Saturday was my most frustrating hunt ever

[draconis]

Saturday morning, I got out of bed around 5:00 and had breakfast with my father. We discussed which of us would be hunting in which locations, pulled on our camouflage gear, and headed into the woods just as false dawn was starting to lighten the skies. I made my way to the stand I'd chosen, climbed into it, and settled down to watch the sunrise and listen to the woods come alive around me.

Between then and 10:00, I saw a total of 7 deer. In fact, for a solid hour I had deer playing all around me, completely oblivious to my presence. I had clear shots at just about all of them, and could have taken one as early as 7:15 that morning.

Why was this so frustrating?

Because of the ones I saw, only one of them was really suitable to take. Several of them were far too young (2 of them hadn't even lost their spots yet!) or were obviously the mother of one of these babies. Sorry, but no. I like venison, but it is not in my best interests to damage the herd, and taking one of those would have done so.

Then there was the seventh deer -- the one that just plain pissed me off. ::G::

She was a mature doe, and was in fact the largest one I saw all day. She also clearly was not the mother of one of the youngsters that played around my stand for an hour. I know this because she arrived at about the same time as they did, but from a slightly different direction, had no interactions whatsoever with any of them, and did not leave when they did.

Instead, she managed to get in between me and my exit route, found a cozy spot in between two trees, positioned herself so that all I could see was her hindquarters... and laid down for a nap. All the other deer are gone by this time, I can't budge from my stand without spooking her, and I also can't get a shot.

Finally, I hear my father coming along the road on the ATV he rode to get to his stand. Since she is between me and the road, I decide that if she hears this and cranes her neck around so that I can get a shot, I'll take it, but otherwise I'll just head on in anyway, and be content with having seen so many even if I didn't "bag" one.

My father heard me shoot just after he'd passed my location, continued on to the cabin where my stepmother and gryphonrhi were, said hello to them, then immediately pulled out the other ATV and told them he'd be right back, he needed to go help me get my deer out of the woods. When my stepmother asked him how he knew I had one "down," he apparently just looked at her like it was the dumbest question in the world, and said, "Because that boy doesn't miss."

I am glad my father has such a high opinion of me, even if I often think it is a little higher than I feel it should be. However, in this case he was correct, and the meat is even now being processed into steaks, hamburger, and sausage. 8-)

We spent the rest of the weekend helping my stepmother get things ready for the minor plague of locusts that will be descending upon her in a few days. This involved everything from rearranging furniture to spending 7 hours cooking country ham to discussing and arranging holiday decorations.

We came home, I watched part of a new martial arts DVD I picked up at the seminar last weekend... then for some reason decided to go rake the yard. Don't ask me why, I don't know. It just seemed like the thing to do. ::G::

So now, I'm tired, and sore, and thinking it's getting close to bedtime. ::S::

Comments

[mzlizzy.livejournal.com]

Before I read below the cut the thought crossed my mind:
... This is why they call it 'hunting' instead of 'shopping'.

I love your father's "That boy doesn't miss."

Thank you for being a responsible hunter, enjoy your success!

[themouseketeer.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of the one and only time I have had venison (I became veggie not long after. No connection LOL)

Leo shot it, hung it and prepared it. Again, he was one of those people who either hits it, or doesn't shoot. He was 18, and invited to shoot on the Queen's lands (as part of the culling)

I don't eat meat, but I do respect and even enjoy your hunting tales. Sounds like a great day.

And yard raking? LOL It's amazing what seems like a good idea at the time, especially when your're tired already!!

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

It was a very good day, if a tiring one. ::S:: And I'm glad you like my hunting tales. 8-)

Out of curiosity, why did you go vegetarian?

[themouseketeer.livejournal.com]

I became vegetarian because I didn't like the way animals were reared or killed. So when I became vegetarian, I would have quite happily tucked into that venison. Mmmm, yum. And there was a freeholder down the road who kept chickens for eggs; at Christmas we'd have one of his hens - that had been looked after and killed by hand.

Until the Christmas we realised *after* the meal that we'd actually *forgotten* the chicken entirely LOL and decided we didn't really need it with all the side dishes.

That was a long time ago. Now, I haven't eaten meat for so long (20 years?) the thought kind of makes me queasy. The only way I can explain it is how some (most?) people would feel about eating human. (To me, it would all be just meat) I have no problem with anyone else eating it; and Steve will try *anything* and I often ask him what it tastes like. (Zebra is a bit like pork, but slightly more gamey, apparently!)

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

This is why they call it 'hunting' instead of 'shopping'.

Very true! LOL

I love your father's "That boy doesn't miss."

I'm a pretty decent shot, but really, my brother is noticably better than I am. For that matter, when she's in practice, I strongly suspect that GryphonRhi could out-shoot both of us!

Thank you for being a responsible hunter, enjoy your success!

Thank you! We have more than enough irresponsible hunters in that area, I feel no need to add to their numbers.

You wouldn't believe the looks my family gave me one time when I came in from a hunt and told them I had a 6-point buck (my largest 'rack' to date)... and then told them that it was smaller than the one I'd let go.

::shrugs:: What can I say? I figured the herd needed the genes from the big guy worse than I needed the meat.

[kickair8p.livejournal.com]

"However, in this case he was correct, and the meat is even now being processed into steaks, hamburger, and sausage. 8-)"

Hey, congrats!





~

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

Congrats! :D

[rhi]

9 hours of cooking country ham. Down from 10 hours last year. But I foresee venison chili this winter...

[laure-nar.livejournal.com]

I prefer shooting deer with a camera, but I do enjoy a good venison jerkey. Also is your "country ham" really that.. ie salt cured??? and with redeye gravy?????? yummmmmmmmmmmmm

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

We don't usually do the redeye gravy any more, but yes, it really is salt-cured country ham 8-)

[laure-nar.livejournal.com]

yummmmmmmmmmm.. ok makes me want to go to Cracker Barrell.. (the only place in San Antonio I can get country ham.)