And another bow season comes to a close... 02/05/12

The last weekend of bow season came and went in a rather uneventful way. After a few days had passed and I had some time to think back on it, the last weekend of the season was pretty reflective of the entire second half of the season for me. I saw deer on Friday, but only when I was driving to meet up with some other bowhunting buddies for an annual get together during the last weekend of the season. I saw deer Saturday, but only when I was driving to the ground blind I chose to hunt at the M2 farm that afternoon. I saw deer on Sunday, but only because I walked right into their bedroom during a walk around at the G2 farm. My bow wasn't even with me for the trip. For the most part, as I look back on all of my hunts from gun season through the end of bow season, my deer sightings on stand were extremely few and far between. There deer are still using the farms that I've been hunting, and I've got pictures to prove it. It's just that those pictures taken from my various trail cameras were all snapped after legal light's expiration. The deer had gone 98% nocturnal.

So, when I'm referring to those hunts as being non-eventful, I'm simply referring to the lack of deer sighting that I've been able to have while on stand. That's hunting. That's especially bowhunting the late season. And it's no secret to anybody that has spent some serious seat time bowhunting pressured whitetails that they become very difficult to hunt as the season carries on, and the pressure steadily increases. That's what makes it so much fun though. It's always about the hunt, the journey, the adventures along the way to the destination. That's why I'm already looking forward to next season. As the dates on the calendar, and in the regulation book dictate that one season closes, it only means that all the planning, preparation, and anticipation for the next season begin...

Well, the last weekend of bow season pretty much came and went without being able to use my Gerber gut hook, or my deer cart. Saturday afternoon found me in a ground blind with tons of deer tracks out front, the huge pile of corn I dumped a few days prior was gone, and my trail camera didn't catch a single picture because apparently it took a dump. Seemed fitting that as I sat patiently in the blind, still holding out hope for a shot at anything, my eyes started to grow heavy. I checked the phone and it was just after 4:00 PM. Plenty of time left to rest my eyes for just a few minutes...

The next thing I know I'm waking up to the distant sound of a train blowing it's horn as it was closing the distance on the approaching intersection. It's dark. I'm completely out of it. What the hell is going on? What time is it? I shake my head to try and clear the cobwebs and bring back some sort of focus to my thoughts. I must have been out cold. I mean deep sleep, head musta been tilted at a 90 degree angle to the left because I can't straighten out my neck all the way, probably snoring so loud it scared every deer with a few hundred yards, out freakin' cold! Whew...

I sat there looking out into the moon lit field. The train whistle still sounding off way in the distance. I checked my phone and see a text from the wife asking what time I'm coming home? It's only a few minutes after 6:00 PM, so at least I'm not too late there, and there's not a search party mounted someplace to come find me! I text her back that I'm on the way in a few. As I stumble sleepily out of the blind I just laugh, shake my head, and say out loud, "Fugg it... I was better off just takin' a nap today anyway."

So, instead of throwing a Hail Mary and going back out on Sunday, I just let the game clock run down. Leaving the bow at home, I headed out to the G farm armed with my camera, my daughter, and a backpack full of drinks and snacks to help us get through the afternoon. We planned on pulling another ground blind and trail camera that I had set up. Then if her little legs still had the juice left in them, we'd hike around the woods a bit and see what we could see. Here's some of the pics from our outting...

Where's the Mud?

First rub that my daughter found on this hike, and it's a good one.

That's a good buck that made this rub. Hope he's still around for next season to chase.

I'm pretty sure those boots are water proof.

Yep... still water proof.

"Hey Dad, look there's another rub!"

"That's a good one too. Hey, do you know how the deer make those marks on the tree? Can you show me?"

"This looks like the perfect chair to have our snack Dad."

Just some interesting stuff we came across in the woods.

Not sure what this was, or how old it is, but it made for a cool picture.

"Look Dad, another creek we should cross! Come on!"

"Ok Dad. Now let's climb up to the top of this hill and see what's on the other side!"