Saturday morning was opening morning of second gun season. I was in my blind with bow at first light and experienced my first missed shot ever on a nice doe at about 25 yards. Arrow skimmed right under her. Anyway, I was a little miffed at myself but moved on with the morning. Saw some more does running through the woods in the next hour before an infamous character in our neck of the woods shows up. The guys at the local bait shop call him walking eagle - too full of sh-t to fly. lol.
Anyway, I digress. This guy comes thundering down a dirt road into the woods about 100 yards adjacent to me in a big truck and gets out, slams the door really loud and starts rustling around through the leaves. The land next to our's is land his family owns so he has permission to be there. But what he does next blows me away, he pulls on an orange ski mask and grabs his bow out of the truck and starts slowly walking aroundthe woods doing a stalk, crunching leaves the whole way.
First off, the guy is nowhere nearly wearing the required orange clothing during firearms season - just a ski mask. (Before anyone comments, I am on private land and have strips of orange duck tape on my ground blind during firearms season.) And second, what does he think is going to happen? that he's going to take a running shot at a deer with a bow or just hope one runs out and stops right in front of him? Sure, the latter could happen but odds are worse than him winning the powerball.
So while he's doing his stalk - no loud walk - through the woods, I start blowing on my grunt call. I am safely out of bow range mind you but he freezes and looks around. A few minutes later he starts walking again and I blow on my grunt call. Freezes again and crouches behind a tree. This process was repeated a few times before he finally got back in his truck and left. I'll bet the big buck sighting story came out when he got to the bait shop that day. It must have had 20 points!
BTW, as soon as he was driving away, a doe and her fawns popped out of nowhere and strolled past his stalking route. Made the whole morning and missed shot worth it.
__________________
"Man has been running and hiding from the animals for centuries but now is our time. It's our turn. In today's society, animals serve two functions - to be delicious and to fit well."
This guy is an experienced hunter in his own mind.Now if only you would have started rattling antlers to mimmic a buck fight.The storys at the bait shop would really get thick.
Did he have chest waders on as well
Jason, good to hear from you. I actually thought of the rattling antlers but thought it might be a little too obvious. Plus I was trying to stay as quiet as possible otherwise as I suspected deer may be creeping my way in fear of the mighty hunter.
And no chest waders but I do believe he was wearing a fishing vest of some sort - honestly - over his camo overalls. It seems like once or twice a year he convinces the local paper to write a story about his hunting or fishing exploits, most of which are fabrications. I don't know how there could be any walleye left the way he catches them.
__________________
"Man has been running and hiding from the animals for centuries but now is our time. It's our turn. In today's society, animals serve two functions - to be delicious and to fit well."
Funny story - to me at least ...
