Another deer season in the books

Outdoors with Bud

Well, another deer season has come and gone. It seems impossible to wait all year for such a meaningful occasion to arrive, and it seems like in minutes, it is gone.

My archery season started out unbelievably. I had deer activity within minutes of entering the ladder stand. I could hear deer walking around but could not see the ground. Shortly after first light, I had a small “basket rack” buck walk in, and I watched him heading for the creek bottom.

Maybe 15 minutes later, I had four does enter the woods, and the largest of the group stopped broadside at 32 yards. I put the crossbow bolt right through the ribcage, and I watched the mature doe run off. I heard her crash to the ground. I texted my wife and grandson and told them I had just shot a doe.

At 9 a.m., I slowly and quietly got down and started trailing the deer. Hunting by myself, I knew I had a hard job ahead of me as I field dressed the deer and dragged her out of the woods.

I didn’t get to hunt for a few days after shooting the deer, but I managed to go back out maybe five days later. I already had the doe processed and in the freezer, so the pressure was off. I decided to hunt another ladder stand for a change of scenery.

I started seeing deer activity immediately, and just before 6 p.m., I had a deer approach my stand. I could see antlers, but the foliage on the tree obscured most of my vision. I could see the deer’s body was large but could not see the antlers.

I have always advocated you need to take the first high percentage shot available. I aimed the crossbow and held the crosshairs of the scope behind the front shoulder. I squeezed the trigger, and I saw the arrow bolt hit the deer exactly where I was aiming. The deer ran off and fell over twice.

I waited about 15 minutes, and I slowly climbed down and walked to the fallen buck. It had a huge body, but the antlers were broken up. I tell everybody, “You can’t eat antlers.” I was rather disappointed with the antlers, but I had taken two nice-sized deer for the freezer. I knew my family and I would be eating venison until next deer season.

I had a deer bundle license that allowed me to take one buck and two does during all deer seasons, so I still had a doe permit. And this was all accomplished during the first 10 days of the season. I decided to discontinue hunting until the firearms and muzzleloader seasons because I wanted to hunt with my grandsons.

Usually, it is not too difficult to take a doe during the colder weather hunts. I was going stir crazy waiting for the seasons to change, but what I didn’t know was my grandsons were filling their tags. They ended up filling all their tags, and I had to finish up my season hunting solo again.

My season ended on a sour note. I knew there was a snowstorm coming in on a Saturday, so I hit the woods Friday afternoon and evening. It was cold and windy, and I think I had icicles hanging from my nose. I saw deer activity, but nothing close enough.

Saturday morning, I woke up with a sore throat and sniffles, which soon turned into a fever, sneezing, and coughing. I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and given pills larger than the wheels on my Dodge Ram.

After those pills were gone, I still had a cough, so I was seen again and diagnosed with bronchitis, so I now had an inhaler and more pills. At least they were smaller pills. I’m feeling better, but the cough still happens, just not as frequently.

I decided with my birthday on Christmas Eve and then Christmas with family, I would unload all the hunting gear and pack it up until next October 1: the archery deer season. I certainly cannot complain about putting two deer in the freezer and probably only hunted 10 times.

What a great life and memories! If you put deer in your freezer, congratulations! If you did not, better luck next season!

As deer seasons wrap up, many hunters reflect on their experiences in the field. The impact of weather on hunting success, along with generational traditions, highlights the evolving dynamics of hunting culture. It’s worth noting that fluctuations in deer populations and changing regulations will continue to shape future seasons. Looking ahead, hunters should prepare not only for the upcoming seasons but also for the ongoing dialogue surrounding wildlife management and conservation practices. What we know is that hunting remains an essential relationship with nature for many Americans, which is crucial for continued dialogue about outdoor sports and their significance. There are uncertainties ahead as regulations can shift. Staying informed will be key for all involved in the outdoor community.