It was a good morning for Dom and I — three deer down. Another unseasonably warm day, but nice and overcast. Dom hunted behind the house, and I in the usual spot by the lower pond. I had deer on the ground and Dom had hit one but not recovered it yet. He came down and got me and we went to find or flush the little doe he had shot. We walked through the high brush, about 30 yards apart; I was closest to the big field below the house. Dom called that he found it, but it jumped up and started off. I saw it jump and head toward the fence, and figured it would probably head back toward the mountain. I was by a fence post, standing, and braced myself against it. I shouldered my rifle and looked through the scope, but everything was too close, so I dialed it back. I found the doe, angling at a run (not a sprint, just a run) and tracked her for a few strides then fired. She crumpled on the spot. So go figure — I manage to hit a running doe at 75+ yards, standing braced against a fence post, but yesterday morning, I couldn’t hit a buck at 30-40 yards, standing still, me sitting with my rifle resting on a railing. I would say today’s shot was a lot of luck, though I don’t really believe in luck. Anyhow, we were glad we got that deer, and I had a 6-point as well.
Dom had a job interview this afternoon, so I borrowed his truck and took one of the deer in to the butcher in town. The other two, I skinned and quartered and put in the fridge. Two deer — one, one of the bigger ones I’ve shot, and the other a little tender one — and barely filled two shelves in the refrigerator. Tomorrow we’ll cut them up for the freezer.
It’s been a physically demanding couple of days, and I am sadly feeling my age. Yesterday I helped Dom and Kenny load hay on a trailer. After 80 bales or so, the dust totally got to me; my throat started closing up and my voice got real high. I quit and came down to the house and took an antihistamine and drank a bunch of water. Since then, I’ve gotten winded quickly with just the slightest exertion.
It doesn’t help that I’m way overdressed. I knew it was going to be warm, but this is ridiculous! I didn’t pack any of my lightweight hunting clothes. The only blaze orange I brought to wear was my winter coat and bibs. I could go without the bibs, but I really had to wear the coat, including when I was field-dressing the deer. Ugh!
Didn’t see a thing tonight. It was a beautiful night, though, warm, completely still, with a sky completely covered with wispy, puffy, floating clouds.
Tomorrow morning will be the last PA hunt for me this year (more than likely), then chores, then back to Uniontown.
Dom had a job interview this afternoon, so I borrowed his truck and took one of the deer in to the butcher in town. The other two, I skinned and quartered and put in the fridge. Two deer — one, one of the bigger ones I’ve shot, and the other a little tender one — and barely filled two shelves in the refrigerator. Tomorrow we’ll cut them up for the freezer.
It’s been a physically demanding couple of days, and I am sadly feeling my age. Yesterday I helped Dom and Kenny load hay on a trailer. After 80 bales or so, the dust totally got to me; my throat started closing up and my voice got real high. I quit and came down to the house and took an antihistamine and drank a bunch of water. Since then, I’ve gotten winded quickly with just the slightest exertion.
It doesn’t help that I’m way overdressed. I knew it was going to be warm, but this is ridiculous! I didn’t pack any of my lightweight hunting clothes. The only blaze orange I brought to wear was my winter coat and bibs. I could go without the bibs, but I really had to wear the coat, including when I was field-dressing the deer. Ugh!
Didn’t see a thing tonight. It was a beautiful night, though, warm, completely still, with a sky completely covered with wispy, puffy, floating clouds.
Tomorrow morning will be the last PA hunt for me this year (more than likely), then chores, then back to Uniontown.
1 comment:
Roger, A successful hunting trip. I see delicious venison dinners in your future. You know how to cook it. I'll have to pass this info on to Shawn. I know he wanted to get out again this weekend, but he wasn't able to make it.
I dreaded loading the hay bales into our barn (alfalfa actually). I always wore a surgical type mask over my mouth and nose and still managed to eat too much dust. I know my father misses it though. He'd rather be loading bales (if he could) instead of living in his condo.
Carolyn
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