THINGS ARE CHANGING.

Two snow storms before Halloween and I still don't have a deer on the ground. I've been hitting my spot on Majestic most mornings and sitting the orchard in the afternoon. It's been hit and miss. The freak October snows had shut them down until yesterday evening. Things are changing.
   I was to go out to The Hollie Witchey Project to celebrate Mystery Girl's birthday around 7pm so I got in the stand a little early. Gilkey's fields were still covered in snow, but under the apple trees there was plenty of green and tracks. The deer had definitely been feeding at night. I didn't have to wait long. A big doe worked her way quickly across the field, right towards me around 3:30pm. I slowly rose out of my seat, clipped the release and waited......and waited. She was in no hurry. I watched her munch apples, protected by the thick canopy of still green leafed trees. Then she bedded down. It took her about an hour before she presented a shot. I came to full draw.....and she turned. Fuck. But she came closer. I let off the string and waited. Again I came to full draw. She was right below me. Before I could release the arrow, she turned again and ducked under the trees again.
   When I let off for the second time she caught me and spooked, bounding across the field towards the river. What a beautiful sight. That's how the afternoon went. More does (some big, some small), a little spike, weaved in and out of range. The wind was out of the SE. Perfect. Finally I had a shot at a small doe as the bigger one snorted and stomped behind me in the field. I pulled back and let loose. The place exploded, deer running in every direction. The little doe joined the spike and big doe heading for the opposite ridge. I'd missed clean. I shot right under her belly. Damn. In retrospect I don't think I was thoroughly committed to the shot. I felt disappointed, but not too much. What an afternoon!
   After a great supermodel birthday dinner with Nun of your business, Popol-U and Mystery Girl I drove home after midnight, beat. Just off 17, right before Fred Rd. my headlights caught a deer standing in the middle of the road. It wasn't moving. I turned the truck to light it. It was a beautiful big 8 pointer. I literally drove right up to it before he slowly headed down the ridge. Nice. First big buck sighting of the season. Things are changing.