Here we are in the middle of another deer season. So far, I’ve had a weird season. The deer I was seeing during archery season seem to have evaporated off the face of the earth. They know when to go nocturnal, that’s for sure.
There wasn’t much shooting in my area, but we will probably still have another laughable record kill this year.
So far, I’ve seen one doe, three raccoons, one red fox, and the rarest of trophies — a very skittish, beautiful ring-neck rooster. I was really starting to wonder about the deer, then one morning I found deer tracks in my boot tracks — tracks I made walking out after dark the night before. Patience, grasshopper.
Like I said, it is a weird season so far. I seem to have made the acquaintance of one particular gray squirrel. This guy brings a walnut along when he comes up the tree beside my tree stand. He has a spot on a tree limb about 10 feet from me where he likes to have his breakfast. He climbs up to his spot, eyes me for a bit to make sure I’m watching him, then proceeds to work that walnut over. He stops gnawing from time to time to study me, as if to make sure I was paying attention. I have to laugh at him, he works so hard for his breakfast. I try to keep an eye out for deer while watching the show, but after staring at the empty woods for a while, you look forward to the entertainment.
You have to be an eternal optimist when it comes to deer hunting. I’m going to keep hunting whenever I can.
The moment of truth will come eventually.
This coming week, there will be a lot fewer hunters in the woods. In some areas, the deer start to move around a little more. Over the years, I have taken several bucks during the second week that were chasing does. Sometimes referred to as the “second rut,” the second week of our firearms season often coincides with unbred does coming into estrous either again or for the first time (I’m not positive which).
I guess my point is don’t give up. Even if you can only sneak out for an hour or two in the morning or evening, go for it. The deer will probably not be in the open woods or fields. Head for the edge of the thickest, nastiest stuff around. And watch which way the wind is blowing. Try, I say try, because around here the wind is often swirling and changing direction, to approach your stand downwind of where you think the deer are.
The wind messed me up one morning this past week.
The forecast called for a west/northwest wind, which was perfect for that particular stand. When daylight finally came, the wind promptly turned and blew directly from the south. That was the morning the red fox came by.
Apparently I was high enough in the tree because the fox passed by downwind and never smelled me. I thought I would be OK, but a half hour later, directly downwind, a deer started snorting. She snorted so loud and so often that I’m sure every deer in Northumberland County knew something was up.
If you haven’t got your deer yet, hang in there, you’re not the only one.
-- Ken Maurer, Herndon, is a licensed fishing guide and a regular contributor to the Outdoors section. E-mail comments to kenrose@tds.
net.
Sports
Still hunting for deer
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