GeauxLSU
Senior Member
THE PRICE OF STUPID: This weekend was one of too few doe days in the county I hunt and with the weather I was feeling REAL optimistic. I was rushing a little too quick to hitch a ride to the stand Saturday a.m., a stand I had a LOT of confidence in that I’d be able to take a doe and replenish the dwindling venison supply in my freezer. I get there just before first light and the very first thought that enters my head is, “Well, I’m well camoflauged since I forgot to put on or bring my orange vest!” 
Of course, I saw five different does and two were in perfect position with the butcher shop map outline on their bodies and me tasting fresh tenderloin. 
Stupid hurts.
THE BENEFIT OF SMARTS: Next morning I’m in a different stand and now I'm REALLY wanting to get one. About an hour after light, I stare straight ahead into the woods in an area that is NOT a trail or anything that looks like you should see a deer there. After staring at it for a minute or two I catch movement. Eventually I can tell it’s a very well concealed deer working it’s way slowly towards me. About 60 or so yards away it stops, directly facing me and directly behind a tree. It moves it’s head just enough to look at me with one eye. No one has ever hunted this stand and it’s been hanging since before bow season and I’m behind a camo tarp that has also been hanging for weeks. It stared at me for over 10 minutes (literally I checked my watched.) without moving. It then slowly started moving in my direction and stopped broadside at a fence line about 40 yards away with it’s head and rump obscured by some leaves but a very clear shot to it’s neck and vitals. Only problem is, I haven’t been able to 110% verify it’s not a button. Though at this point, I’m thinking "No button is this smart." As I’m staring at this deer through my binos, I notice there is a very small opening through the leaves covering it’s head and it is staring at me with one again! I’m now starting to cramp up (I also managed to forget a seat cushion – more price of stupid) in that I’ve been in this position, holding up my binos and not twitiching for closing on a half hour. All this deer has to do is move a few inches forward or back so I can see the top of it’s head …. After over 15 minutes, the deer eases out the way it came never presenting a really good shot. Unreal. I am now more convinced than ever, that for every deer I see in the woods, there are 10 that see me first that I never see.
That’s why they call it hunting and not shooting huh?
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil
Of course, I saw five different does and two were in perfect position with the butcher shop map outline on their bodies and me tasting fresh tenderloin. Stupid hurts. THE BENEFIT OF SMARTS: Next morning I’m in a different stand and now I'm REALLY wanting to get one. About an hour after light, I stare straight ahead into the woods in an area that is NOT a trail or anything that looks like you should see a deer there. After staring at it for a minute or two I catch movement. Eventually I can tell it’s a very well concealed deer working it’s way slowly towards me. About 60 or so yards away it stops, directly facing me and directly behind a tree. It moves it’s head just enough to look at me with one eye. No one has ever hunted this stand and it’s been hanging since before bow season and I’m behind a camo tarp that has also been hanging for weeks. It stared at me for over 10 minutes (literally I checked my watched.) without moving. It then slowly started moving in my direction and stopped broadside at a fence line about 40 yards away with it’s head and rump obscured by some leaves but a very clear shot to it’s neck and vitals. Only problem is, I haven’t been able to 110% verify it’s not a button. Though at this point, I’m thinking "No button is this smart." As I’m staring at this deer through my binos, I notice there is a very small opening through the leaves covering it’s head and it is staring at me with one again!
I’m now starting to cramp up (I also managed to forget a seat cushion – more price of stupid) in that I’ve been in this position, holding up my binos and not twitiching for closing on a half hour. All this deer has to do is move a few inches forward or back so I can see the top of it’s head …. After over 15 minutes, the deer eases out the way it came never presenting a really good shot. Unreal. I am now more convinced than ever, that for every deer I see in the woods, there are 10 that see me first that I never see. That’s why they call it hunting and not shooting huh?
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil
) Now reality of me seeing a ranger is about 0% but it's just one of those situations, like countless others, where you get to do the right thing even when you know there's no 'price' to doing the wrong thing. I didn't want to take the 1/2 mile+ walk back to camp and then 1/2 mile+ again back to the stand and scare everything in the process. I was content to have a morning of 'watching'. Also a good lesson, pretty sure I won't forget it again! 
