Well, tonight began the annual tradition of pre-deer hunting season. That’s right! T – 44 days until we throw on the camo, wander out into the cold, dark hours of the morning and sit and wait…and sit and wait…and sit and wait…annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Whao! Sorry about that I dozed off! As I was saying, deer season is just around the corner and there is much work to be done. Our mission tonight was to find the “perfect” spot to hunt from. (Personally, I do not believe there is such a thing, but I do not want to discourage the great white hunter.) Because I don’t do the shooting, my job is to scout and bait. I take great pride in my job, but it is not without it’s challenges. Take tonight for instance, we discovered at great traffic area for wildlife (we hope the ones we want) so we proceed to take a closer look. This requires me to get out of the side-by-side and investigate on foot. I go on foot so I do not disturb the area too much. I walk quietly, I tread lightly and I retrace my steps as best I can. I am in the zone, taking note of everything I see. Suddenly, I am jolted out of my bubble to the sound of the great white hunter roaming all around the rest of the area trying to find the right spot and angle for the machine to sit so he can have the best shooting window. We might as well have brought the lawnmower and perhaps some fireworks to set off afterwards! I know…bless his heart for trying.
Then, I discover a great treasure! Scat! If you are not a hunter, you will never understand the importance of this pile of feces. This is a sure-tell sign that an animal has been present. This means you are not wasting your time, your suspicions have been confirmed. Don’t you feel very enlightened now?!
So, the next step is to set up the camera. We will try and capture the deer (or bear) in their daily or nightly strolls. We will also feed them – see we are kind. A strict diet of corn and apples will be served. If you think this sounds like a lot of work, it is! And I should be honest with you we are 0 for 5. However, we look like we know what we are doing and we look good doing what we do and that is the important part.
Stay tuned for the adventures that may ensue.
