November 7, 2005

Decided to take a little R&R this past weekend and go deer hunting in TN for muzzleloader season. It is always beautiful this time of year in the Hatchie River bottoms with the leaves changing color. Muzzleload season is my favorite because the woods are virtually untouched by hunters since it begins before the gun season opens. I showed this to be true on Sunday when I arose at 4:30 am and marched deep into the Hatchie swamp leaving all of the men asleep at the cabin. The weather forecast was for strong winds, so the boys decided not to get up early.

 

Having a hard time finding my stand after a two year absence, I was quite relieved when it appeared in the early morning light. I climbed up and eased the cap onto my muzzleloader ready to watch the sunrise. As I sat back and relaxed, I noticed that the wind had calmed and was barely noticeable! Ha.. too bad the boys didn't get up!

 

Saw a dark shadowy figure go by before shooting light as I had so many hunts before and wondered if I would see any more. Sure thing.... another figure became visible in the early morning light. It was a small, lighter figure which appeared to be the little one I saw the day before with its mom. She too appeared, and they proceeded to munch away on the many swamp chestnuts that carpeted the woods. I relaxed again and continued to scan the horizon.

 

All at once the little one began a mad dash through the woods and swung back through like a wild Indian. After almost 3 laps around the woods the little one disappeared, and a 4 point walked up to investigate the doe. She teasingly walked away as he followed a distance behind. With the doe gaining distance from her suitor and circling around in front of me, she was obviously not interested in her pursuer. Frustrated, the small buck thrashed a small bush with his antlers and then pawed the ground to make a scrape. I laughed as he walked away with half of the bush hanging from his head!

 

The sun was very close to breaking the horizon, and I imagined how beautiful it would be when the first rays start through the trees. The colors would be amazing, and the bucks would be easy to spot since their antlers stand out so in the sun. It is easy to stay so long in these woods!

 

But wait .... where did the little buck go? And then a very large deer appear from behind a tree....oh my... I could see his rack and immediately knew this was a very large buck. "O.K. click the hair trigger quickly, quietly" I said to myself. He walked behind a scraggly bush as I first looked through my scope. "Not yet! Wait...wait.....now there he is. One, two, three, four points on one side! Yes, that's the one!"

 

Yes, he was the one. He walked by at 7:00 a.m. and was a beautiful 10 point buck and 165 lbs field dressed. Yes, a beautiful morning!

( I want to thank Tom Anderson for keeping the Hatchie bottoms so pristine! It is such a beautiful place, and I appreciate very much that he allows us to enjoy it. Tom Anderson owns the beautiful property adjoining the Hatchie River in Tennessee. His generosity over the years to special friends is greatly appreciated.)