After our first learning experience with the four point a few weeks earlier, we decided that it would probably be better if we split up and taught private lessons to the local whitetail herd. I set up in a ground blind overlooking some promising trails. My dad went off to parts unknown and Dan decided to still hunt the abandoned roads that crisscrossed the area.
I had apparently set my blind up in a terrific spot. I got into the blind about an hour before sunrise. My dad walked past me to the top of the hillside and over the ridge to a place he had found earlier. The temperature had been steadily dropping for the past week and was now just above the freezing level. It only took me about fifteen minutes to start the shakes and after about a half hour I realized I had dressed perfect for the hike in, but lousy for the waiting game I was trying to play. Just when I thought Id have to get up and move or find something to keep my teeth from breaking as they banged against each other, I heard footsteps in the leaves.
Great, I thought, here comes dad. Nope, it was another local student coming in for his morning lesson. Mind you now it is still pitch black with no moon or stars to light the night. The thought of wind direction entered my mind and I soon relaxed. There was no air movement at all. At least none I could detect.
The sound of the footsteps convinced me, right away, it was a deer. The footsteps circled my stand several times and then stopped. Now anyone knows that its not hearing a sound in the night that scares you, its suddenly not hearing it ANYMORE! Memories of the last waiting game I had played with a deer quickly flashed through my mind and I wasnt too thrilled to be making a repeat performance. It still wasnt light enough to see what was there, much less think about a shot.
I didnt have to wait long to end this waiting game though. The footsteps started up again only this time I hear a loud grunt, followed by something attacking the bushes in my stand. Before I realized it I was on my feet and out of the back side of the stand. Trying to get away from whatever it was tearing its way through the tree limbs in my ground blind.
Naturally the deer (?) decided this wasnt all he thought it was supposed to be either, and headed back up the hill, pronto. Lesson two. Class closed!
This time it was Dans turn (again).
Now if that experience wasnt weird enough, then you havent hunted with me before. Just as my pulse dropped below 220 and I was settling into my blind again, I hear this blood curdling scream from the hillside opposite me. I knew right away, that was where Dan had gone. Panicked thoughts ran through my mind. It sounded like he had stabbed himself in the night or fallen into a ravine or some other horrible thing I couldnt imagine. Hey, remember, this is my family, anything can happen here.
I waited a few minutes for walking light and just as I headed out my dad came up from behind me with a worried look on his face. Was that you? he asked. No, I replied, I think it was Dan. Together we walked to the other hillside in search of the source of the scream. About halfway up the hill we met Dan on his way down. He looked like he had just seen a ghost and except for some scratches and bruises was otherwise unhurt. Actually he looked more like he had ridden one. As Dan unfolded his story, dad and I looked at each other like he had a few screws loose.
It seems that while he was walking along an abandoned road, very quietly and very slowly he came upon a downed log crossing the road. The log was just large enough to step over and he did. OK, so far so good we thought. From hear on out we began to doubt his sanity. It seems that when he stepped over the log he didnt land on terra firma as he expected. What he landed on was more like venison firma.
As his foot landed he thought for a brief instant, Thats not dirt, the all Hell broke loose. Whatever it was his foot landed on decided it did not like this type of introduction and decided to leave the area, now! The deer (we later verified this) jumped straight up. Dans foot had actually landed on the far side of the deer, so when it stood up Dans leg was lifted up too. Dan lost his balance and his bow, and fell forward, right onto the deers back. As the deer took off with this horrible creature on his back Dan hung on for dear life (his own). The deer must have thought it was being attacked and used its best line of defense, run faster!
As Dan is now hanging onto the side of this terrified beast, he cannot make up his mind what to do. He was afraid to let go and afraid to hang on. He soon realized he had lost his bow but still had his knife with him. He cherished his knife, as it was one of the few good memories he brought home from Viet Nam. Reaching behind him with one hand and hanging on with the other, he pulls out the knife and tries to kill the deer, by chopping at its head. Letting go would have definitely been a higher priority item to me, but I am not my brother. We only hunt alike.
After a few good but unfruitful strokes the deer decides he has learned enough from todays lesson and decides to jump another log, this time without the cowboy on his back. Lesson three. Classed closed!
Funny thing about it all Dan looked at us like WE were crazy when we mentioned the screams. He never admitted to that part. When we began to question his story, he produced his knife, complete with fresh nicks and blood.
After finding the log where it all began, it was easy to piece together and verify what had happened. What wasnt so easy was finding his bow. We finally found it some thirty yards downhill, halfway up a pine tree.
The years have brought me many lessons in bowhunting that I have quickly passed on to the local deer herd. As time goes on Ill be happy to share them with you as well. We traditional bowhunters have always taken the challenge of giving deer every advantage by use of our choice of equipment. Ive just carried it to the next level and helped on their intellectual training as well.
Youre welcome!
