Last Saturday morning I got up bright and early and went out deer hunting.
Mostly what you do is a lot of standing around waiting for people to make up their minds about stuff.
I got my deer in some woods over by Woolstock. It was on our second drive, 2 hours after we started. I got him with my pistol. I paced off the shot and it was 30 paces, however that translates into distance.
He was what is called a button buck. He is a little on the small side but he ended up being the perfect size because I don't have a deep freeze. He is currently at Sawyer's Meats in Fort Dodge being processed.
After that hunt I switched guns and roles. For the first 2 pushes I was acting as a walker. I prefer that role. On the third hunt I switched to my shotgun and they wanted me to be a blocker. I set up next to the river in a line of guys.
We were a party of 14 so there were 14 deer tags. I decided to keep my first deer but I contributed everything else to the pot. Some of the hunters were not the best shots but since they helped with the hunt they also get a deer if possible.
After sitting there a while 3 deer ran at me single file down the creek bed. I shot the first 1 and the other 2 broke left. I got 1 of them right after they broke. The final one ran to my left and past me. I got him while he was broadside to me. I contributed all 3 to the pot.
We made 1 more hunt that day but didn't see any more deer.
On Sunday we still had 5 tags to fill so I went out and helped all day. It was bitterly cold. We hunted all of the places where deer like to go when it is cold and snowing and we had no luck.
Since there are still 5 tags unfilled the group is planning to go out next weekend. If they actually go I will probably go along for the hunt.