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I wrote a short story once for a fellow who had a small local magazine. Maybe this will let you know where the deer are:

THE DISAPPEARING DEER

The four hunters were getting ready for their second day of hunting. The season, only four days old was looking to be a good one. Only George had bagged one on the first day; a nice eight point. But the others were confident as there was sign everywhere.
The four hunters had all grew up in the same community. Billy Joe was a contractor, John Henry became a used car dealer, and Chester was a CPA. George, the oldest of the group was a stockbroker and had played his hunches right. They had found and purchased together a 400 acre tract of prime deer habitat and had hunted together for the last five years. George, who lived the closest usually took care of the property and consequently knew every inch of the grounds like the back of his hand.
“George, aren’t you going to get ready to hunt this morning?” asked Chester. “No,” replied George, “it won’t be a good day after all our traipsing around yesterday.” “Sure it will” replied Bill Joe.
“I got my sights on a good buck I spotted down by the old orchard yesterday” “And I saw some good signs down by the creek” added Chester.
“You fellows just go on and I’ll putter around the cabin today. When you come in and you haven’t scored I’ll tell you why. The three friends looked at him with a questioning look, but George wouldn’t elaborate.
When the three hunters returned from their hunt, empty-handed as George had predicted, they all Beseeched George to explain his statement he made that morning.
“We were comparing our experiences on the way in and can’t understand where the deer are. There’s sign all over but we didn’t glimpse a deer all day” said John Henry. “We want to know how you knew it would be this way. And just where have all the deer disappeared to?”
George smiled at his three friends and with a chuckle replied,” Your three just don’t realize how smart and cunning these deer in our timber are. After we crashed around all day yesterday they all went to their ultimate hiding spots.”
“And just where are these ultimate hiding spots?” asked Chester frowning.
After taking a big gulp of his coffee, George answered “In the trees.” The three friends looked at one another and replied almost in unison, “But we looked through all the heavy growths of timber and didn’t see any.”
“You boys may have looked, but you weren’t looking in the right direction.”
“What do you mean by the right direction?” retorted Billy Joe.
After pausing long enough to really get their attention, George answered, “Up”
Again, in unison the three blurted out “Up? What do you mean up?”
“After two days of looking everywhere for them, and knowing that we’re a bunch of pretty dang good hunters these deer start climbing up in those big cedars we’ve got all over our hunting area. They’re the only trees with enough foliage this time of year to hide in.”
“I always thought that deer couldn’t climb trees.” said John Henry, the other two nodding in agreement. “And there ain’t no evidence that would prove that such a thing is possible.”
“Ah, but that is where you are wrong. You have all have noticed how the bark on these big cedars is all hangin’ down in shreds. This happens when their hooves slice it and tear it loose when they climb up.”
Now, his three companions were really confused. They didn’t know if George was pulling their legs or he had really stumbled on to the secret of just where the deer were hiding. After discussing this the rest of the evening, they decided that they would check every big cedar on the property during their last three days of their hunting trip.
By the end of their hunt they all managed to bag their bucks and George even took a six point to go with the big one he got opening day. Upon returning home, George told his wife about the joke he had played on his friends, and chuckling, commented about them complaining in the mornings about their stiff necks. He had just finished telling her when the phone rang.
“Hello George, it’s Chester. I just want to thank you for wising us up about where the deer were hiding. I wouldn’t have gotten that big buck if I hadn’t known how smart these deer have gotten. The fall bruised up quite a bit of meat, but it didn’t damage the rack. I can’t wait till next season. See you then.”
When Chester hung up, George just stood there for the longest, holding the buzzing phone.

A short story by: Russell Otten.