This tale reminds me of a public spot that I like to hunt during Firearm season because it doesn' t get too much pressure . Every year another fella and I try to get to the main access point before the other one does . Sometimes he gets there first , and sometimes I do . Whoever gets there first invariably blocks the access road with their vehicle . I never actually saw him , but I could tell when he had been there even when I didn' t see his truck .

One time I got there and saw his truck parked , but this time there was room for two . I entered the woods and walked toward a favorite spot as quietly as possible . As I was approaching the area that I intended to hunt I suddeny caught a glimpse of orange in a tree about 100 yards away , it was my rival . The property is 395 acres of prime woods , but the remaining access points always have more guys in them than I care to hunt with , mostly because they have " bad habits" .

I was faced with an unpalatable choice , keep going and blow his set up , or go somewhere else . At that end of the property the good spots are very limited , and it would be nearly impossible to set up without blowing it for him . I decided to leave the woods and go to another place rather than ruin his hunt , and possibly mine as well . Later , I stopped into a local tavern to reflect on the disappointing day that I' d had having gotten totally skunked .

The bar was nearly deserted since most of the clientel were out hunting , but there was a guy at one of the stools . I took the stool next to him and sat down . I hate to drink alone , and his mug was empty , so I asked if he would like a refill . He said " Sure." As we sat I struck up a conversation about the day that I' d had out in the wooods , and he said that he' d had a pretty good day , and had just come back from checking in a nice 6 pointer .

I asked where he had been hunting and he replied " A little public over in Pilot Knob" . There aren' t many such places there so I asked which one . When he told me I said that I had started to hunt there , but left when I saw a guy up in a tree so that I wouldn' t spoil his hunt . He looked at me with wide eyes and said " Was that you I saw coming in and then leaving?" I said that I didn' t know because I didn' t know where he had been . When he told me where my jaw dropped , it was my " rival" !

He then asked why I had left , and I said " Because you were there first" . I then proceeded to congratulate him on his success that day , and he thanked me for being a good sport about it , and bought the rest of the rounds until he left . I' ve come to think of that day as my feel good hunting story , I could have stayed , but it wouldn' t have felt right .