So I went hunting Saturday morning and had an amazing trip.
On a patch of state land I’ve been trying to nail a rabbit or two with the bow I kept finding tons deer sign, including spooking deer on every trip out there. In a moment of defiant self-pity I rationalized that I needed a deer license because deer aren’t covered under my current small game license. Even though some of the rabbits I saw were the size of small dogs they just hide too well for me to get them with a bow. Perhaps later in the winter the thick knee high grass will be thinned out some.
This time around I was determined to do as much DIY and cost saving as I could, and not make the family suffer from neglect, all things in moderation. I had my hunting camo from years ago but that was it. Climbing tree stand long ago sold. I’ll have to ground hunt. Odor blasting deodorant was cheap enough but cover scents, and body washes etc add up quickly. So here is what I did. I took a shower in 7th generation unscented dish soap. I know from friends that keep exotic reptiles that this can be used to take the mouse scent off of a mouse and then the mouse rubbed with a frozen bird or lizard of the animals wild preference to induce feeding. In short it will kill odors. It also does a great job on dishes.
I had no cover scent and my “hunting boots” are for MUCH colder weather so I took out my work boots. But I knew something about where I was headed. There are several small juniper and cedar saplings planted on the property. When I got there The first tree I came to I picked a hand full of juniper berries, mashed them and smeared them on myself in various places. I then took a small branch and bruised it up and rubbed those oils in my beard, behind my ears and on my boots heavily. I took a few more cuttings and put them in my pockets after bruising them. All I could smell was cedar/juniper at an almost eye watering level. Perhaps not in the beard next time.
Next was a wind check. Not ideal but it would work. I worked my way to a ridge that overlooks an area I've twice spooked deer out of their beds in. I cuddled up next to a juniper and the wait began. As the sun rose it was a dark overcast and hazy day. I waited, senses on edge. Everything I heard raising questions. “Was it a twig snap? A falling acorn? The something walking in the grass or an animal approaching”. I got bored. I began to doubt my plan. If the wind changed I’d be upwind. As it was in a parallel wind location to where I expected to see them traveling. I decided to zip across the clear mown lane to the tree line for a look down in the gully and from there I’d be able to see and shoot into more possible locations. It had misted in the night so the leaves were wet and silent. So far so good.
But then I see that I’m stuck on a prickly branch and making sounds resembling Velcro in a megaphone. I tried to back out and got caught on the other side. What I rookie I was, completely stuck in a natural motion detector/human alarm. The quieter I tried to be the louder it got. There was nothing for it. I’d have to tear myself free and move locations while praying to Gods that I hadn't spoiled my chances in that area. I turned and jerked my leg free. When I looked up… there, right in front of me standing broadside and locked in eye contact was an enormous Iowa buck. I don’t know the tine count and don’t’ care about that. I couldn’t have counted them anyway because he was standing in front of a dead tree. Even in plain view one might have missed him in that hazy grey dawn I had to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me. It was a real deer, not a mirage, but possibly a ghost.
“It’s now or never and this one is probably blown”I thought so casually turned my body raised the bow and took aim. I think it was about 30… no 40 yards(I tend to underestimate) but I had the high ground, back ground was clear and before analysis paralysis could set in I let my stone tipped arrow loose thinking “God that thing is huge, how am I going to clean that”. My arrow nock made a “THOCK”! Sound on my arrow pass and in that millisecond his ears swiveled around and my arrow passed about 1” over his back making a clatter in the brush behind him.
As his upright tail disappeared into the woods a few things occurred to me. Firstly I had none of the usual heart pounding adrenaline and jelly legs that I remember from previous tree stand hunting. I think because we suppressed each other there wasn't time for the buildup and anticipation. Secondly, he was down wind of me. His only alarm came after I fired. I Need to put a leather patch over that bone inlay for hunting. But mostly even though he got away I wasn't disappointed. I was thrilled that I got such a beautiful opportunity. There will be more deer and I was doing things right. I think it is primitive ground hunting for me from now on. It was a serious rush.. but different, and better than past experiences. None of mind numbing boredom of the wait.
Now onto a simple portable DIY ground blind. . . for next weekend. In the meantime I think I’ll name him. “Buck-a-sawrus”, “Megaladeer”, or “Stagadon”. Yes “Stagadon” it is. I had heard Iowa deer could be big..... but I had no idea.
May he avoid the gun hunters long enough to fill my freezer, and a few friends plates.
