Larry A. Smail's Blog

I was part of our usual morning visit and breakfast at Bob and mom’s home prior to heading to the familiar haunts. The single digit temperatures never felt all that cold as I climbed the grade in search of whitetails! In less than 15 minutes I spotted 4 deer along a field’s edge. Yep, as the sun and temps were rising the deer would be feeding.

Over the next 40 minutes I passed up two doable shots in hope of better shots. Another instance found me creeping over a round top ridge and spotted a deer at about 35 yards, Old Jacob (My flintlock rifle) was aimed, but several pine branches were interfering and the extra second trying to find an opening unnerved the deer. I stalked another deer in the brush only to have a slight change in the breeze cause my stench to move the deer out!

The buck

I walked through a spruce and aspen woodland to check a bedding area without any luck. As I circled around I could see a deer’s body at about 50 yards distance. As I moved I could about the head became visible and WOW!!  I remembered this deer! This nice buck was traveling with the buck I harvested  during the regular deer season. He antlers are wide and actually much better looking antlers than the one I got! I managed some photos hoping for a better opportunity as the deer was among some goldenrod and briars! An antlerless deer was feeding around and I decided I wouldn’t shoot this deer in hopes of photos! The better shots never happened as the deer refused the openings.                                                     

I walked back around and I spotted the doe. She walked diagonally and started walking back on my earlier tracks. I followed her at about 30 yards on average but the deer never offered anything but a facing away shot until I cracked a small limb under the snow and off she went.

Later, I spotted a deer feeding in high goldenrod and multiflora rose brambles. The distance was close. I leveled the sights, but all I could see was the very head and white throat patch at times. I estimated the front shoulder and missed! The deer had moved her body enough that I totally missed. The deer moved about 8 yards and stood. I expected her to fall at any moment when she walked away. I hadn’t completed loading for another shot when she stopped. This is when I knew I had missed!!

I met Bob coming up a gas well road. he decided to come out as the weather improved. I circled around seeing more deer, but they went opposite the direction  I had hoped. As I continued circling I spotted a deer among some tree tops. The shot would prove to be 100 yards give or take. (I walked it off at 98 steps.) The deer turned and ran downhill. I quickly loaded and began tracking. A few drops of blood told me the story. The deer went over a hundred yards. I crept closer and shot again although I wouldn’t have had to do so. the front shoulder shot was true!

I saw a lot of deer this day and several grouse sightings. it was a good say to be in the woods!