NOVEMBER 25
I entered the woods within the confines of the pre-dawn light. My anticipations were somewhat high. I was to hunt buck deer this day, although I was licensed to hunt antlerless deer, as well. I had seen a beauty of a buck prior to this season and was hoping to meet up with the deer. The landowner’s grandson had captured this buck on trail cams and, he too, tried to cross paths with the buck during archery season.
Walking in, my nose captured a subtle whiff of something being dead. I wondered what could have died and would check out any source later in the day.
The very first wildlife noise this morning was that of a few Ravens roosting in the pines. I thought that hearing Ravens here was odd. Their loud racket was common throughout the morning at times.
Throughout the morning hours into the early afternoon, I would see a total of twenty deer some within eighteen to 20 feet. Squirrel activity was everywhere, too. I would see and hear Swans over the next several days as their migration season always happens around this time of the year.
I was watching a Raven flying around and saw the bird dive near to where I crested the hillside in the dark. I went to look to find what was dead.
I saw the buck! Someone had arrowed the big guy and lost the trail.
I took a phone photo and sent it to J.F. who was hunting higher on the hill. He responded and came to see the buck. He was saddened to see the end result of this majestic deer, as was I.
I remained in the woods until around 2:30 hearing and playing vocals with a couple of turkeys that flew into the nearby trees.
NOVEMBER 27
Sunday, I went to church and later spent the afternoon at the Armstrong County Historical Society Museum in Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
A very cold and windy day was to be the norm for Monday’s hunt. There was no squirrel activity, and I would only see four deer.
NOVEMBER 28
Another cold and windy day in Penn’s woods. I would see twenty-one deer this day, but failed to shoot even when I had deer very close. A sad event happened this day. I loaded the Remington 760 with a clip of shells. Somehow, I failed to chamber a 30:06 cartridge leading to a failed shot attempt on a doe. Usually, I check to be positive of a chambered shell. I did not check this morning. Oh well. I did see a buck this day. I wouldn’t have been able to shoot this buck anyway even if I could have counted the points!
NOVEMBER 29
SUCCESS! TWICE!
This day would bring success twice to my rifle and me. The first deer proved to be an interesting story. I shot and watched the deer run away. I went after the deer and didn’t find it. I checked around well and became very frustrated. How could I have missed this deer?
I went back to the site of the shot to think. I went back again to look but farther to the right and dropped farther down slope. No Deer!
I concluded that I must have missed and returned to the log I was setting behind wondering what may have happened. I still doubted a miss.
Suddenly I saw two deer feeding along behind a stretch of thicker cover. I readied myself for the wait!
The large doe eventually walked into an open area and the shot was fired. I watched this deer run off, too, but I saw the animal fall.
I tagged and “gutted” the deer and began the drag still watching for the first deer. I went through the area previously checked for the first deer and continued down the hill. I glanced to my right and saw the downed deer. The shot was a good one, but the adrenalin surge apparently carried the deer farther than anyone would have expected.
I prepared this deer and began a drag, too.
The work now began in earnest. For I had to drag two deer to the Jeep. This drag would include crossing a creek and up a slope.
Loading the one deer proved to be quite the task for this old guy. Eventually I had the deer loaded. I would take this deer out and return for deer number two. There was no way I would be able to load both deer in the Jeep.
I will be doing other various chores the next two days.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 