sky went on for over 10 minutes
10 minutes of continuous flight of birds
Like I said I haven’t seen this type of migration for over 10 minutes ever.
I notice a doe cross the bean field diagonally
To our side of the field
They seem to be all congregating to the same area
There must be an area in the beans yet for them to eat
All does no bucks
Its closing now and we must pack up
A few does are still down the tree line from us eating
Which leads to a tricky pack up
As I am standing up now
And I see the deer(big deer)
To me left, over in the direction of the does, in the field beyond
Binoculars up
Big Buck
Marcus got a good look too
Big Buck
Its past dark but his rack is big enough to make out
We think it is BUD, he has a real tall rack
He slowly walks up the tree line at the end of the field
Of course, on the other property
He then turns around and walks back
He has his eyes on the does that have been in the field with us most of the night
It was a nice sit
Saw my biggest buck of the season so far
The walk back killed me and I had to draw inner strength
To keep my sanity on the way back
I really just wanted to scream and cry out loud
Instead I screamed and cried on the inside
And it was loud
About halfway back I had to dig deep
Mind over matter
Boots to the ground
Focus it will end and it did
I really liked the spot we sat in
It covered a lot of area and I could see lots of land
So much possibility in this spot.
Oh and I cant wait to see how sore my body is in the morning!
Shot straight! !
My 1st Successful Amazing Bow Hunt!
Just a typical Friday
I had flexed time during the week to get done early from work to get a jump start on my Friday night hunt.
I have not missed a Friday night in 7 weeks.
I had thought to go out Saturday morning to my Radix Blind, so I didn’t want to over hunt that area tonight, so I thought we should go back to where Marcus had hunted the night before.
I had hoped that the buck Marcus had seen the night before might make a special appearance.
We got a later start than I would have liked.
This was the 1st night that Marcus and I would hunt together this bow season.
We Mud Ducked(4 wheeler) down the road and up to the hill.
Oh, the walk….I repeat that again…….. oh, the walk
Thru that long long green hay field.
I am not a fan of long walks to a blind. Or long walks in general.
I always seem to become a sweaty hot mess by the time I get to the area I want to sit.
Plus, to top it off I am carrying my crossbow on my back and a heavy hunting chair all the way across the field.
Marcus had to carry his hunting chair and the Ghost Blind.
By the time I got to our location my back was on fire from pain, but I consider myself a STRONG WOMAN.
Anyways, we both get settled in, I sat behind the Ghost Blind and Marcus nestled in way behind me in the bush.
Marcus choose to not hunt tonight, and just hang out with me; we do that sometimes. Or rather he does that sometimes as he works very hard to set me up for success.
He was going to do a little calling for me here and there.
I am hunting in the Ghost Blind and I am still trying to adapt to the blind, trying to learn the techniques of hunting behind it. I have only used it 4 times so far.
There were a few blind spots I was not too happy about.
But you know how that goes once your set up, your set up.
I would have to adapt.
I will save the Ghost Blind story for another post
At 431 pm there was a doe up on the hill in the bean field
I figured she had come from the top of the hill, where Sam, Marcus’s cousin was sitting in the woods
In a tree stand up in the valley hundreds of yards away.
I figured he kicked her up.
For the next hour it was quiet.
In the distance the combine was cutting beans towards our house
There was little to no wind, so still. The weather was enjoyable.
The corn stalks did not move and I could hear the wings from the birds over head
As they flew into the bush all around us.
A blue jay here and a cardinal there.
A few morning doves flew up from the corn field in front of me
I though that might be a sign of movement in the corn field, nothing though
It had to be about 5:30 pm and Marcus had said my name from behind me
I looked back at him to see what he wanted; his eyes pointed to me in the direction of the corn field.
I can read them there eyes to mean deer over there.
The blind is blocking my front view (still trying to adapt to the blind)to the corn field so I had no clue what he was seeing
However, as I looked to my right thru the shooting hole in the blind there is a BUCK, a nice buck about 20 yards out
It was a nice rack to my standards and so I pondered the theory could this be MY RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Closest buck I have had in the last 8 weeks
In all the years of hunting this was the 1st time I had consciously made the decision
That I was going to shoot this buck, LORD willing!
I have passed Bucks up before; you know how that goes
It wasn’t the right BUCK for me.
So, this here buck is to my right. 20 yards out.
I had actually used the range finder on this exact old wooden post in the ground earlier.
All I can see out of the shooting hole was a head, ears, and antlers
I knew I had to be stealthy to get my bow up and in position without him seeing me.
He never did turn his back at me.
I always thought if I had to raise my bow to a deer that I would see him coming and long have my bow ready to go. I could prepare, plan it out ahead of time.
Guess it doesn’t always go the way it plays out in my head a dozen times.
I could not see his body at this time, I am pretty sure he wasn’t concerned about me and more about the beautiful hot doe he was following around. Hmmm wonder where she went.
I thought the buck was gonna go straight to my right up the hill and outta sight. At this point Marcus doesn’t not know why I am raising my bow for, he figures maybe I will shoot the doe or maybe he thought there was a buck with that doe, come to find out that he had no idea a buck had walked out from the corn
All he saw was a doe that stepped out of the corn, looked in our direction and turned right back around. He had no clue that I never seen the doe he had saw.
Well that Buck did a 180 and walked right to the front of my blind.
The way this played out in the next minute was crazy, I got this buck right in front of my blind, 10 yards
And I can’t see him, blocked by the blind. I mean the blind did its job, perhaps poor placement on my part.
At this point Marcus gives out MEHHHH, mind you I cannot see the buck in front of me.
I am unable to get him in the opening in front of me
So, all I had was “HOPE”, hope he took 3 steps further to the opening I had my bow pointed out
Then it happened, he took those 3 steps, he should have been long gone, but he took those 3 steps.
I have no idea when I took the safety off, no idea that there was lines in the scope I was suppose to line up, no time to breath, BAM
Made contact, just a hair high would be my guess, he was a lot closer than I thought
But who thinks at this time. Marcus always told me to watch where the deer goes, its important.
I felt confident the arrow went in. No doubt in my mind.
I watched him run down the hay field into the corn, jump up and down the length of the field an as he exited the field I see his one last jump and he was gone, disappeared.
He should have kept running straight ahead up the hill thru the beans to the other side, but I never saw him again.
I continued to watch for movement but none, I was excited.
I felt as though MY BUCK had taken his last breath in that vey place. I am a good Christian girl and prayed for a quick and painless death and a joyous transition the to BUCK HEAVEN!
I started packing up, but Marcus told me just to chill, that I had to give him time……I ain’t got no time…..I just shot a buck.
I packed everything up and Sam stopped his hunt to come down to help.
Marcus began looking for blood as did I, but we didn’t find any! Was there supposed to be blood????
He also looked by the corn field, no blood! Oh great….no blood!
The hay is green and short, now I started to doubt myself. Marcus of course jokes, hope the RAGE opened up, you know you hear those stories. Really guy!
I decided to send the guys on their merry way to search for my buck.
I walked back thru that long long field to get the Mud Duck and pack everything up. Yes, it was a long walk as I prayed we would find my buck.
As I walked back, I walked next to the corn field, just to look for blood. I thought he went in further down the field and he did.
I found blood, lots and lots of blood, sprayed all over the corn stalks.
I tried calling Marcus on my walk back, 3 or 4 times, I figured he had his phone on silent.
He finally picked up and I told him that I had found blood.
What a relief.
He said to bring the Mud Duck and then walk up by them.
They were standing about right where I had last saw “MY GUY”.
Yup that is his name “MY GUY”
So, I figured they were waiting for me to confirm exactly where I had last saw him.
Well, I get there and they tell me that they found blood and the trail that he came out of from the corn field.
Sam said he was going to go look down by the corn for blood
Marcus and I walked the bank trying to look for any signs
I didn’t take but 3 steps and there he was down the slope
At the edge of the corn field, he looked so peaceful.
Here was right where I last saw him
He tried to jump the little hill and ran out of blood.
Them guys…..they had already found him prior to me getting there, but they wanted me to be able to find MY GUY on my own.
He is a beautiful buck. The 1st thing I did was say a prayer and thanked MY GUY for his sacrifice.
I feel very blessed, blessed beyond words. I finally did it. The right place and the right time finally happened. Do you know how hard it has been for me to find the right place and the right time and to not give up HOPE??????
I take no pleasure in the kill itself.
I am extremely thankful to be given the experience and be able to provide food for my family.
I pay no attention to the stats; all I know is he had 9 points, a 13 inch spread and weighed roughly 135.
He has a sparkling light coat, a nice white patch, and cute little white patches on his feet.
4 years bow hunting and this is my 1st harvest. I hit it hard this year because I had switched jobs and didn’t have the time off like I am used too.
This was my 8th day in a row sitting out.
My heart is happy and my soul content.
When I hunt I take pleasure in being out in nature spending time with GOD and his beautiful creatures.
Its nice to get the monkey off my back so to speak and to put some food in the freezer.
Getting to experience this hunt with my love, Marcus by my side means the world to me as he has been by my side for the last 4 years cheering me on, keeping up my hope, providing his expertise and working the calls.
Thank you Sam and Marcus for getting him home for me.
I have officially joined the tagged out club and I could not be more proud.
Puddles and New Deer! A content hunt!
9th Sit
Friday October 24, 2020
It had rained and misted a majority of the day
Not a peek of sunshine from the heavens
Ohhhh and the wind raced freely thru space every which way
Plus, it was a tad bit cold
Fridays are always a long day at work
Even when you work from home
The taste of 2 days off and the thought of fresh air and hunting do a good job teasing the mind.
Its 4:15, just logged off the ole work computer and I am flying around the house trying to get ready
Well most things are already ready.
As the days get closer to the time change the less time I have in the stand
Here we go!
I parked the Mud Duck further back this time
So, I had a longer walk
I had worn my rubber boots for the walk in
I figured with all the rain we had, I would run into muddy travels
Well I ran into so much more
Puddles, lots and lots of water
In the lower land area
Sometimes way above the ankle of my boots in several areas
Now I am glad I wore the rubber boots
Thinking to myself, Dang girl you got some smarts
I wasn’t expecting the amount of water I saw
This water was not from flooding from the river
As it does a few times a year
The water was a bit disheartening
But it’s the nature of the beast.
My blind had water on the floor
I often wonder where it comes from as it is
But it sure did wind and rain the other night
An enclosed insulated blind
But where there is a will there is away
It was a windy, wet overcast afternoon
And I feel the evening would not produce much activity
About 5:00 Mr. Raccoon
Came out from the tree area and wander off thru the field right in front of me
At 5:02, 3 deer are to the left of me, Mom and 3 fawns
Eating in the big food plot
At 5:13, a doe walked out to my left out into the big food plot
This is a popular food plot since I started hunting
Anyways, the doe coming from this area had me thinking
Where that doe came from is a flooded ditch, so I wondered how it got there
Jump the ditch suppose.
Anyways it was neat to watch this doe come into the food plot and how the mother and fawns
Interacted with her
They sure did keep their distance from one another, but I wondered why they couldn’t be friends
But I suppose a mother needs to protect her young
A short time later
I see another doe enter the field from my far far left
It certainly was small and all alone
These deer munched on food in the plot for the next 15 minutes or so
By this time, I am distracted by the sound of four wheelers on the road
Probably the neighbors
But they had successfully managed to disturb the deer and they disappeared
I had hoped the four wheelers would not make their way back by me
Well they better not and should now better
But the sure did screw around and disturb my sound of silence for the next 5 minutes or so
I mean going down the road and back is one thing
But I felt it was so much more
And I can respect that boy need play
I could feel my blood pressure raise
I figured I didn’t have a chance to see much the rest of the night
As I sat enjoying the peacefulness
I notice how unusually quite it is
I also notice this on my walk in
I contribute the silence to the wet ground
Everything was soaked and nothing was made a sound
No rustling of the leaves and grass
Just complete quiet
I found this silence quite eerily, but almost soothing to my soul
Around 6 the big grand owl behind me on the tree line
Gave a few hoots as the light eases into darkness
About 6:10 the deer are back in the food plot to my left
I only see 4, but who knows how many there are
As I cannot not see the entire curve of the field
As I watch the darkness grab the light by the hand
I watch as the deer in the food plot stand at attention
They are looking straight ahead of themselves
Well out comes a deer from the left behind me, in front of them
Again, I wonder where they come from, as they have to cross the water/ditch in order to get to the food plot
The ditch is overflowing from all this rain
It is now well past closing time
I quietly zipper up the window facing the deer and slowly pack up
Trying my hardest to not make much noise
As I am sure any minute I will spoke them
I unzip the door and peak my head out, hoping they had departed the food plot
Nope they did not
I released the cross bow
Below my blind
This time thinking
They would hear this and leave
Nope they are still there
I now see 2 large deer figures walk out to the tall grass
From that ditch area
I was not able to see any horn
I did manage to get a glimpse in the binocs
By the time I was all packed up and ready to step out of the blind
The field was full of deer
I am talking 10 plus deer
I could make out some pretty big bodies
The field was littered with bodies.
I tried to be as quiet as possible
Zippering up the door and climbing down the ladder
But they paid me no attention
As they all remained in the field eating. I was able to walk away from my blind
And they didn’t know, no different.
I was pretty impressed I managed to be so quiet as to not scare then off
The walk out was dark
Which made the walk rough
As I had to walk through the water again, this time there appeared to be more
Mud than my way in
Or perhaps I just found the muddy areas this time
I was smart this time driving out
I put the Mud Duck in four wheel drive before I left
As the last 2 times I got stuck and had to back up and put her in 4 wheel drive and then go
Darn I am smart didn’t get stuck this time
The buck movement so far on camera has been minimal, but a good night hunting
Is not measured by the antlers I see
I got to see lots of deer tonight and I was fascinated by their behavior as they mingled with other deer.
They temp are dipping tonight
Once I got back home, I was getting out of my hunting gear and
I thought I would have to wear my
One rubber boot in the house
As I could not get it off,
I have a bad foot/ankle and could not find the strength to pry it off my foot
Nothing a few choice words didn’t cure
Fish, potatoes and zucchini for supper
The story of my night shared with the guys(you too Dad)
Dad, you will find the humorous in this……..
20 minutes after I left the blind
I had a buck on camera
A nice one, I think the one I had seen a few hunts back
Definitely a shooter
In the very food plot that all those deer where in when it was closing time
I wonder now as I look at that big rack
Was he out there, when I was there?
The heart feels a little heavy(you know that feeling)
Seeing him on camera, so close yet so far way
Until next time…shoot straight…its almost ruttin time!
Delightful Awesome Sit 5
Friday October 3, 2020
The weather is getting cooler, so I wanted to hunt tonight
Plus, I had some bucks below the house the night before.
So, it was my hope one of these big guys would have bedded
down below the house and would pay me a visit tonight.
Mud Duck is in for an oil change and maintenance.
So, I had to take princess (Dodge truck) down to the hunting spot.
It was a nice walk in
A little longer than normal because I had to park further away.
The water is down as there is no flooding only one little puddle
I kick up one deer as I am walking in, a doe
She is in the large food plot
My new stand is looking beautiful than ever.
Once I was settled in
I couldn’t help but notice the large amount of bird movement.
All I could see were yellows and blues
There were so many birds I was having a hard time watching them all.
Several of what I think were yellow rumped warblers
And……blue birds. Lots of blue birds.
And then just like that they were gone.
Maybe migrating through maybe not, I have no idea
Another doe out in the big food plot
To far away to shoot
About 15 minutes later a small doe comes out from behind me and to the right of me
I happened to be looking through the binoculars into the woods to the right of me
And the doe walks into my line of sight in the binoculars
She came out from the willows from behind me
She cautiously walked thru the small food plot
And then pranced within 10 feet of my blind
My long bow shooting window is open and she walks past that
Then she was out of site
I knew she had went into the woods
As she made the decision in her small tiny brain that it was safer to walk thru the
Woods to the big food plot
Than to walk down the path in front of me
Smart girl
For the next hour to the left of me 5 or 6 doe and fawn eat in the big food plot
They continue to eat in the field for the next 53 minutes, until closing time.
The last 5 minutes of my hunt, there is this doe in the big food plot and she is very curious
Always trying to look in in my direction.
I believe she want to come down the path in front of me to the small food plot.
She would creep closer and closer
And we would just sit and look at each other.
But the exciting news of the night was…….
I saw a buck
Roughly 630 he peeked his head out from the hidden path
I thought I had seen movement through the woods in the direction of the hidden path a while earlier.
Plus, we have a Cuddelink camera on this hidden path, as I was hoping to get him on camera.
Well we did it turned out to be blurry, go figures
Anyways he peeked his head out, he had a tall rack but it looked small
Not small small, but medium small.
I at the 1st sight made the decision he was not the guys I wanted to shoot
If he got within range.
And of course, he never did
He was probably 55 plus yards away(not very good at measurement)
He looked in my direction several time but wasn’t interested
He had other plans
He walked straight out from the path into the grassy area behind me
By the time I was able to get the binoculars on him, he was almost out of site
But then as I put the binos on him, he looked pretty enticing.
I was hoping for the next 23 minutes he might come back my way
Or circle around behind me in the willows
And come out on the other side of me to the big food plots but he didn’t
But I was already
The group of does and fawns munched the whole time in the big food plot
And the one curious little doe just would not give it up,
it’s well past closing she is 40 feet maybe form me
and she just stares in my direction
I slowly try to close the window as to not try to scare her
But she still does not leave
Even with me zippering the window closed.
She is finally gone
Packed up and ready to go
It was quite dark already
And I could not see around me
The last few time I have hunted it was light enough to make out shadows
Not this walk out.
As I made my way around the last curve to my truck
There must have been a doe and fawn on the path
Who must not have seen me until last second
As they ran quite quick
It sounds like the doe ran into the cattails right next to be
Really made my heartbeat and I could hear little movement to my left in front of me
My guess the fawn
As I continue to walk the fawn must have just been in the woods to the left of me
As I walked past I could hear it rumbling.
The boys made salmon, rice , and zucchini for supper
I realize I am a lucky girl
As I reflect back on the night
I have come to the realization that the stars must really have to align
In order for me to shoot a buck and I have seen bucks over the last 5 years.
Some shootable some not to my standards of course
Some close and some not,
But But But………
It must be a momentous minute when that right buck for me comes with in shooting distance,
How does that saying go right place right time?
Well until next time……..
Opening day!
A few pictures from my hunt! Not the best pictures when I am trying to go undetected!
Saturday September 12, 2020
1st sit
Opening day has arrived
I don’t normally sit in September
But I switched jobs earlier this year
Which resulted in Iess time off this year
Long story
Anyways
Let face it I am not a fan of getting up early to go out hunting
I mean there are days that I will but most I won’t
Why you ask, well I do things that make me happy
1st off there is nothing appealing to me to get up that early to hunt
It throws my whole days off for the rest of it anyways
Usually I will be so tired and less motivated
In return getting nothing accomplished
And let’s face it I have enough lazy days already
Maybe morning hunts are appealing to others
I don’t feel any less of a hunter because I do not get up in hunt mornings
I will once the rut begins and a few other days here and there
I am an evening hunter
So, the condition this evening where not ideal
It had misted and sprinkled most of the day
Plus, it had rained the last 3 days
It was hazy and cold
But I was itching to get out there
You know that adrenaline rush
You feel through your bones
Plus, I suppose I was excited to sit in my new blind
I wasn’t even sure I could get to my blind
As the week before the road was flooded
I decided to put on the old waders
And was just going to walk in through the water
Hoping the water hasn’t risen that high since last week
Wasn’t really hoping I would have to do this as I am not a pro walking in waders
Especially Marcus’s waders that are 5 times too big for me
I do not have my own
As walking in water in not something I particularly enjoy
I am not a duck hunter, yet either
As I pull out of the driveway it is misting
Enough as you can see it in the distance
So, it’s a good mist
The drive to my blind is still flooded
But it appears to have went down a bit
So, I drive through the water to get on the other side
So, I can walk to my blind
I parked in front of the bush against my better judgement
As I wanted to park behind
But it was flooded with water
As I ventured in mom and fawn were eating in the big flood plot to me right
They scattered quickly
The ground was mushy
And the skeeters were horrendous
I get to my blind and have to figure out a system as this is the first time
I have sat in a raised blind( I am afraid of heights)
Plus, I have my crossbow backpack on
Eventually I managed to get in the blind and get all set up
I was in the blind by 5(why so late you ask, that another blog entry for another day)
At 630ish a doe walked across the big food plot 100 yards plus away
But appears to be on a mission
I assume it was mom from earlier going to find her child.
A short time later 2 sandhills are walking across the big food plot
Looks like an adult and child
The child wing looks hurt
It is acting suspicious
It eventually leaves the adult, which I find strange
And comes straight towards my blind
The wing looks broken
I can hear it making some type on call/noise
it walks right by me and on to the hidden path
No idea where the adult went
The wing looked broke but I am aware that cranes can fake an injury to avoid predators or deterred
Predators from other cranes
So, I wonder what is going on here
If this crane is faking it is a good actor/actress
I say a prayer for the crane
The skies are dark and bleak
And the clouds at times look like a sky will open up and it will storms
It never does
It mists from time to time
I hear noise behind me occasionally
I do not have any windows open behind me as it is all willows and I have no shot
Plus, I don’t want over exposure
I know for a fact that the deer bed in here as well
Hence the location of this blind
This area I am in is the bedding grounds
for many of fawns over the years
See my other post about my blind(not up yet)
About 15 minutes later child crane and adult walk out on to the small food plot
Hang around for a minute or so and turn around back down the hidden path
I wonder to myself
What is up you guys
About 7 to my right on the other end of the small food plot
I see 2 deer frolicked toward to hidden path
Small deer
Then a doe comes out from the willows to my right
Behind me about 25 yards from the stand
She knows something is different
Something makes a noise below the blind
Its new it is working its kinks out
Well miss doe
Hears the sound and we play a staring game for 5
Well I notice at the back of the small food plot behind ma
There is a fawn eating on the bush
Ma is still standing about 25 yards out
I have no interest in shooting a doe at this point
Finally, baby runs over clumsily
And stands by mom
And then a teenager runs up from the hidden path
The hidden path goes into a hidden field
Obviously
So now I have a teenager, fawn and ma all looking at me
Waiting for me to just screw up enough that I move
Nope sorry not this time
Eventually after 5 minutes or so
They cautiously meander behind my blind and out of site
The teenagers get within 10 feet of me as there is a path in front of my blind
that the deer travel.
I do not have any windows open to the front of the blind there is a big bush there
And I don’t like to overexpose myself
Plus, there isn’t that great of a shot there anyways
As the teenager gets to the left of the front of the blind he gets skittish and tramps away.
I figured mom and fawn went into the woods to walk around my blind to get to the big food plot
What its getting close to closing time
It is raining now
I start to back up
I won’t shoot a deer in the rain
I fear losing the blood trail
As I walk out the path about 10 feet from my blind towards to big food plot
I am met by a fawn about 10 feet from me
There is no other way to get back to the mud duck
One of us has to move
I stop and we admire each other for roughly 5 minutes
I flail my arms in the air letting baby know a threat is coming
I do this several times
But she just hangs out and looks at me
So, I slowly start walk towards the fawn
And eventually it decided it is time to move
The walk back to the mud duck is long as it is raining now
Not bad for opening day
I saw 5 deer tonight
Any night seeing deer is a good night
Plus, I got to see deer on opening night as well
Back home I share the stories of my hunt
Eat some dinner
Watch a show and off to bed I go.
(sadly, I write this entry a week after and have probably forgotten many a detail, lesson learned)
Finally seeing some horns!
Finally getting some buck movement as the fog lifts in the bean field! Love the Browning Recon Force!
Oh little bucks!
Clearing cards from December. Thought it was pretty funny when the 2 little guys stop fighting once the bigger dude walked up. All 3 did end up walking away together.
Favorite Pics!
