Ok Ok - I Had to title it that way. You'll read why.
Last night I was sneaking around some of my favorite hedge rows when I literally almost bumped into a really nice doe.
She froze & I froze. It was a statue contest. First one to move...
She moved first.
I am head to toe in 3D ASAT with a small cammo daypack on. I for sure was NOT human looking. There was no way for me to move and get a shot off so I waited her out. It took over 10 minutes. I was shaking from standing so still for so long. I did not move a muscle & did not look at her directly the entire time.
She finelly gets board looking at the shrubbery that she thought was moving earlier. She browses her way further around the corner. I relax just a little. I slowly bring my bow up and check that the arrow nock is correctly seated. I look back up from doing this and damn it - there she was again. Looking right at me! We did the statue thing for another 10 minutes or so. She gets bored again.
No she's kinda ticked. She stomps with the front hoof a few times, stiffly turns, raises her tail & SLOWLY walks back around the corner. She was raising every limb STIFFLY & with purpose. I felt like I was back in HS being 'dissed by some hotter-than-thou chick.
I'm physically shaking now. Frustration, exhaustion & humor - all crashing through my system. I go to one knee to plan & rest. I take off the pack for better mobility & crawl around the corner. I no more than go 5 feet and hear the dreded "BLOW-WHEEZE". Not once but three times!
OK - at this point, 3 Blow-wheezes I figure I'm busted. I stand up & go back and get my pack. I put it on & start walking (not stalking) around the remainder of the hedge. I'm looking down trying not to step on any twigs. I look back up & there she is again - 10 feet away! This time she wasn't putting up with any of it. Tail goes up & she walks away.
What's up with that? Like I wasn't even there - but I am? Less than 5 minutes later I'm setting up a ground blind and get that "watched" feeling. I slowly turn around & there she was again with a few of her friends (4 in all). All just kind of looking at the shrub that moves. They keep looking at her like "You weren't kidding - a shrub that moves".
By the time I can slowly get to my bow, they have wandered downwind & into an open field about 70 yards away. No chance to stalk now. I got out the camera & just took pictures & watched.
Great evening hunting.
"It's not the kill, it's the adventure and challenge! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>"
Edited by - justinl on 10/17/2002 21:35:37