Yes this morning was a great day to be in the woods. I didn’t get a buck, but if events would have been slightly different the result would have been venison.
I should fill in a few days since I neglected to post anything recently. Wednesday, December 3, I hunted for half a day. I saw my first deer immediately upon entering the woods. I could not identify the critter due to brush.
My hunt followed with a jaunt through a pine forest area. Here I heard 
turkeys on the roost. In a few moments I heard more birds across a hollow. I smiled knowing how had I tried to locate birds on different occasions and, now, here they are!
I settled in to watch in the gloom of another dreary day. Three snorts soon erupted near me. The wind was right for my presence. After a short time I noticed a hind leg of a deer. I could see other deer parts as they moved around. eventually three doe walked past me.
I spotted movement to my left and , you guessed it, twelve turkeys walked through an opening. there used to be thirteen in that flock. I wonder where that extra bird went? Oh yeah, I remember, the gobbler went into my freezer!
I still hunted around the area seeing more deer and squirrels, but no antlers. I quit around noon to stop and visit my mom and step father, Bob.
Thursday, December 4th found my hide spending much of the day at the Armstrong County Museum. I talked Indians with four groups. they were a great bunch of young people!
This morning, I watched the weather closely. There was talk of freezing rain in the early hours turning to rain later on. I left the house after seven o’clock to hunt deer. This has been a most gloomy deer season thus far.
My approach to where I had intended to park found a big deer standing exactly where the jeep is stationed on many hunts. The deer’s head was hid by roadside brush. The deer moved and I proceeded to drive when another buck walked off the hill’s side within an easy stone’s throw. The rack was nice and even and legal. I couldn’t see the width eat the angle I was observing the deer, but it was nice.
I parked and could see the deer standing about twenty yards between the road and the creek. It turned and moved into the brush.
I exited the jeep only to see and hear a turkey flush directly behind me. I looked over and could see three additional deer. they appeared to be all doe. I began to walk in to hunt and a cottontail rabbit ran off. I thought this is going to be a great day in the woods.
I eased up the hill trying to decide what course of action would be best to overtake these deer. I decided to allow my instincts to guide my way. the hunt was on. I walked about a quarter of a mile searching for anything looking like deer when I spotted two deer to my left. They were feeding long. I moved towards them and could see deer were bucks. I moved silently to close the gap. I scoped the one buck and could see approximately 16 to 18 inches of antler width. I failed to count the points. They moved deeper into the brush and I circled.
My circle was closing in when I saw the doe ahead of me followed by two buck. Here is where I messed up! I turned left and went down over before turning right to watch a deep hollow and the edge of the hill. I wished I would have stayed on the deer. I lost them after this maneuver. I circled around much of the morning and never saw them again.
I did see another nine doe and one unknown deer prior to quitting around one o’clock. the last three deer stalked. I knew they were doe, but I approached to with easy bow range as they fed along. The mother doe eventually turned and walked past me followed by her two fawns.
Saturday, the weather people are calling for much rain. The 6th is, also, my mother’s 85th birthday!
Larry A. Smail's Blog 