Trip home this past fall for the WI gun deer season. Opening morning had me leaned against a tree 30 minutes before shooting light within 100 yards of private. These deer tend to hit the sanctuary of private land as soon as the first round cracks off opening day.
Within 10 minutes of shooting light I had a shot go off in the valley next to me and another a few hundred yards north. Guess I picked the wrong valley. My dad chose to pass on a doe as it stepped out on the trail. He was happy as a fawn stepped out right after.
Where’d that guy go with the creepy/irrational obsession with wool pants? The rest of opening weekend a bit of a bust. The buckthorn and lack of snow really made visibility crappy. This buckthorn is a pretty interesting plant that I’d never read much on until this fall. Nasty stuff, borderline evergreen and the berries are a laxative to critters that eat them, accelerating their proliferation throughout the woods.
Pretty sure we saw deer every day, whether it was no shots or early in the morning/late in the evening, never cracked off a round. Bumped a couple deer to people which is always fun. Starting to feel like the old expression, “always a bridesmaid” after a bit. Saw an absolute giant walking across the road one evening on the way home. Never flagged, just stepped a few yards back into the undergrowth and disappeared.
Wasn’t there a thread for balloons? One of you boys had this one get away from your birthday party.
Fast forward to Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Real windy and on the backside of a storm, headed out for an afternoon walk with Dad. It’s really hard for me to slow down and enjoy the time I have to hunt with him. I think it’s hard for me to accept he’s getting older and the roles have reversed a bit. After a bit we split up, I headed up an old trail through the woods while he worked the edge of an old field for a bit easier walk. Anytime the wind would blow I’d take a few steps and scan the woods. Towards the top of the trial I catch a flash of deer hide through the woods, but it’s so thick I can’t make out a full animal. Shuffling back and forth on the trail looking for a window as the deer fed quartering away from me. Just as I was about to give up I backed up about 20 feet and have a slight opening. Pull the old Ruger up and wait. Soon enough the first deer steps partially in the opening. I only have a neck shot that I’m not wanting to take offhand at around 60 yards. I notice a second deer stepping into the lane behind the first. My guess is they were twin fawns last year and the one couldn’t bear the thought of his brother getting the acorns ahead of him. As the second deer stops broadside I touched off a round. So thick I couldn’t see what happened, but didn’t hear a deer running off. I can make out the first deer standing there but no room for a shot. Eventually it takes off and I go look for blood and hair. No need as this is what I walked up on:
Texted Dad a pin on OnX (boy he sure was fired up to learn that trick) and waited for him. Dad sure enjoyed the recap once he got to me. The yearling deer streak continues. Got him all gutted and drug out after a few pics.
Just a story of a little nubbin buck but it was getting a little heavy in here. Hope it was a distraction for a few minutes for you.
Within 10 minutes of shooting light I had a shot go off in the valley next to me and another a few hundred yards north. Guess I picked the wrong valley. My dad chose to pass on a doe as it stepped out on the trail. He was happy as a fawn stepped out right after.
Where’d that guy go with the creepy/irrational obsession with wool pants? The rest of opening weekend a bit of a bust. The buckthorn and lack of snow really made visibility crappy. This buckthorn is a pretty interesting plant that I’d never read much on until this fall. Nasty stuff, borderline evergreen and the berries are a laxative to critters that eat them, accelerating their proliferation throughout the woods.
Pretty sure we saw deer every day, whether it was no shots or early in the morning/late in the evening, never cracked off a round. Bumped a couple deer to people which is always fun. Starting to feel like the old expression, “always a bridesmaid” after a bit. Saw an absolute giant walking across the road one evening on the way home. Never flagged, just stepped a few yards back into the undergrowth and disappeared.
Wasn’t there a thread for balloons? One of you boys had this one get away from your birthday party.
Fast forward to Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Real windy and on the backside of a storm, headed out for an afternoon walk with Dad. It’s really hard for me to slow down and enjoy the time I have to hunt with him. I think it’s hard for me to accept he’s getting older and the roles have reversed a bit. After a bit we split up, I headed up an old trail through the woods while he worked the edge of an old field for a bit easier walk. Anytime the wind would blow I’d take a few steps and scan the woods. Towards the top of the trial I catch a flash of deer hide through the woods, but it’s so thick I can’t make out a full animal. Shuffling back and forth on the trail looking for a window as the deer fed quartering away from me. Just as I was about to give up I backed up about 20 feet and have a slight opening. Pull the old Ruger up and wait. Soon enough the first deer steps partially in the opening. I only have a neck shot that I’m not wanting to take offhand at around 60 yards. I notice a second deer stepping into the lane behind the first. My guess is they were twin fawns last year and the one couldn’t bear the thought of his brother getting the acorns ahead of him. As the second deer stops broadside I touched off a round. So thick I couldn’t see what happened, but didn’t hear a deer running off. I can make out the first deer standing there but no room for a shot. Eventually it takes off and I go look for blood and hair. No need as this is what I walked up on:
Texted Dad a pin on OnX (boy he sure was fired up to learn that trick) and waited for him. Dad sure enjoyed the recap once he got to me. The yearling deer streak continues. Got him all gutted and drug out after a few pics.
Just a story of a little nubbin buck but it was getting a little heavy in here. Hope it was a distraction for a few minutes for you.
