BackWoods Drifter

Living in the mountains, something that just basically becomes a way of life early in life is hunting wild game. Some of my fondest memories are associated with hunting. As and example, one of my grandfathers passed away when I was 14 years old. When I picture him in my mind he is standing in a grove of trees wearing a hunting vest with a squirrel gun over his shoulder. I have a story about him and it is about an adventure on a hunting trip. When I think of him it is that adventure I think about and that is probably why I see him in hunting garb when I picture him in my mind. I may have told that story already. I’ll look back through the blog and check. If not I’ll write a post about it soon. It is a hunting story with myself, my brother, dad, both grandfathers and a one eyed bluetick hound named Blue in the story. For now though I’ll just keep you in suspense on that and get back on track with this post.

Up until about ten years ago hunting was something I loved to do. I’m still undecided whether it was the actual hunting I enjoyed or being in the woods on a quiet misty morning or right at the edge of dark when some critters are going to the den while others are emerging. There are a few reasons I stopped hunting. I no longer squirrel hunt because most of the old timers I would give them to in exchange for mouth watering squirrel gravy have moved on to more peaceful groves. After literally years of hunting deer and not killing one, for whatever reason, I just quit hunting them. My heart had never really been in deer hunting. With the amount of deer I see in the mountains now, I would have to say I wasn’t trying very hard.

Deer season, with a bow, came in here in West Virginia about a week ago. I’ve noticed since moving to Bolt that at least some of the deer have apparently learned when not to be in the woods.

Sorry the photo is so bad but it was right at the edge of dark and I was about forty feet away. These deer were bedded down about forty feet from my back porch or they are right now as a matter of fact. All three were bedded down but the camera flash startled them, obviously. I only took two photos so I wouldn’t scare them too much. I think these deer have learned the best place to be during deer season because this is not the first year I have noticed an influx to the nearby fields right around deer season.

Just a couple of years ago I had about ten of them bedded down for the night right behind my house. If I had tossed a glass of water out of the kitchen window I could have gotten at least four of them wet.

I have nothing at all against hunting. If it came down to survival I would have no problem hunting what I needed to survive. I do still hunt only now it is with a camera. These deer may be dodging arrows but I got all three of them in one shot with my camera. Not very filling but to me, equally satisfying.

FYI – Basically this post was all over the place just so I could show you my trophies.