By: Gabriella Kendus
Everyone knows that seeing deer close can be nerve-wracking, but imagine them being right under you. And, even worse, imagine them smelling you. Well, that’s exactly what happened to my dad and me Friday.
Now, it’s unusual to not see deer at this hunting spot. They almost always come down for a drink and a helping of corn just before dark. I had a feeling I would have some action tonight.
First, a spike came out from the woods. I wasn’t really paying attention at that time because I was busy taking a “selfie” for Instagram. Luckily, my hearing didn’t fail me. I heard leaves crunching to the right of me and turned to face it. I saw my dad in the stand pointing down. Then he signaled that there was a deer with our secret whistle. I saw a spike come a few steps out of the leaves then go back in. He circled back around my dad’s stand then leaped back into the woods. The spike must’ve seen my dad move because he had no cover, or he smelled me.
He was spooked, but I guess he wasn’t spooked enough. Another half hour passed, and then three more deer came out. This time, they came really close – so close that I could smell them. They sent the fawn out first on a suicide mission. It came within five yards of my stand. It came from my right then crossed to the middle. The fawn stood in front of me for at least fifteen minutes. Finally, the other two deer started moving. The mature doe started to move in the same direction of the fawn, and the spike followed just behind her. Then, out of nowhere, the mom spooked and sprinted back into the woods. The fawn followed her, but the spike was more reluctant. He took a long time and kept looking back. At one point, he stood for a good minute before walking away. I would have shot him then, but he was just a little too far for me to shoot with my bow.
All three deer went back in the woods. I saw them cross behind my dad’s stand and then sprint as fast as they could towards the road. Oddly enough, they sprinted right back. There wasn’t much light left, and I knew that if something didn’t come soon I wouldn’t be able to shoot it. Then my dad texted me and told me he heard a deer behind him. I knew that it wasn’t any of the deer we’d seen earlier that day; it was a doe we’ve seen before with a seemingly dislocated back leg. She’s a nice sized doe, and if she came out I would have taken her. Too bad though, it was quitting time, the light was completely gone.
Lesson learned: I guess I should put on more cover scent and pay more attention to the woods instead of Instagram. (Personally, I blame it on my sweet smelling hair.)
But, hey, at least I saw deer. That’s better than what a lot of people could say.