Quick trip to the country

Well, I had to work this weekend, but I managed to get away early enough for a Saturday- afternoon hunt. I shouldn’t waste gas on such short trips; it’s not cost- effective, but I had to monitor my guest situation… had some squirrel hunters and I wanted to participate, but I strung my bow, instead, and went to a far end of the place, an isolated little patch of woods at the northeast corner. There were old tracks in the creek; looked like deer had been feeding on acorns falling there. That’s been a good feed- tree in the past; I missed a doe there one time. She stopped in the creek for a drink and I tried for a neck shot. My arrow hit the water right below her throat… sure upset the old girl. I saw only squirrels and chipmunks on this trip. They were close around me, shaking limbs, scratching leaves, waving tails, and keeping an eye on the invader of their territory. My boy went along for the overnight, and we had a quiet time in the cabin. He’s maturing quite a bit, and is almost human when I get him away from his usual environment. No deer came by me Saturday evening; I sat until full dark. However, as last light was fading, I heard a buck grunt across the creek. He was up on the bluff and gave a series of short grunts like he was chasing a doe. He repeated that twice, but stayed back in the woods. Hiking back to camp, I saw 4 deer in the creek but I couldn’t tell anything about them… just 4 sets of eyes in the beam of my light. Broke camp early on Sunday because I had to get back to town and ready for work. It sure was a pretty weekend, weather was great. It is supposed to get even cooler this week, and I’ll be off for a stretch of days to play some more. The muzzle- loader season is opening next weekend and I had high hopes of bagging an archery deer before that... I'd better hunt hard.