I decided to start the hunting on a 20 acre tract that we cut the timber off a couple of years ago. I had some success at a spot on a ridge line half way up the hillside last year so decided to start at the same spot this year. There is a fence line running up the ridge and the logging operation left a clear cut along the fence. The spot I chose was about 25 yards above a gap in the fence. The deer love to use this gap to cross from a pine bedding area to a stand of large Oak trees on my neighbors property further up the hill.
The day started out like any other with the squirrels making the first noise of the day.
About 7:30 a small doe came through the gap and I let it pass.
As I watched the gap for another deer to cross, about 8 a.m., I looked to my left and there was another doe. This one larger and about 20 yards away on the other side of some briars. It was on a path to cross just in front of me. She kept coming and at 10 yards she pointed her nose straight up and I could see her taking in as much air as her lungs could hold. She was trying to sniff me out. I remained in frozen mode. She looked at me and made a turn down wind and went to my back. I could hear her stomp and give a lite blow, I remained still. She then went back to the trail and walked right past me at 10 feet.
That was too cool as I sat on a stump. As it walked on by, I turned my head slightly to keep eye contact. Well, BUSTED . . .there was another deer behind me. It snorted and dashed off taking the first one with it. I didn't get a good look at that one.At 10:30, another doe came through the gap with a smaller doe with her.
I didn't allow her a pass. She was a nice doe and I decided to take her. The smaller one hung around until I ran her off.
Day one, it seemed like I had on the invisible cloak. I was sitting there on the ground taking pictures of deer and shooting them. Deer walking right by me.
Day two was different. Every deer saw me first and I didn't get any pictures. I decided to sit at the same spot. Nothing moving early so I took a picture of this woodpecker that was keeping me awake.
At about 8:30, I looked up and saw my first buck of the week. A nice six pointer that had some good size to him. I had my .270 ready, but, decided to let it pass because it was a young deer. I made a move for my camera and got busted, bigtime. Too bad, that buck raised it's head and when it snorted you could see his breath fly out in the cold air. He sure looked pretty as he dashed into the thicket . . .not to be seen again all week.
Turned out to be the only buck I would see, alive.At 10:30, almost like clockwork, another doe made it's way through the gap. Exactly the same as the day before except this one saw me immediately. As she was trying to figure me out, I took the neck shot and dropped her. A smaller doe with her didn't stick around this time.
Two days and two deer . . .both neck shots and dropped within six feet of each other from 25 yards. I was thinking, this is easy.
My buddy, Bobby, wasn't able to get off work until my last three days of hunting and I was going to limit out before then at this pace.The next morning I decided to hunt at the farm. On the way in, two does jumped up on this ridge before daylight. They were bedded down and could see me coming for 300 yards.
No deer once I got to the top, but, it sure was nice up there on that ridge. It's easy to see why the deer liked it up there. Sure was a beauty of a sunrise in the making.
At about 8 a.m. a doe and two fawns crossed. I gave them a pass since I was looking for a large buck that had been seen in the area. They turned out to be the only deer I would see all day. Which was fine as I enjoyed the sunset on the same ridge on my way out.
Over the next couple of days, I had very few deer sightings. I did take a small doe on the lower side of a old house place by the creek and another one above the creek. Here is a picture of the old "Molly Place" and the two deer.
For the next four days, I got skunked on the deer. Bobby managed to get a nice spike on the last day we hunted. I was glad to hear his gun go off. The little buck was full of acrons.
Here is a picture of the help I got to clean up the scraps.
And I'll end it with this one of another helper. Looks like he ate the whole thing . . .
We ended up with seven deer, so far. I expect my cousin to connect with his crossbow again before the season ends. Not really a great harvest, we typically do much better.
Sure was fun to hang out with friends and family for a full week and a half. Nothing better than Thanksgiving in the mountains.
