Saturday, December 14, 2024

   Dad and I headed out early today. We were in the woods about an hour before daylight. The thermometer hung steady at about 10 degrees. It was a bit nippy out there this morning. 

It was loud and crunchy while walking through the woods in the darkness. We spooked a few deer along the way but figure out early arrival would allow things to settle down around us. As daylight broke, I could hear deer walking across the ridge below me. Before long, three does made their way past me and I could see the buck I have been chasing. He was hot on the trail of a doe, but I only saw fleeting glimpses of him. There was never an opportunity to get a shot. Although I felt frustrated, I knew the day was early. 

  Within minutes of the deer disappearing, I heard another one approaching. Looking down the hill, I spotted a one-horned spike walking toward me. Within a few minutes, he was in my lap. I would've loved to pull the hammer back and let him have it, but I chose to let him walk. I have too many nice bucks in the area to take a little guy like him. He earned another day to live. 

  Just as he was getting out of sight, I saw the hair on his back stand up as he looked at the noise that both of us would hear, which was another buck coming toward me. I quickly spotted a nice-racked buck. Looking ahead of him when he went out of sight, I picked a place I thought he would reappear. Then, when he appeared in the hole, I tried rushing a shot. Knowing I shouldn't do it, I still pulled the trigger... I missed. The deer took a couple bounds and just walked out of sight. I guess that's the downfall of hunting with a muzzleloader. 

  At the end of the day, I was highly disappointed, but it kind of followed suit for the rest of my life this year. 



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