In Persuit of Dinner---The Deer

I have tried and I have tried but winter's dinner has not crossed my sights. I have planted my aging butt in the woods for considerable hours, all of it in great pleasure, but not many deer have shown themselves. It is true I am a fair weather hunter and prefer to plop in my comfy cushioned folding chair while anxiously preparing myself for the kill

Yes, I am distracted by the busy nut hatches and the squabbling, obnoxious jays and I have also been know to fall asleep while laying wait only to find tracks within 30 yards of my position---and that was in the snow. Yes, I fell asleep while sitting in the snow, almost laying because I was tired. But this year I have not been remiss, much.

There is this one exception but really committed very little error. It is just that while sitting in my blind, I, for one brief moment forgot to put on my face camo and while discussing a world problem with the only intelligent person I know, that would be me, failed to see a fat deer approach my position. When I looked up there she was looking right at me through the tiny hole of my tent. I could only see her face and It was obvious the deer was not sure what she was seeing.

It was my face but that can be confusing by anybody. She might have thought it was nothing more than a steaming pile of fecal mater and posed no threat. Still she saw fit to pause and I could not even blink because at 15 yards it would be over. We stared at each other, both anxious, me the killer and her the prey. Being out smarted by a deer is not good for my resume but it was stating to look like another bad recommendation.

She finally concluded the situation was weird but not weird enough to bolt and the grass of my brothers lawn was not far off, so she proceeded, head down up the trail and closer to my shooting lane. However, she did go behind the apple tree rather than in front of it which means the shot was not really there. She paused again right at the tree and abruptly gave me the stare, the stink eye if you will. Her head moved back and forth a touch as I tried to get my crossbow up.

Then as if to say, "You be ugly, dude.", she reversed engines and skipped off to the forest, not real excited but still off. I sat meatless and starving.

I just don't want to take out the big old gun in a week but if I get no volunteers this way, it will be Katie bar the door with the big armament---unless the government tries to take my guns away. I guess that is not a problem in that there hasn't been any real gun legislation in my entire life, but I need to recite the mantra to please the conservative faction, my people.