An interesting opening day story

[Graybeard]

OK guys my friend Barry up there in PA isn't much on posting but we swap e-mails daily and here is his opening day story from his bow hunt on the farm where he lives. It was the kinda afternoon outing we all go to the woods for even tho it didn't end up with a dead deer. Barry ground hunts only even with a bow.

I went bow hunting this evening. I had a really nice time. The weather was nice and I saw some critters. I was sitting about five feet from this big old oak tree and I see this buck about 50 yards away feeding on acorns.
 
I watch him as he is starting to work his way toward me. Then he gets turned around and is feeding away from me. I figure that is the end of it but I guess after 20 minutes he is coming straight toward the big oak tree.
 
When he gets probably 15 feet from it the tree blocks him from me so I draw the bow as he is a eight point although not a big one. I was expecting him to appear around the tree feeding but he doesn't show. I finally have to let the bow down and I lean just a bit trying to see him. I see some horn so ease back. So I don't see him but think he is still there but I'm not sure. Then I see a four point come up unto the flat and stop and look right where I think the buck is and stares at that location. So I figure the buck is still there so when the four point looks away I again draw figuring the buck is gonna feed into view as I'm five feet on one side of this big oak and he is about that on the other side. Again I have to let down finally as my arm is starting to feel like mush. Then while I'm down and the worst case for me the buck comes around the tree on the left and can see me clearly now. No way to draw and really not a show unless I want to shoot him in the head. He clearly sees me and knows I shouldn't be there so the leaves the area taking the four point with him. That was kind of fun for the first day and a legal buck at that. Had he fed anyway but come straight around the tree but then that is the luck of the hunt and it favored that buck.
 
I saw a fox squirrel before the buck showed up. I also much to my surprise heard grouse while sitting there behind me. Then I heard them walking and two grouse came around on my left about eight feet from me and I could still hear one and on my right a male comes with his tail fanned out and his neck trying to impress those two who much have been hens.
 
Then after the bucks left I got up and was getting ready to leave and I see a flock of turkeys that are about ten yards from me. They know something moved in the woods and they milled around some. I got the camera out and that is when I realized it wasn't working. I was trying to take pictures holding it by my pocket as I figured raising it up to head level would spook the birds. Finally they did go back the way they came and I headed in. I really enjoy such a time in the woods when I see that many critters. I'd not seen three grouse in many a year. I didn't even know we had that many grouse around.
 
So that was my first time hunting this year and it was fun. It will be hard to top such a day the next time out. I really should spend more time in the woods and less on the computer but boy is it easy to do the computer thing.

[schoolmaster]

Very cool story just the kind of day I hope we all have. Can't beat being in the woods.

[Bingo]

  I was on a camping trip with the Boy Scouts two weeks ago. Most of the Dads are not hunters and in the past, one has tried to give me the Elmer Fudd treatment.
  Around the fire Saturday night, the conversation turned to the outdoors and conservation. I looked at the other Dads and asked a question.

    When is the last time you sat for 20 minutes and watched a honey bee at work on a bunch of wild flowers. There was a long silent period, then one of the men said. " When did you do that?" I said " Last week when I was deer hunting." 

[DDZ]

Yes, nice story. This just goes to further prove that hunting is not always about killing game. One thing I have always tried to teach my sons, is that hunting can be every enjoyable without taking a shot. To many people feel that their hunting trip is a failure if they don't take an animal.     

[kynardsj]

Always a cool thing to see critters when you're hunting. I've spent many a day in a stand and while I didn't shoot anything I saw deer, bobcat, turkeys and other critters that made the day great.

[sniperVLS]

Great story Bill 

My most memorable days in the woods have been the ones where I didn't kill anything. Last year on opening day of bear in PA, I saw no blackies but within an hour I saw a few fox, a couple turkeys and the best was a large coyote chasing a deer. All of this in a state game land no less! Ofcourse when I went back in that same area for spring turkey I saw nothing, same goes for coyote 

I'm getting a Canon HD camcorder soon and will start taking them on hunts and post any good videos I take.