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!)
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!
![Burning Mad :burning: :burning:](/styles/somd_smilies/burning.gif)
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!)