Larry A. Smail's Blog

“old Jacob” and my gear.

The “Hunter Mode” evades me easily. Many things can trigger a lack of desire to shoot. With me, weather can play a part. Traditionally, I butchered 98% of what I have taken over the years, so I want cool weather to work with.

Other reasons include my attempts to help others harvest over myself. I have been working at having  deer pass by my step-father, Bob. I may tend to pass up shots while doing this task. I actually allowed several close range shots to not happen. There are times I just do not want to take an animal. Some may call this weird, and maybe it is. Whatever, I have passed shots on gobblers, many deer, and even a bear one time. I think of these times as “Counting Coup”. Many Indian tribes, especially the western ones, considered touching an enemy over killing  to be bigger “medicine” than killing the opponent.

I haven’t hunted the long times as I tend to do. My leg feels like it gets fluid at times, so I have limited some woodland hunts. I didn’t hunt on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I passed up two 20 plus yard shots. I was standing, and thought maybe I should end this hunt. At the “click” of the hammer, being pulled back, the two deer bolted. Later, I missed one of these same deer. Then it happened! The “Hunter mode” kicked in.  I had 32 deer sightings by noon when I quit.                                                                                                                              

Thursday morning, I hunted about one hour, and a half behind where I grew up. I was trying to move some deer for Bob. This area was fields for most of my life. They had been abandoned and now the briars and goldenrods encompass  everywhere. the deer love it, but the goldenrods are over my head.

I was walking the old farmer’s road when I heard deer moving in these towering goldenrods. I quickly moved only to see two doe at about eight yards. They instantly took off never to be viewed again. I saw five deer totally.

Today, January 1st, I couldn’t stand being home, and took off to hunt. I was still hunting and saw two deer. I continued sneaking along when I saw a deer down over the hill walking towards me. I stopped. The deer turned broadside. The shot was true, and humane. The big doe lay still. The distance was over seventy steps.

I offered up a prayer of thanks, and the dragging began.

December 26 witnessed the first day of the primitive deer hunting season. This is my personal favorite time to hunt. I decided to be a “dog” this day for my cousin, Donnie Smail, and step-father, Bob Miller.

Briars!!!!!!!!!

I was walking through some clear-cut areas on some of these pushes for deer.  Brambles; logs; multiflora rose and young growth saplings made moving difficult.

Prior to the first drive I maneuvered myself to a place to allow the “boys” to get into their position. prior to the deer drive, I went up, and over, to see where workers had removed the top of the hill. I wanted to observe how much woodlands were dozed over.

The Ram! (Note erosion control fencing.)

I was seeing a lot of deer sign when I looked along a grass-covered  area. I saw an animal. I first thought I was seeing a deer, but the colors didn’t look correct. I could see the colors of an elk along with deep blackened areas along the legs , and belly. The animal continually fed. I glassed it. Later, I saw the head and it was a ram!  What the heck was a ram doing way out here?

Well, as for the drives I placed deer went past the hunters at different times, but not a shot was fired.

I saw a grouse, and some squirrels as well.

We quit about 11:30 since some rain began falling as predicted. However, The rain didn’t amount to much all afternoon. Next time out, Old Jacob may get a shot! That rifle was named after Captain Jacob the famous Delaware warrior, and chief in Kittanning, Pennsylvania  in the eighteenth century.