More critter encounters

Nephew came Saturday, for a morning hunt. I headed out early for a spot where a game- trail crosses Panther Creek. I set up my tree stand, the one I can strap to the tree and my feet still reach the ground. I’m too old for any more of those crash- landings. At first light, a coyote howled across Panther Creek. He was atop that big hill. Squirrel season opened that morning, but there was no shooting nearby. I heard a few shots in the distance, though… probably on the Wildlife management Area. About 9 am, a doe came tipping through the woods and stopped behind some brush. I couldn’t find a clear lane to shoot through, and she was small anyway. Eventually, she spotted me and hopped off through the bushes. She stood off and snorted, and snorted, and snorted. After about 5 minutes of that, I figured the hunt was over, and hiked back to camp for another cup of coffee. I watched the squirrels and birds play that afternoon, but saw no deer. After dark, I was washing the supper dishes when some critter growled outside my cabin door It was just one snarl; sounded like a cat or a ‘coon. I grabbed my light and my revolver to investigate, but I saw nothing outside. I guess some critter passed by and was startled when he saw me through the screen. He just snarled and ran.