Last week I had a four day weekend. Of those four days I spent three of them in the field scouting in preparation for today's rifle opener. Some of you may recall my post on the buck I kicked out of bed.
Made the drive to the hunting grounds last night and arrived at midnight. Slept for 4 hours and then got up and started loading up the kayak. The paddle out to the treestand was one hell of a wake me up. Something about the crisp morning air and the fog rolling across the lake.
I have to take a moment and brag about my stand location. It sits on the bank of a small peninsula. The peninsula itself is about 180 yards long, runs north and south, and is 80 - 100 yards wide. I'm able to maneuver the kayak right up under the prepositioned treestand. The closest road is slightly more than a mile away. I'm in my stand well before legal shooting hours and without stepping on a single leaf. The only practical way for the deer to enter the peninsula is from the north. I'm sitting in the stand facing north and the wind is in my face...perfect. Did I mention I can crappie fish and duck hunt from my treestand while scoping out deer? It is a pretty amazing stand.
The sun begins to rise and the deafening sounds of gun shots encompasses my location. I forgot what it was like to share with so many people so little public land. I stay optimistic though and keep the eyes peeled.
At 9:30 I hear my first disturbance in the leaves coming from straight ahead. Could it be? Nope, just the first of what I suspect to be many hunters paying "my" area a visit. Ten minutes goes by and I start to become a little discouraged. I sure didn't want many people trampling through the woods right in front of my stand location. I figure now is a good time to grab a quick snack. I dig in my pocket for a box of raisins, pop one or two in my mouth and glance to my right...doe! The rut is in full swing here so I put away the raisins with hopes she is not alone. I wouldn't be disappointed. Six steps behind her here comes a buck...not just any buck though, the spooked buck from the weekend before. I shoulder my rifle and sling some lead down range. First hit was good, but I would follow up with two additional shots as this guy did not want to his check out time to be now. The time is slightly shy of 10:00.
Here he is. A little shrinkage. My assessment of him last week, I knew he was a stout 4x4 (and I thought possibly 5x5), but he proved to be not so heavy as I thought. Still he carries a little mass which I believe is damn good for a public land whitey.
I take the pics, gut him and then proceed to drag him to the kayak. I very badly wanted him and I to make it out on the yak. It isn't going to work though (the deer has the come out of the field whole, no quartering)...I don't feel like drowning today. My topo shows three roads all slightly more than a mile away. I pack (w/o the deer) to the first road and find out it is on private property. I hike half way to the second destination...too many thorns and briar patches. The third and final option proves to be most beneficial. I get the deer to the road system around 4:30. I'm exhausted and dehydrated. I go back to the treestand and bust everything down. As dusk begins to set in I make the final paddle for the truck. A beautiful evening it was.
I load up the truck and head for the cached deer. A great opening day! A funny story tomorrow about the check-in station. Time for some shut eye...I'm pooped.
