Moose Droppings

The Encounter

Oct 26, 2006 @ 10:04 pm by Moose

I’ve got a spot I hunt that is basically my meat spot. I’ve been hunting it for a dozen years or so. I’ve never seen any spectacular deer but I usually see deer. Well this season has been rough I haven’t seen a deer yet. I was sitting in my blind the other day and counted 10 squirrels running around me.

Well today I got out of work and grabbed my shotgun and a handful of shells and headed out to thin out some tree rats. The land owner hates them because they tear up his pecan trees and his fruit trees and he wants me to kill a mess of them. Growing up in the city where they were considered vermin I have a difficult time thinking of them as a meal. I know a gentleman who struggles to put food on the table and I’ve often help him out. I was talking to him not to long ago and he told me how when he was a boy his mother use to cook squirrels and other small game for their family. I asked him if he would like some squirrels sometime and he said he would love some. Having someone to give some squirrels to I felt better about going out to kill a few so that was my quest for the afternoon.

I didn’t have much time so I just swung by the house and grabbed the gun and a few #6 shells. It was about an hour before sundown so I didn’t bother changing into camo I just threw on a orange hat and slipped in to my spot at my blind. There was nothing moving I noticed a couple of new rubs since I was there before. I decided to take advantage of the coming rain tomorrow to wash away my scent before Saturday’s hunt and check the deer sign out. I came across a fresh scrape within 35 yards of my blind. I decided I would get out of there and go to the other end of the property and kill me some squirrels.

The other end of the property I was slipping down a logging road coming up on a sharp curve when I heard something coming through the woods. I knew it was a deer so I just froze there in the logging trail and watched. I saw it come out of the woods and turn down the road headed towards me. Because of the trees and brush I couldn’t tell exactly what it was but I knew it had some size to it.

I don’t even recall doing this but I suddenly realized that I had raised my shotgun up into a shooting position out of habit. I kind of chuckled to myself otherwise I would of cried because I knew that with #6 birdshot that there wasn’t much I could do. A slight sicking feeling came over me when I recalled that I had momentarily picked up my 357 revolver and debated wearing it. That’s ok this will be funny to see how close this doe gets to me before she sees me.
The deer is trotting down the side of the logging road and although I have not gotten a good look at it yet I have not seen any of the white flash off the antlers that I know I could see by now. The deer comes to a screeching halt about 10 paces away from me. There is a good size tree and some brush between us because it hasn’t quite hit the corner of the road. I can see just behind the shoulder and most of the way back to see this is a pretty good body size deer. I’m certain this has to be a buck and I’m beginning to feel ill. His head comes part of the way around the tree and I can see he has chocolate colored antlers and he is a nice 8 pt. There is nothing I can do but watch and dream. He takes another step forward and he begins the head bopping and foot stomping because he knows something ain’t right. I feel the ever slightest of breeze on my neck and he snorts and bounds back the way he came.
I walked out of the woods with no squirrels this evening but I had an encounter I will not soon forget.

Now Saturday should I plan to hunt squirrels or deer? Maybe I’ll go prepared to hunt both.