BIG PILE OF HAIR AND THE MAGIC EXPLODING BULLET

 No, it's not my new band. Around noon I decided to hunt this farm behind WSSP. Or more like I walked it with the gun. It must've been in the 50's. So I wore blue jeans and light coat. I wasn't really geared up for hunting. I figured I'd pussyfoot through it, see nothing and go home. But up in it I found a perfect convergence spot of orchard, swamp, hardwoods and hayfield. Then I saw a cut off log leaning against a big old tree. I looked closer and noticed screw in steps, but no stand. Once up on the steps I figured a way up though the branches and found a perfectly comfortable perch, and a sawed off branch to hang the gun. 

  I wasn't there 30 minutes when a spike came through. It showed promise immediately. He was gimping and I thought of taking him, but he seemed to be moving ok, so I just watched him disappear into the thicket. At 1:30 I got cold. I had an old pair of carharts back in my car. I figured I could get warm clothes and still be back in the tree by 2:30. I went for it. On the way back I spooked 4 doe   across the road.

  Back in that tree I marveled at the spot. Who ever screwed those steps in knew what they were doing. I had a good branch to stand on and another to sit. I could see the woods, field and runs in and out of the orchard and swamp. Throughout the afternoon my head swiveled. Then about 4:15 I turned to my right and there stood a big doe 20 yards away staring at me. I was ready to take this doe, but couldn't move. Finally another doe came out behind her and didn't see me so the lead doe calmed down. It took about 10 minutes to get the gun up. And when I did they spooked and spun back into the thick shit. I bleated, stopped the back deer and fired.

   I aimed right behind the shoulder. I got down out of the tree expecting to see a dead deer. The title sez it all. White hair. No blood. And a tiny piece of skin. I admit I didn't sight in my gun this year, but I shot a deer with it last year. But shit, I'd have to be awfully off to shoot under this deer. I couldn't even see its belly. I looked and looked. No deer. No blood. Then it got dark. When I got home I called Savage.

   "Was it thick?" he asked. I told him it was. ".243? They can explode if they hit a twig." I knew this from experience once before, but the distance was much greater. This deer wasn't 40 yards away. Savage may be just trying to make me feel better. Here are the options: The gun is off- by a lot. The bullet hit a twig and fragmented, deflecting under the deer's belly. Or I am the worst shot on planet earth. I hope I did not hit that deer badly. I feel like shit. It's the one part of this whole art/life/hunting equation that I truly despise.