We aren't the only Hunters in the woods

Oct. 20, 2007

I was really excited about hunting this morning..I had visions of big 8 pointers in my head all night..These same visions were haunting me in the morning darkness as I waited in my stand for first light.. The visions turned into my morning mirages as the every blowdown and honeysuckle thicket did a great impression of a big buck in the early grey light..Morning came slowly, but it came and with it my hopes grew..My watch showed it was 7:15 and I knew the deer would show up in about 15 minutes like they have every other day I hunted this season..The only problem was someone forgot to remind the deer of this schedule..I waited and waited and waited until I finally caught some movement along the creek which flows about 60 yards away..A young Red Fox emerged from the creek in stealth like form..He slowly hunted along the creek, searching under logs, brush piles and undercut banks for it morning bounty..The small fury hunter did his best but finally gave up on the creek and trotted towards a neighboring pasture..It was time for this hunter to do the same..I decided to do a little scouting along a transition area between a thick marsh and pine grove..Saw a few rubs and a scrapes but nothing to get excited about..I slowly still hunted my way across the pines to where my truck was parked on the edge of a field where it meets the pines..I can see my truck through the pines about 50 yards away when I catch movement..A flicker of an ear and the hunt was on..I slowly worked my way towards the movement until I could see a small group of does bedded down in some high grass. I inched to within 20 yards when an unseen fawn jumped up and ran towards the group..This caused all 4 does to stand up, giving me plenty of opportunities for a shot. They just stood there and watched, confused by this fat camo object standing infront of them..They were safe, not what I was hunting for today..I slowly continued walking and the group finally bound off when I passed by and I had to wonder if the fox got as close as I did that morning...
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