Up until December 30th, my 2017 deer season in the South Carolina Upstate had been an endless series of frustrations. I saw one yearling on my first day in the field -- couldn't have taken it even had I wanted to because I didn't have an antlerless tag that day. Many days followed, always in a stand before the crack of dawn. Never saw a thing. Not much fun.
I spent Christmas vacation in California and flew home on the 29th, via Chicago, which was experiencing prolonged weather delays. After an 18-hour trip, finally arrived home at 12:10 a.m. on the 30th. I hunt as a guest of a small hunt club and had one last opportunity to hunt on the 30th. I seriously considered calling it a season so that I could sleep in. But I decided I would kick myself later if I didn't at least try. So I went, but I didn't get up until seven, and I didn't get into my stand until well after nine -- way past daybreak.
Forty minutes later I heard footfalls to the right and saw two does leading two yearlings, angling behind me at about my 4 o'clock -- a terrible angle for a right-handed shooter. I decided to sit tight and wait for the group to pass behind my stand. But about 30 yards away the lead doe stopped and looked directly at me. Drat! She snorted and off they went. Then, strangely, she ran to a point about 30 yards away on the other side of the stand -- and stopped. Thanks to that moment of indecision, she is now in the freezer, and my 2017 wasn't a complete wash.
So, I didn't get up early. I didn't get to my stand early. I got made by the deer and they bolted. And yet I still got one. Even more interesting is that the doe was old -- her teeth were worn nearly all the way down to her gums. She should have known better.
So, sometimes we do everything "right" and see no results, and sometimes everything goes "wrong" and we get one anyway. Go figure! So glad I decided not to skip that last day.
I spent Christmas vacation in California and flew home on the 29th, via Chicago, which was experiencing prolonged weather delays. After an 18-hour trip, finally arrived home at 12:10 a.m. on the 30th. I hunt as a guest of a small hunt club and had one last opportunity to hunt on the 30th. I seriously considered calling it a season so that I could sleep in. But I decided I would kick myself later if I didn't at least try. So I went, but I didn't get up until seven, and I didn't get into my stand until well after nine -- way past daybreak.
Forty minutes later I heard footfalls to the right and saw two does leading two yearlings, angling behind me at about my 4 o'clock -- a terrible angle for a right-handed shooter. I decided to sit tight and wait for the group to pass behind my stand. But about 30 yards away the lead doe stopped and looked directly at me. Drat! She snorted and off they went. Then, strangely, she ran to a point about 30 yards away on the other side of the stand -- and stopped. Thanks to that moment of indecision, she is now in the freezer, and my 2017 wasn't a complete wash.
So, I didn't get up early. I didn't get to my stand early. I got made by the deer and they bolted. And yet I still got one. Even more interesting is that the doe was old -- her teeth were worn nearly all the way down to her gums. She should have known better.
So, sometimes we do everything "right" and see no results, and sometimes everything goes "wrong" and we get one anyway. Go figure! So glad I decided not to skip that last day.
