Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Out of the Fog.....



October 6, 2007

The fog hung low and thick as I made my way across the field just before dawn. It was an eerie feeling that made me think I was entering a horror movie, the only thing missing was a fog horn and buoy bell in the background... The thick tree canopy was turning the fog into rain which made it feel and sound more like a rain forest than Eastern Hardwoods… I was all set up waiting for first light when I saw my first morning mirage... The first was a nice racked buck that was working over a small tree 50 yards away. I could see his tail and rack and the movement of the brush as he rub his bleached out rack…To my right was two deer slowly feeding along the edge of the bridal path. I could see the movement of their heads and ears as they fed on the honeysuckle and constantly checked for approaching dangers. As the morning light entered my woodlot, my racked buck turned into a log and bush while the honeysuckle was devoid of life. I call them morning mirages and have been seeing them from the time I first started hunting. I expect to see them every morning but still get that rush when one materializes as I anticipate the possibilities… The morning started slowly, I theorize the deer were staying in the fields longer this morning with the comfort of the fog... about 20 minutes after shooting light I see my first deer. A doe and yearling are feeding on acorns just at the top of the gully and moving in my direction. It didn’t take long for two more does to join them. They happily munched and crunched on the acorns for 45 minutes, most of the time they were less than 20 yards from my tree. They finally moved off towards their bedding area but immediately following them was another group of 4 does…I spent the next two hours watching does feed between my oak flat and the gully. I saw 14 does in total; all looked healthy and have shed their summer coat. It wasn’t until just after 9am that I saw my first and only buck of the morning. A small 6 pointer fed along the slope to the gully, never climbing into the oak flat. He had a small, tight, symmetrical rack. He eventually crossed the small creek in the gully and entered the adjacent property. I had morning errands and fatherly responsibilities, so I quickly climbed down and exited the woods trying not to spook any deer but as I entered the front field, I saw a few deer high tailing across the field, with the fog still lingering so were the deer….

I helped the landowner move some heavy objects into his barn and he told me he has been seeing some big bucks with antlers thicker than his wrist. Unfortunately, they have been all on the neighboring property. Hopefully they get interested in some of those does that are bedding on my farm…


1 comment:

Editor said...

very good writing style, good post