Deer Hunting

Well Opening Day has come and gone. Brian and I Braved the darkness, cold and made it out to hunt opening day in the Northern Zone, Adirondacks here in Caroga Lake as did many other hunters. By sunrise we made it to the tree stands. We hunted until about 11 am and made it back to the cabin without seeing anything at all. At about 1 Pm after filling our bellies we headed back out again for our deer. This time we headed down the road to a plot of land owned by my friend Dave. He allowed us to hunt on his property which backs up to state land. Dave Had cleared a road to the back of his land which was an easy walk and brought us very near the state land. Dave had a Tree stand that was not being used for the afternoon hunt and he did not have plans on being out hunting. Brian ended up taking the tree stand which was about a mile in off of North Bush Rd., I decided to walk in a little deeper and onto the state land. After walking in about another mile I found a great spot and parked my butt on a fallen log , waited with high hopes that this would be the spot to bring down a buck. I think I was seated on the log at about 1:30 or 2 PM. I had a great view of a valley without too many trees and it did allow me to see into the woods for about 100 yards in most directions that I looked. After sitting on that hard cold wet log I remembered that at one time I had one of those hunter seats that you clip on to you belt at the rear and it helps you out and keeps you comfortable...Not the case here this time. It was a warm sunny afternoon so I was just enjoying the spot and comfort of the warm sun on my face. After about an Hour or so I picked up something moving about 40 yards infront of me,...... It was a Deer! At 40 yards all I could see was the side of the deer from Mid to the tail, I was not sure if it was a buck or not. The deer left the cover of the trees and very slowly made it out onto the logging rd. / snowmobile trail and just stood there broadside to me......It was a doe. I scanned the woods for another deer following but nothing ....just this doe. Ever so slowly that doe just walked off the road and into the woods towards me, she had no idea I was there. After a while she walked off feeding, never knowing I was so close. Thinking ...Ok I'll Just sit here and enjoy the warm sun on my face, jacket open and feeling warmer then I have ever felt hunting before. I think thats because Most of my hunting always took place in the Catskills and that always started in the middle of Nov, Not many warm days, Adirondack hunting starts rifle middle of Oct. , much warmer or at least this day was. After a while, 20min's or so a Doe is walking at me from my left now and coming right at me, not noticeing me at all!!! This doe is walking on the side of the mountain and finds a sunny spot and just drops the the ground taking in the sun too. She is 20 yards away and nothing between us but 20 yards of open space and leaves on the ground that she is bedded down on. I'm watching her, she is just taking in the sun , sniffing the air and her ears are moving side to side as if radar while her eyes start to close. Within a min. or so her ears cup forward and her eyes open....she has heard something.... I'ts not me as she is looking forward and not in my direction. Off in the distance she hears something...maybe it's another deer..I'm hoping. I then hear some leaves moving in the direction that she is alert to and I see a Grouse, a Grouse is what she heard...not a deer..not a buck. We both sat there taking in the sun with here alerting every once in a while and I figured , this is helping me, I dont have to be on the alert for another deer as she will do it for me and let me know as long as I watch her. After about 20 min's of this going on I started to hurt a little from not moving at all and I also thought that if I do spot a buck and move to draw up my rifle she is going to bolt and might scare my buck. Time to make a move and release from my hold on movement. I release and she did not move. I coughed and nothing! Was this deer blind and deaf? Laughing to myself I stood up, she looked over and stood up too, now her eyes turned BIG, as BIG as two Black Lumps of Coal. She looking at me and me looking at her....A stand off. She not knowing what she was looking at, she stamped one leg the the other in her attempt to make me move. When I did move she bolted and ran off into the woods. I laughed to myself and back down onto the log and again thought, how great this day was. Again as I'm sitting there another deer makes it's way from infront of me walking slowly towards me. Another doe. This doe spots me at about 30 yards and stops dead in her tracks..I think she caught the sun shinning off of my eyeglasses. She too stomped here legs a few times at me and off she bolted into the woods.. This is really turning into a good day! So good a Buck has to be near. Not so lucky, the sun slides down behind the moutain and darkness falls, no buck deer will be taken by me today! Maybe Brain did better or at least saw something...I hope! I make my way the mile or so heading towards Brian and hoping he has got a buck or at least seen something...something that keeps him interested as he has been hunting a few years but has not bagged one yet. Darkness has arrived and I am now making my way to Brian and walking out by flashlight. I'm thinking even thought I did not see a buck it is one of the best days of hunting that I have had in a long time even though Mr. Buck sleeps safe tonight somewhere in the woods. I bursting and can't wait to tell Brian the story and Hoping that he has one just as great to tell me! Brian shows no sign of deer blood on his hands so without any words from him I can tell he has not shot and gutted a deer but none the less he has a smile on his face too...I can tell he had a good day too and can't wait to tell me about his adventure . Brian too had does walking around him while in the tree stand and they never really knew he was there until they to bolted off into the woods. Brian and I walked down the mile or so of logging road towards our truck, talked and laughed about our day. We both had high hopes for the next day out, high hopes that we would get our bucks on sunday Even though we walked out empty handed we had a great day and it will live with us for ever...the stories of this day will grow as they are told each and every time.. Long and short of it , We had fun. "Having The Times of Our Lives"