Deer Firearms Season

To those of you who care, here's an update: my son got a deer, and so far I have not!

Last Saturday was opening day, and I picked a great spot. So good in fact, there were three deer underneath me, but with 20 minutes left before shooting hours started. That's when off in the distance I saw three flashlights bobbing through the woods in the darkness. That's when my deer ran away. Those bums!

One of the guys walked in a complete circle in the dark. I watched the flashlight make a huge circle on the hill opposite me. I flashed once with my light so he didn't get too close. I then watched him do another completed circle. It was clear that he had become disoriented. I flashed him again and he turned back the other way.

Needless to say, this interuption spoiled my chances of success that morning. On the way out, I came across this guy on a main walking trail out of the woods. He was sitting against the base of a tree pointing his shotgun straight up the trail --- at me! It was the same bonehead that messed up my morning hunt, I'm sure of it! Even today, I'm wondering if he had clicked off his safety while the gun was pointing in my direction!

I have got to find a safer place to hunt! These public hunting areas are like a combat zone on opening day. I counted no less than 15 shots within 1000 yds of my position, one of them 25 minutes before legal shooting hours. When I got up to the parking lot, no one had a deer! What are they shooting at? And are they that bad at shooting?

I repeat, I have got to find a safer place to hunt! (Failing that, I'll probably head out again anyway...I can't stop myself from hunting!)

MDindef,

I used to hunt on private land in MD but it's gone now. I have tried those public 'combat zone' hunting lands twice and I hate it so much. The last time I was on the public hunting land, I could see idiots at every 25 yards any direction I go. The shooting that I heard so many times was really for nothing. I caught so many hunters shooting at nothing which makes me furious. I am glad that I am still hunting on the same private land in WV ever since I was 9 years old. I have the keys to the access gates w/ locks so I know there's only few of us. I could see who has been driving on the dirt road by reading their tire tracks. If there's no tire tracks before me on that morning, then I know I am the first person up in the mountain.

I will write here what my typical annual deer hunting trip would be like. Every year on the weekend before the gun deer hunting season open, I drive up to the cabin on the foothill in WV. On Saturday, I would hike around the mountains looking for tree scrapes and stuff. I would probably spot few bucks and some doe/fawns. By Saturday afternoon, I would have my cabin stocked up with firewood, food, and water. Sunday, I would shoot once at the target set at 100-150 yards.
Monday, I get up early in the morning and eat hot breakfast. I would check the thermometer and figure how much colder it would be on the mountain.
Drive to the private hunting land on the mountain. I have to decide on which one of the four gates to go thru. After I get thru the gate, I drive on the dirt road a little ways. After I parked my truck, I start hiking to the spot in the woods. I would wait for daylight to come. Shoot the buck and then hike back to the truck to see if my Dad left a note saying that he got one. If my Dad got one, I would go and help drag his deer out first then drag mine later. Monday night, I have to decide whether to stay and try get another buck on Tuesday/Wednesday or go home.

My Dad and I each got a buck on last Monday. Last Wednesday, my Dad saw one huge 8-10 point buck but it was too far away. We saw 12-15 wild turkeys, couple owls, two black bears, couple eagles, and lots of squirrels. The mountain got covered in snow on last Tuesday. I came home on last Thursday for thanksgiving dinner with my family. Filled up my freezer with deer meat. Now I can't wait for next year!

Ya'll are either brave, dedicated or stupid - I can't decide which. You'd never catch me anywhere near rednecks with guns looking for deer.

I have got to find a safer place to hunt!

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Ya think? Yikes!

SeaRide, it sure sounds like you have a good set-up for hunting season. Don't ever take your situation for granted - be thankful. For every one hunter who has the kind of access you have, there are a hundred or so who are just happy to see a deer or turkey, let alone harvest one.

I haven't given in though. I generally hunt longer, harder, and deeper into the season than most people care to; and I hope to be rewarded for it like I have in the past. We'll see though. For me, I don't really have the opportunity to trophy hunt. If I want to fill my freezer, I have to take the deer that the Good Lord sets aside for me. Then later, after I put it in the freezer, I can trophy hunt. I'm confident I'll get my chance this year - gun, blackpowder, or late archery - my chance will come.

I swear, a friend of mine went out Saturday and didn't get a single one over in Drayden. They had seen them all week, but not that day! Don't you hate it when that happens???