On a crunchy leafy forest floor i found myself giving up on my midday stroll through the woods and overgrown trail system around a beaver pond. The wind was really blowing hard, and though i thought it would be enough cover noise to make a stalk in the poor footing conditions, two very wise does had already told me otherwise. As i angled up through the woods to duck through my fence and reenter my pasture, horizontal movement caught my eye.
I froze and made out the form of a broadside deer at fifty yards. She was feeding on the leaves of a rosebush, and to my delight had no idea i had just walked up. I took a knee and surveyed my situation. She was feeding south of me, with a hard steady wind comming from the west. Knowing my scent was safe i decided to wait and see if she would feed towards me. After ten minutes of feeding on this one bush, and with kids to pick up in an hour i decided it was time to get aggressive. I duck walked as quietly as i could for fifteen yards, keeping a large oak in between us as i moved. Now with a clear shot at 35 yards i sat on my feet and waited for her to move. Too far to shoot and too close to blow it i found extra patience. After a few more minutes she started to feed northeast toards me. I slightly rose for a shot a couple of times, only for her front leg to come forward again. Finally at 25 yards she stopped moving and was perfectly broadside, nibbling on another bush. I rose to my knees and pulled two skins to anchor, point on her spine, and released. She fell at the shot, never hearing the string in the wind I fear she was more like twenty yards which i thought was twenty five. A short sprint and follow up let me take her with grace. And i readied the tobacco for my thanks and apologies as she expired. I drug her to my pasture after thanks were given and went to grab my kids. My three year old was waiting for me at the house and i gutted her while explaining everything. I showed him the tenderloins and we decided to have "deer steak" for supper. What a great day
