Saturday's Dilemma

Saturday morning’s hunt tested my ethical boundaries. I had spent an enjoyable morning sitting on the ground up against a thick tangle of rose and vines hoping the numerous does I saw in our headlights on the drive up to the parking area would filter up through the stand and momentarily feed on under some white oaks I was over watching. Nothing ever presented and I figured I would stretch my legs by around 9:30 and set up on the other side of the Hill trying to intercept a deer that Mike may push as he made his way out of the woods toward me from the back of the property.

By 10:30 I was set up all cozy against a root ball 15 yards uphill from a deer trail when Mike informed me via text message he was already past me and at the truck.

I remembered that spot for another morning, and started my slow walk out of the woods.

I was quietly walking slowly down the deer trail towards the main access trail when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. A doe was bedded down only about 27 yards downhill of the access trail and she had her head low to the ground and ears splayed out. Our eyes met and I knew we had both made each other out. The sly old gals was trying to “lie low” and just allow me to walk on by. I edged ahead until a tree was between her head and me. Now what?! I moved forward as far as my cover would allow and she remained laying there. I was now on the main access trail and 20 yards from a bedded doe with her head toward me. I look at her with my binos and am severely tempted to shoot her lying down. I know I could hit her, but her head and neck were facing me, her spine ran along my uphill side and her legs were tucked under. I pictured what her vitals looked like that way. My only chance was a neck shot, or a spine hit, or somehow trying to miss the shoulder blade that I was sure was blocking most of her lung area.

I quickly dismissed that notion as I thought of the likelihood of a bad hit, poor blood trail from an arrow out of her back and possibly no 2^nd hole, and tried to think of a way to get her up.

Could I move closer? No deal…no more cover and she was staring me down like a Asiatic water buffalo.

I knew she had seen me. I grabbed a short section of branch that was nearby and decided to try to throw it behind her and get her to get up and look there. I chucked the branch…. it hit the leaves….she turned and looked….but stayed down. Well that didn’t work.

I sat there for several more minutes trying to think of more options. Should I try to wait her out? No, she knows I am here…I’ll be here all afternoon waiting…

Finally, I had a plan. The plan I should have done all along. I decided to get up and casually turn and walk away without looking at her. After I make the edge of the filed I can come back up the middle trail from behind her and try another stalk as the wind was conducive. I simply got up turned and walked out.

When I finally crept back up there she was long gone… I never heard her leave when I was walking out.

If I could do it again, I would have just acted like I didn’t see her from the get go and she might have hung around thinking she had me outwitted.

My wife asked me why I didn’t just shoot it…..though the thought had crossed my mind. I just didn’t want to take that chance. Perhaps I will cross paths with her again someday in better circumstances for me.