Larry A. Smail's Blog

Brown Creeper

The annual Pennsylvania Buck Season began today. I wasn’t feeling all that excited about hunting this morning. I was more thrilled with the prospect of getting some decent wildlife photos. There are a number of reasons of my lack of enthusiasm. One reason is the fact my freezer is full of red stag meat! Regardless, I arrived in the area where I traditionally hunt deer later than normal for me. I had walked about 500 feet when the 2012 season opener legal time arrived. I watched a turkey explode from a tree and fly across Cherry Run onto the opposite hillside.

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

I reached  the next level of the hill and crept slowly until I situated myself at the point where two logs crossed each other. I was watching a couple of squirrels when I saw a glint of lighter color among the gray and dark colors of the young tree growth. Soon a buck appeared. I saw 4 points and, possibly another along the main beam. The point was either broken off or just hadn’t grown out very long. I reached for my camera  as the buck closed in to about 18 feet. He became suspicious as I held the camera low not being able to bring it to my eye. I was had! The buck exited the scene!

Half-Rack Buck

Inactivity brought about some shivers and I decided to sneak around a bit and settle in at some sunny area. The bird life was everywhere! I was watching red-breasted nuthatches; both the Downy and Hairy woodpeckers; chickadees; golden-crowned kinglets and a couple of brown creepers. Believe me trying to get great photos of darting birds is difficult. Most failed!

  I heard some leaf rustling across the little hollow and soon four deer began sneaking through the pines. They were all doe. I managed a few photos, but there was nothing outstanding with the shots. I heard leaf rustling behind me and as I slowly turned there were three does in a sunny area and closing in. I couldn’t move the camera into position for fear of scaring them. Another doe was following them and soon two half-rack bucks appeared.

I began hearing some turkeys across the hollow and soon saw another four deer through the brush. I couldn’t identify any.

    The ten o’clock hour was closing in and I was having a blast seeing all these deer and birds and squirrels. I heard some activity across the hollow again and soon saw another buck, followed by a second, followed by a nice buck, followed by another nice buck. Four bucks! They were about 100 yards away but moving slightly diagonally towards me.  The dense pine limbs made for difficulty counting points. Eventually the one big  buck allowed his front shoulder to be exposed in an opening in the woods. The 80 yard shot hit true!  I was up and was almost run over by two of the other bucks! The one I shot cut diagonally in front of me again but in the other direction. I watched the big deer crash. He went about 35 yards before collapsing. The time was 10:05. The widest measurement on the antlers is 21 3/4 inches. There are 10 points.                   

I called my step father, at home, and later my cousin, Donnie to help load the deer.  I had the buck skinned and quartered by 1:30.