Past Post: To Camp Story: Hunting On The Wild Side

Ok something new.

Lets call it the hunting tall tails thread.

Here is how it works.

Find a post YOU made. Copy the link for the post. (right click on the post, left click – click properties – copy URL, close box – paste url into story). You can find any of your posts by clicking on your screen name and clicking on Posts Made and searching that way.

For fun: the post should be at least two weeks old… no pre-planning on this.

Anyway.. paste the original story URL to the top of the story. Then copy the text of your story into the dialog box. Now make a tall tail out of it… Yep embellish it, add the “modified details” to make it awesome, unbelievable, comical (the goal here) or just plain rememberable enough to be stolen by others and used as their own around the campfire.

Example:

http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2920280#Post2920280

Original story a report on the last day of the late muzzy season:





I saw four deer yesterday.



……….Woke up this morning with heavy fog being the primary feature presented. The snow melted a lot over night. In some places the ground was bare.

The deer melted right along with the Snow. I hunted all day and saw a grand total of two. After all the still hunting, the sitting, the stealth, I resorted to a final plan for the rest of the season. All two hours of it. I was just plain walking to cover ground to the final stand and there they were!

I walked, or rather blundered, right up on a small legal buck and a doe.

They were about 60 yards off through mostly open woods. They of course saw me. I know this as the doe was clearly pointing at me and the buck was moving all around trying to see me. The deer must have been a couple as they appeared to get into some sort of short spat all the while the doe pointing me out.

It was really strange. The doe actually pointing at me. Sort of snorting; but not. Sort of bleating; but a lot more than normal and with some sort of urgency. The buck, seemed disinterested until the doe kicked him. Then the head bobbing started with the buck and doe.

I of course was not near a rest. Still, I pulled the hammer, set the trigger and lined up the shot on the buck.

Click.

Both deer straightened right up. They went alert, ears up. Both staring right at me. Then the doe, really laid into the buck. The kicking and the snorts really got intense. The buck seemed to want to vacate the area, but the doe was all over him. Finally, of all things the buck starts to walk towards me. Each time he stopped, he looked back at the doe then at me. The doe stomped her foot at each glance. I swear I heard her growling at the the buck.

The buck started forward again.

I was doing all the checks on the flinter while watching this. Check flint, check pan powder, tapping powder to the flash hole. I pulled the hammer, set the trigger and lined up the shot on the buck again as he was at 30 yards now. Going between coming to me and broadside stealing glances at the doe that was still visibly upset with … him.

Click.

Aggghhhhh!

The buck started forward again.

Now I am a wreck. The first shot I was rock steady. I realized the second attempt was a bit shakier. Nerves were setting in. I again, went over the lock and powder. I even pulled my shirt tail out and did a quick wipe of the fizzen and flint.

I looked up to find the buck at five yards. Confidence in his eyes. No longer looking back at the doe that had also covered about half the distance to me. Though she was still sending those very clear signals to the buck to make his stand.

I pulled the hammer, set the trigger and lined up the shot on the buck again. I was shaking like a leaf. The nerves were off the charts at this point. The buck, tauntingly turned broadside. I swear he even puffed his chest out as he turned his head to me and gave me an icy stare locking up on me … eye to eye.

Click.

The buck covered another four or five steps. He pawed the snow. He shook his head. He started me in the eye the whole time. I gripped the rifle tightly thinking I now had a club instead of a firearm. Game time with an uncertain outcome pending.

Time stood still for what seemed hours but had to be moments. I could see the individual whiskers on the bucks nose. I could see his nose flair as he breathed. I could see the muscles ripple in his neck as he steeled himself for what; I didn't know. I saw clearly, each of the points on his rack glistening in the sunlight. Sharp, pointed, and potentially very harmful to me. The buck made his move. I tightened the grip on my rifle.

The buck stepped forward. Then turned quickly facing full away from me. He raised his tail and….

Let me tell you plain. People think that a dog fart is the worst smell on the plant. No my friends. Even in the great outdoors. Being in the back blast area of a deer is about the worst place in the world to be.

I wilted. I paled. I think I swooned and nearly passed out. My eyes watered and I was short of breath. My life flashed before my eyes. It was bad… really bad.

Through the fog of the olfactory assault, my brain was able to barely register the buck looking over his shoulder. I swear with a smile as much as a deer can smile on his face. He walked back to his mate who nuzzled him; all right in her world. They raised their tails and bounded off easy; together.

I staggered over to a tree. Leaning against it trying to breath. NO!! My brain struggling to function screamed: MOVE! I staggered falling to the ground. Half crawling half walking. Trying to gain distance from the attack. Finally gaining enough distance I sat gasping for breath and trying to make sense of what had just happened.


It was only later as I got my breath back and my eyes cleared that I made a pact with myself. I either gave up on the flinter… or got very good at 500 yard shots with it. Never again will I allow those evil deer to get close again…. At least up wind.