WITH A WHIMPER

It's not a sport nor a game, but there are winners and losers. You don't have to guess which I am. Here's the tally so far:

Bow

Two eights- pass

One ten- Within five yards and a loss of concentration when an umbrella tipped cost me the kill. No arrow released.

Crossbow

One bear- A shot placed too low was not lethal. Nothing is a certainty but I am confident after examining the arrow that the bear was not harmed. Good news.

One eight- While looking the wrong direction a nice eight point shooter came within range. I did not spot him until he was walking away offering no shot. No arrow released.

Rifle

One seven- pass

One six- pass

No shooters spotted.

 I never had the safety off the .30-06 all season.

   Today was the last day of rifle season. From tomorrow morning until New Years Day (with a short break for Xmas) it is muzzleloader season. I've never hunted so hard with so little luck. It seems like the deer become harder to find every day. I have to binge watch Youtube videos just remind me what they look like. The lack of movement or rut activity is demoralizing. But for many readers of this blog the outcome so far is all good news. I realize that many of you are rooting for the deer. I understand. If it was easy I would've been done weeks ago. If I was just hunting for meat I also would have been done by now, with a full freezer.  But this is not about killing for meat...yet. For the next week I'm hunting horns. When our traditional deer drives begin  just before Xmas I'll attempt to shoot a doe. Maybe I'll be successful, maybe I won't. In any case this has been a season for the books. I'm in shape. I feel good, healthy and up to the challenge. I congratulate all the other hunters who have scored and encourage them to pace themselves so we all walk out of the woods upright. It's not over yet. Good luck in the morning.