- May 15, 2007
- 24,595
...was out in my deer stand at 0600 Saturday morning. Snow on the ground; about 31 degree's and no wind. Perfect.
At 0900 hours; here's comes a small yearling through the brambles. I'm watching her intently because I want a doe now; to take home; skin and debone for jerky. She get's about 15 feet away to my 4 o'clock and then suddenly kneels; beds down and closes her eyes
So I am 20 feet above her, contemplating if I want to shoot her. But the more I look at her and weigh the pro's and con's:
1. She's small; about 80 pounds. Not enough meat worth the work involved after shooting her.
2. Her snout is still short, and she has a fluffed face; indicative of a adolescent deer
3. I have never shot a bedded down deer and think that's just wrong to do. There's something about the sanctity of your sleeping spot.
So I stayed in my stand for another hour, just watching her sleep and waiting for something larger to happen by. After an hour; I slowly climbed down my stand (left my face veil on); she woke up and watched me; didn't move as I slowly walked by her and out of the woods.
So I am hoping that I see another one next week, when out late muzzle loader season comes in again. The deer are getting scarce now since they are herding up; due to the cold, and are not ranging as freely as before.
At any rate; I feel a little weird for not taking her now (after the fact) but I think that the deer gods are smiling a little more today.
At 0900 hours; here's comes a small yearling through the brambles. I'm watching her intently because I want a doe now; to take home; skin and debone for jerky. She get's about 15 feet away to my 4 o'clock and then suddenly kneels; beds down and closes her eyes
So I am 20 feet above her, contemplating if I want to shoot her. But the more I look at her and weigh the pro's and con's:
1. She's small; about 80 pounds. Not enough meat worth the work involved after shooting her.
2. Her snout is still short, and she has a fluffed face; indicative of a adolescent deer
3. I have never shot a bedded down deer and think that's just wrong to do. There's something about the sanctity of your sleeping spot.
So I stayed in my stand for another hour, just watching her sleep and waiting for something larger to happen by. After an hour; I slowly climbed down my stand (left my face veil on); she woke up and watched me; didn't move as I slowly walked by her and out of the woods.
So I am hoping that I see another one next week, when out late muzzle loader season comes in again. The deer are getting scarce now since they are herding up; due to the cold, and are not ranging as freely as before.
At any rate; I feel a little weird for not taking her now (after the fact) but I think that the deer gods are smiling a little more today.