Happy Hunting in the Rain

Went out hunting yesterday and promised myself that no matter what happened I was going to enjoy the day. Again, I did not see one deer all day. I did have to quit hunting around 2:30 PM in order to be back home for Halloween activities with the family. Saw another deer next to the road in the same place I saw one last week except this one was a little buck. It wasn’t legal shooting light and it was definitely on private property this time.



When I got to the gate is was closed, but that didn’t bother me at all as I parked my car in the rain and prepared to make a long hike into the hills. And a long hike I did make. I hiked all over our old stomping grounds, fully expecting to see a deer at any moment. The highlight of the day was when I sat down on a huge stump, probably 5 ½ feet wide, and watched a big clear cut for about 45 minutes. It was so nice to rest and take a few pictures. The hillside looked really “deery” in the mist and rain. I was warm and comfortable and free from the cares that burden me during the daily grind, and it was the same hill where I shot my biggest buck ever back in 2006, a good reason to like the place, I think.

I was a little sad as I walked back to my car, thinking it would probably be the last day I was going to hunt deer this year. There is still a week left in the season, but with work this week and the daylight savings time that went into effect this morning, I doubt I will be able to get out again. We’ll just have to see if I get a wild hair and decide to make a mad rush to the hills in my Nissan Sentra or not.

By the time I got back down to the gate and away from all the hunters, I had a couple hours left to hunt. After walking for about 5 hours, I was ready to do a little “road hunting“. I headed back into town to pick up something to eat and then I headed back out of town, towards Scott Mountain. I have driven through there once or twice in previous years and thought I would go check it out again if the gate was open. And so I did. I found lots of good looking areas that I hope to hunt next year, maybe.

One positive note is that the rabbit population seems to be doing well in the area I hunted yesterday. I saw three rabbits in two days of hunting. I have really been wanting to get myself a Henry lever action 22 magnum and blast some little critters with it, like some rabbits and nutria.

Happy Hunting! -nimrod243