Giving up early is never an option

Outdoor writers operate under some rather unique circumstances. No story, no pay. Sorry, dude.

This means that during my many years of freelance outdoor writing, if I went on a trip and got skunked, whether fishing or hunting, it meant a complete waste of my time, travel expenses and loss of any potential income.

This applies as well to fishing stories. I always practiced the "just one more cast" philosophy. I'd keep casting up until the last possible moment, and guess what: in many cases, I was rewarded with a nice fish that provided numerous photos and resulted in a magazine sale.

Stick it out to the last moment on every fishing or hunting trip.

Time and again the "last cast" produced a jarring strike, a fine battle with a big fish, and left me with a few minutes to hurriedly coordinate a dozen or more key photographs that the outdoor magazines would publish.

The same principle applied on hunting trips. I'm so mindful of a five-day whitetail hunt to Idaho several years ago. I hunted hard every day during daylight hours while roaming the high country between the Salmon and Snake rivers.

I'd located a big buck, and tried for him every evening, and each night just at the end of shooting time, this monstrous buck would step out of the woods between 200 and 300 yards away. By the time I spotted the animal, put the cross-hairs of my 1 1/2-6X Swarovski scope on the buck, the shooting light would go. I never did get a shot at that huge western whitetail.

Two hours were available the last morning as my guide and I sat on a hill side waiting for a really nice 8-pointer that I'd passed up before. It was a make-or-break, do-or-die situation. My hunt would end in two hours, and I'd have to drive like crazy to make it to the airport in time to catch my flight to Michigan.

And I'd be returning without a story. That doesn't work well for big newspapers or magazines. They expect results, but have no clue about animal behavior, weather conditions and other potential problems.

Never give up early.

I sat patiently for almost an hour before spotting the 8-point making his way up the mountainous side hill. His head went behind a tree, and I raised the rifle to my shoulder and took a firm sitting rest with my elbows against the insides of my knees.

The sights were rock solid on the buck but he was taking his time and was partially screened by some thick brush. He was moving uphill toward me, and the minutes seemed to be speeding by. Finally the buck stepped out of the thick cover, stood facing directly at me, and I centered the cross-hairs on the white throat patch and squeezed the trigger.

The buck went down like it had been poleaxed, and I hurriedly shot several rolls of film, got the buck skinned out, packed into a box, and I was on my way to the airport with a story, fine meat and a nice rack.

Another last-minute break came on an Upper Peninsula bear hunt. I was down to the wire on the last evening of hunting, and would then travel on to the site of my next story that evening. My stand was north of Amasa in Iron County, and 15 minutes of shooting light remained.

I heard a twig snap, and out stepped a 250-pound boar. It walked to the bait, stood up to sniff around, dropped to all fours and was quartering away. The arrow slid in behind the last rib, angled forward, and sliced open both lungs and the heart. It went 15 yards and died.

This “never-give-up” philosophy has worked for me on many occasions.

I quickly set up my camera and tripod, measured the distance, focused on the bear, and I tripped the self timer. It gave me 10 seconds to get into position, and the flash went off. I shot several more photos, and as shooting light failed, the tag went on the bear.

I got a story out of that hunt, and the "one more cast" philosophy paid off many times for me with a good catch, a last-minute bear or deer, and it's a never-give-up attitude that pays off.

That's why I set my watch to the correct time every day, and I know when legal shooting time ends. I hunt until the last second, and when legal shooting time is over, I unload and case my firearm or bow, and call it a day.

It's just amazing though how often this never-give-up attitude will pay off in the field or on the water. It has helped me pay my bills for 44 years, and that is one reason I've been successful.

Giving up early is never an option.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Do human thought waves spook deer?

Ever see a buck coming through the woods and suddenly it flees for no apparemt reason?  Have you ever had a doe stop upwind of your stand, snort, blow, stomp her foot and run off even though the wind was right and you hadn't moved?

Sure you have. It happens to everyone on occasion. What follows may disturb some hunters, could cause other sportsmen to wonder if this topic is true, and if so, how does it happen?

Trust me on this: This topic will be a quantum leap for some deer hunters when they read it all the way through. I've stated my opinions at deer-hunting seminars I've given over many years, and some folks sit in total disbelief.They look as if they've just been sucker-punched.

Don't stop reading just yet. These thoughts, if you accept and think logically about the topic, may make you a better deer hunter. We'll be talking about your mental rather than physical actions.

My many years of testing this theory

It's not important that hunters believe as I do, but over 40-plus years I've tested this theory on countless occasions in many states. Each time it's tested, the result is tbasically the same. I strongly believe what follows is true, and all I expect of readers is to study and decide if they believe and trust it.

Know this before we go any further. There is much that modern science and medicine doesn't know about the brain, brain waves, and how it affects people and many of the wild animals we hunt.

My thoughts on spooking deer

Here goes: I believe, being a very capable and deep-thinking predator, that deer -- especially does -- can sense the presence of danger without the benefit of movement, noise, scent or other stimuli. I once hunted mountain lions in northern Arizona, and my guide told me the reason he feels cougars kill mostly mule deer bucks is because those deer are so full of themselves they act and feel immune to danger.

They are not alert nor attuned to the presence of danger. Does, on the other hand, are constantly alert to the possibility of nearby predators as they try to protect their fawns from predation.

My thoughts are pretty straight-forward. I believe that thinking strongly about killing an incoming buck or doe can transfer some type of danger signal to the animals. Are human thoughts carried by brain waves? Do these vibes, for lack of a better description, throw out a silent alarm that does can pick it up much easier than bucks?

Clear your mind of predatory thoughts

I never think, after spotting an incoming buck or doe, about shooting that animal. My brain stays in neutral, idling without conscious thought. I purposely avoid thinking about shooting and killing the animal. I may and often do spend that time thinking about the next article to be written.

My belief is to never stare at a buck or doe. Looking into a deer's eyes seem to allow that animal to feel or sense human presence. My thoughts remain neutral, and when I draw, aim and shoot, I'm concentrating on my aiming point but am not thinking about killing the animal.

Testing this theory over many years has proven informative, and made me a better hunter. My normal method is to allow my eyes to sweep over the deer without lingering on any part of its head or body. It's easy to establish the animal is a buck if antlers are visible, and that data is stored in my mind. I know it is a buck but no longer think about it, and I never dwell on such thoughts, which I feel are counterproductive.

Instead, I think about going hunting the next night, which stand may be productive under the current wind direction, or I'll recall something that has nothing whatever to do with hunting. I could just as easily think about painting the basement walls, which is a horrid thought, even when trying to fool a nice buck.

My main train of thought

However, my mind knows why I'm here, and that is to possibly shoot a buck or doe. However, my mind focuses on other thoughts or topics, or on nothing at all, and when it tells me it's time to shoot, the bow is drawn, the sight settles behind the front shoulder and the arrow is gone before my mind finishes telling my finger to shoot.

The deer never senses a threat or any unease. It doesn't feel my predatory instincts coming its way, and the deer remains relaxed. Calm and cool thoughts or even not thinking at all is far preferable than telling yourself that the shot will go through its lungs and heart. That may happen, but if you don't think hard on it, I'm convinced the deer will not bolt unless you move or make a sound at the wrong time.

On the other hand, I've often thought about killing the buck as a specific test. I'll think: Here comes a buck, and look at those antlers. My eyes scan the bone on the buck's head, and then I look at its eyes, and then strongly focus my attention on the heart-lung area.

The buck, suddenly alert, turns his head to look around. My eyes lock on his, a predator against a nice buck. His head turns slowly away, and I come to full draw, think about driving the arrow into the chest cavity, and at about that time, the animal suddenly bolts off in panicked flight.

There has been no noise or sudden movements on my part, and no way the deer could smell me. But my thoughts were keenly focused on shooting that animal, and perhaps this comes from my many years of hunting experience and shooting many deer. Perhaps my vibes are stronger than those of other people who have largely been unsuccessful.

A human example to illustrate my point

Think of it this way. I no longer drink, but back in the day, my entering a bar was always an experience. If I was a stranger, I'd immediately sense the vibes of other people looking at me, and then would come a strong feeling that someone was staring intensly in my direction. With practiced determination, my eyes scan the room until the person staring at me is located.

It was then I'd size up the situation. Is this a friendly person or one who wants to put knuckle bumps on my noggin? If I sense agitation or aggressive hostility, I'd turn and walk out while it is still possible. It's the same thing with deer. Flight is alway preferable to fight.

An example of street smarts

In some areas they often say a person has "street smarts." Why. pray tell, don't deer have "woods smarts?" They do, and their instincts are more finely honed toward survival than yours or mine.

If deer sense danger, however it is transmitted to them, it becomes an instinctive reaction. It's like an adrenaline rush: it triggers the fight or flight response. Deer don't grow large antlers by ignoring these little niggling feelings. I draw the line at granting deer human-like qualities, but am convinced these animals can pick up bad vibes from someone trying to shoot it with a bow, which invariably means a close shot.

Deer can do the same thing as humans although how they process this invisible information is an unknown factor. Years ago, while shooting some of the deer photos needed for stories, the deer would hear the shutter click, look around, and nothing happened. Minutes later another photo or two would be taken, and the deer would become accustomed to the noise. Nothing happens, and they soon relax.

It's strange but deer seem to sense when a hunter or photographer means no harm, and while an old doe may go charging off, if they are not unduly alarmed, they often return within minutes.

Deer that may sense a hunter intent on shooting them can get as freaky as a mule deer doe when she suspects the presence of a nearby cougar. She doesn't want her or her fawns to be the cat’s dinner, and will take whatever evasive actions needed to avoid the predator

Bucks, on the other hand, seem unaware of danger unless it picks up some strong predatory vibes, catches a whiff of human odor or sees some movement. Often, if a doe spooks and runs off, a nearby buck may do the same thing without feeling any sense of danger.

This is where it becomes extremely important to remain in a non-predatory mind set. Think about killing, and things can quickly change and game can vanish without a shot being taken.

A quick recap

Never look deer in the eye, never think about shooting them, scan past the animal, never put a lingering stare on the deer, and if I'm about to shoot, my mind is emptied of all predatory thoughts. Ninety-five percent (or more) of the deer that have fallen to my arrows were dead before they knew their lives were in danger.

I repeat: it's not necessary you believe this, and hunters can continue to hunt as they choose. However, when I hunt, my purpose is to get close to deer, never get them excited, and if the right buck comes by, I'll take the shot. Cougars hunt the same way and they are far more deadly predators than most humans.

It's quite likely this may be the most radical bit of deer hunting material you'll read this year. I'm not trying to change your hunting style or your mind-set, but ask you to consider an alternative line of thinking when deer approach. Many of the key hunters in North America, if pinned to the floor with a hammerlock, will agree with these thoughts. All I'm taking is your time (the line from an old song) and my hopes are you'll give this the mental consideration it deserves.

Feel free to share your thoughts. Do you agree or disagree? Your comments, please. E-mail me at <dave@daverichey.com> . Thanks for your time spent reading this. Give it some thought, and you may or may not disagree. but you may or may not become a successful hunter.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Largest Peterson fish decoy sale ever

Fish decoys are little more than small pieces of carved wood,  a bit of lead in the bottom to serve as ballast, and some paint to pretty them up. Their purpose is to attract game fish within range of the ice fisherman's spear.

Such a brief statement isn't much, but it's exactly what fish decoy collectors are looking for. That, and examples of the work of master carvers.

Many wood carvers made them during the Depression era, and some were made  before and since then, but fish decoys that were used for attracting fish to the spear are wonderful examples of American folk art. And most of them are rare.

Oscar Peterson fish decoys to be auctioned Oct. 3.

That said, a major no-reserve auction of fish decoys and other outdoor items from the estate of the late John L. Warner (1927-2002) of Newark, Ohio, will be auctioned Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, with a 8-10 a.m. viewing preview and the auction beginning at 10 a.m. The auction will be conducted by Century Asset Management, Inc. of Maple City , Michigan.

The auction will be held at the Bill Oliver Conference Center at the Rodeway Inn, 5676 M-55 (west of highway M-55 on the south side), Cadillac. Contact the auctioneers at (231) 228-6667 or <www.centuryassets.com> for additional details.

This will be the largest auction of works of art by Oscar W. Peterson (1887-1951), a noted carver from Cadillac, Michigan. Peterson fish decoys plus a few of his lures, duck decoys and fish plaques will go on the auction block, and this sale is destined to become the "fish decoy auction of the decade."

This auction will feature at least 280 lots, and Peterson carvings number  77 items. Most are fish decoys, but there are five fishing lures, several duck decoys, and other items like a carved alligator, turtle and wall plaques from the famous and gifted carver.

Provenance comes with all lots, and many of the Peterson carvings originated from the Oscar Peterson estate. Many of his fish decoys have been publicly displayed at various museums and galleries. Some of these decoys are noted in Ron Fritz's excellent book "Michigan's Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson, 1887-1951" and Steven Michaan's great book "American Fish Decoys." Both books will be on sale at the auction.

Fish decoys by Peterson those carvers noted below.

Besides the major collection of Peterson fish decoys, there will be decoys carved by George Aho; Vernon Baggs, Sr.; Bear Creek Bait Co.; Lawrence Bethel; Carl Christiansen; Cal Demming; Andrew J. Downey; John Eddy; Delbert Edwards; William Faue; Jim Foote; David Forton; Wyman Friske; Henry Isaac Goulette; Herter's;  Jerald Horan; Leroy Howell; Hans A. Janner, Jr.; Marvin Mason, Jr.; Marcel Meloche; Jim Nelson; Martin Pestrue; Arnold H. "Hook" Peterson; Ernie Peterson; Lou Petrucco; Jess Ramey; Russell Wayne Saxton; Jim Strangland; Richard Thayer; Andrew W. Trombley; Robert V. Smith; Russell D. VanHouzen; Walter Welch; Jim Wregglesworth; and by several unidentified carvers.

Gary L. Miller of Williamsburg, Mich. is one of the major authorities and collectors of these fish decoys, and he sold many of these decoys and plaques to John Warner over the years, and he considers this a major event for fish decoy collectors.

"Peterson fish decoys, and those of other master carvers, represent some of the finest folk art today," Miller said. "These small fish decoys represent one of the fastest growing aspects of today's folk art. As is true with most collectibles, the very best of any carver's work is usually the most expensive but the value of these fish decoys rises every year. This is a "No Reserve" auction.

"All fish decoys are unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic, and come with solid provenance. I photographed each item, and offer at least three views so collectors can study both sides and the bottom. They can be seen on my website at <http://web.mac.com/garylmiller> .

He said a preview of all lots will be available for viewing on Oct. 2 from Noon to 3 p.m., and Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. until the auction begins. Measurements are lengths to the closest quarter-inch.

No time to wait. Email now for more details.

Bidders are cautioned to look closely at the photos as they constitute an important part of the description. The auctioneer reserves the right to skip around, and may not necessarily sell items in their cataloged order. It is the buyer's responsibility to determine condition to his or her own satisfaction.

"This is the largest collection of Oscar Peterson art works ever to be offered at public auction," Miller said. "A total of 77 Peterson fish decoys, plaques, lures and other items will be up for bid."

It's anyone's guess when another auction of Peterson fish decoys will be held again. It probably won't be anytime soon.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Which tree stand for you?

A doctor friend was having a birthday several years ago, and his wife called and asked if I knew anything about tree stands. That's like asking Henry Ford if he knew anything about black cars.

She was assured that I did know quite a bit about tree stands, and wondered why she asked. It turns out that she wanted to purchase a tree stand for her husband for his birthday. Would I find one for under $100 and call her back?

I told her no, I wouldn't find one for under $100 bucks, because most well-made tree stands sell for much more, and that I wouldn't suggest a cheap tree stand for her husband, who is my doctor, or anyone else.

This hunter sits in a Family Traditions two-person tree stand.

She wanted to know how much a good stand would cost. Since she had no clue whether he wanted a fixed position stand, a ladder stand or a climber, I asked if I could use my discretion.

She agreed that was probably wise, and turned me loose to look for stands. It took about 10 seconds for me to dismiss the climbing models simply because Michigan has so few trees with no branches near the bottom as to make such a stand worthless for most hunters.

Should I have dismissed climbers so easily? Who knows, but since she was leaving it up to me, I chose not to put my gastroenterologist up in a stand that I'd never use. It's been some years since I used a self climbing stand down south, and there is a good bit of room to make an error. A mistake with this type of stand can be dangerous or deadly.

I decided to look for a good ladder stand. I'm convinced beyond any doubt that a ladder stand, a sturdy haul rope to raise and lower a bow, and a full-body safety harness would keep him safe unless he was to do something incredibly stupid. He simply doesn't operate that way.

So, for my purposes, the search was narrowed down to a ladder stand. The make wasn't important simply because I knew I'd purchase a stand endorsed by the National Treestand Manufacturers Association, and that meant the manufacturer stood behind the integrity of its construction, used only the highest quality materials, and submitted to a yearly unannounced inspection by the association.

They would randomly pick two or three stands. All welds were inspected, the bolts and locking nuts were inspected, and the stand and ladder was inspected for perfection and great integrity. Members of this association must build safe and well constructed stands, and if inspections find faulty welds or other problems, the maker is no longer a member. Wise hunters look for the Association's trademark when buying any tree stand.

Over the years i’ve used more than 20 stands but some were not TMA approved.

A tree stand must be strong, well made, and provide the user with a sense of safety, strength and security. In the early days of tree stand manufacture there were certain manufacturers that installed a quarter- or half-inch piece of plywood in an aluminum frame to stand on.

Those stands, and I owned two at one point, were prone to giving way and causing the user to plunge down to the ground, bouncing from one limb to another. Me and another man used one for two years until the bottom collapsed. He fell only eight feet and was not injured, but I scrapped both stands, and made a wise investment in good stands. That manufacturer was repeated sued for shoddy stands, and was soon put out of business.

I can't remember which brand-name stand I wound up buying for my doctor friend, but the store owner allowed me to take it home, set it up in a tree just off the ground) and jump up and down on it. I put that stand through some rigorous testing, and it was a perfect match for my doctor friend.

There are a whole raft of quality tree stands on the market. Over many years I've used many fine ladderstands. I've hunted from Ameristep, API Outdoors, Big Game,  Family Tradition, Gorilla, Summit and others. All are approved by the Treestand Manufacrtuer’s Association (TMA).

If you hunt from a tree stamd, buy one that is safe & secure.

The stand I spent other people's money on had a wide platform to stand on, a sturdy seat, excellent ratchet strap for holding the stand to a tree. I also bought a five-foot length of case-hardened chain, sprayed it with brown paint, bought a quality lock and used the chain as additional security to hold the stand to the tree and to prevent its theft.

His wife was impressed with the fact that I'd put about eight hours into choosing an excellent stand, but was a bit less impressed with the price. At the time the stand was a bit over $300. The chain, padlock and full-body harness took the price up to something close to $400.

I told here you have but one husband, several children, and a good wage earner. All of these things are designed to help keep him safe. I'm certain you have plenty of life insurance on him, but a cheap stand and no safety harness may not kill him in a fall but it could turn him into a quadriplegic or paraplegic. It's difficult if not impossible to check a patient's innards from a wheel chair or hospital bed.

She saw the wisdom of the investment, and it was a done deal. All I got out of it was a thank you from her, and the knowledge that my doctor would continue to dip into my wallet whenever I visit his office.

And that is a good thing for both of us.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

One way to cure buck fever

There was a hunt I was invited to several years ago, and one of the people among about 20 invitees was one of the country’s top 10 target archers.

He could drill holes in a target and never miss. He could stack arrows, and I watched him do it several times (he was sponsored by an arrow manufacturer and got all the free arrows he could ever use), and watching him shoot targets was misleading. Most of us thought he could shoot a deer blindfolded.

He was the top personality at this hunt, and everyone else who was just a hunter wasn't considered a big deal. The hosts of the hunt picked all the best spots, and saved many of them for the target archer.

It was a predictable situation for the target archer.

The sponsors needn't have bothered. The bow hunters were quite content with our allotted stands, but we looked on with obvious concern as we knew what would probably happen to this celebrity hunter.

None of us were jealous of the target archer. This ol' boy was being set up, and it was rather hard to watch. He was being hung out to dry.

We weren't disappointed. The target archer who could stack arrows on demand missed two shots at deer the first day, missed one the next day from another great stand, and missed two more on the third and last day of our hunt.

The final score was 19 deer for the 19 bow hunters and zero deer for the hotshot archer. How could such a thing happen?

Call it what you will: buck fever, target panic, whatever ... the target archer had an acute case of the shakes whenever a deer wandered within range. The poor guy was under great pressure to perform, and when he did, he made a giant mess of things. Many of us felt sorry for the guy.

This self-inflicted malady can happen to anyone. Most seasoned hunters who have shot enough deer with a bow to know how to escape the trembles that overtook that poor guy. One of the guides said he shook like the leaves on an aspen tree in a brisk breeze.

Hunters who can shoot tight groups, stack arrows on occasion, and seldom miss the heart-lung area on a 3-D target, can fall apart when a buck moves closer. Their heart rate goes off the chart, they hyperventilate, sucking for air, and if they manage to draw the bow, who knows where the arrow will hit. Chances are it won't hit the deer in a vital area.

Some easy tips to avoid this problem.

Most people try to hide the problem, saying the buck was just a bit too far away or that it jumped the string. If a bow hunter shoots an arrow that travels 180 feet-per-second or faster (which is almost everyone that shoots a modern compound bow), it will impact he deer before the animal hears the bow twang, providing the animal is within 20 yards.

So, "jumping the string" is an excuse that doesn't hold up under close scrutiny. Of course, true experts of the excuses could say the animal was 30 yards away, but why bother? A miss is a miss.

Beating buck fever isn't easy but it can be conquered. The only way to do it is to put yourself in close proximity to deer, learn what to expect your body to do when a big burst of adrenaline kicks in. They also must learn how to control their nerves, and only experience can teach that.

Find someone who has a few pet deer in a small enclosure, and ask to sit in a tree nearby to watch them without a bow in hand. Bucks or does in a five- to 10-acre enclosure can never escape being close to humans. Put some food out, and the hunter can learn what to expect. Go to a petting zoo, and get close to deer. Use your hands and an imaginary bow to practice.

This is obviously something a person must work at, and if you want to do it, there is no law against sitting in a ground blind or tree stand on private land during the off-season providing you aren't carrying a bow and arrows or a firearm.

Learn how deer move, what their habits are, and the more time you spend around deer, the quicker the sight of a deer within bow range will stop jump-starting the adrenaline flow. It may take a season or two to conquer this fear of failing to meet the expectations of yourself and your hunting buddies but it helps to work at it.

The second part of learning this technique.

The second part of the equation is to learn how and when to draw, how to avoid the panicky feeling that overcomes a hunter when they try to draw their bow, aim and shoot a deer. The best way I know to learn how to do it is to draw on every deer within your preferred shooting range.

You'll spook some deer, but perfect practice will instill a perfect ability to size up the deer and the situation. Make enough mistakes and learn from each one, and soon you'll conquer that fear.

Curing buck fever isn't easy but it isn't difficult if the hunter is willing to work at it. Once several deer have fallen to well-placed shots, and you've drawn on a bunch of deer each season without being spotted, one day you'll realize that you are excited but not trembling or even breathing hard.

That's when you know you've made a quantum leap into the big time of bow hunting.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Deciding when to shoot ((dave richey, Michigan, outdoors, buck hunting, what I want, making decision, shoot or not))

The buck was a nice animal. It was an adult 2 ½-year-old with eight points, the beginning of a really nice rack, and he wasn't rut-crazed just yet. This rack, while still thin and spindly, had an inside spread of 16 inches with good brow points.

The buck came to me early in the evening with plenty of shooting light, and stopped at 18 yards and stood at an extreme quartering-away angle for long minutes. It was a tempting shot possibility.

Questioning my desire

Did I want to shoot that buck? You know, I really can't answer that question. Undecided, I did as I often do, and came back to full draw. The tiny sight settled low behind the front shoulder, but the shot would have to be precise and I tweaked my aim a bit more.

It's too shallow of an angle, I thought. Too much margin for error. I held the bow back longer, waiting for him to turn. Finally the bow was eased down, and that buck stood in that position for several more minutes before shifting just a bit to turn directly away from me.

I continued to watch him, all the while asking myself: do you really want to shoot this buck? He is nice, but he isn't that nice. Another year of life would make this a really fine animal if someone else didn’t shoot him this fall.

The result was that my inner self talked me out of that buck until five minutes later when he turned slightly to watch another deer. I raised the bow, put the sight on the proper spot, and held it there.

That animal had no clue I was anywhere in the area. For me, much of my deer-hunting enjoyment comes from fooling the animals. I don’t need to kill a buck to have had a good hunt. But … this guy was very tempting.

If I touched the trigger of my release this would be a dead 8-point. I laid my index finger on the trigger, refined my aim just a tad and didn't pull it. Deep down, I really didn’t want to shoot this deer.

No shot and my reason

The bottom line was the buck wasn’t  exactly what I wanted. It was nice, to be sure, but not that nice. Besides, it was too early in the season for me to shoot a buck. I had time to wait for something bigger.

The buck walked away minutes later, completely unaware of how close he had come to getting shot. It was turned just right so I wasn't looking into its eye, and it wasn't fidgety. It was completely unaware of my predatory presence, and I let that buck walk.

Thirty minutes later an even larger 8-point walked down the wooded trail. This guy stood broadside, and offered an easy 17-yard shot. I aimed, held the red-dot on the vitals for 30 seconds and eased up.

Shoot or don’t shoot?

It was useless. I knew, in my heart, that I had no intention of shooting this animal that evening. He was a nice buck, but still didn't have quite what I wanted.

It occurred to me that I was having a problem identifying what it was I did want. Trophy hunting doesn't appeal to me, but after a half-century of deer hunting and shooting many basket-rack bucks and some other really nice animals, shooting what suits me is very important. Some years I don’t shoot a buck, and that is my choice. I certainly see enough antlered bucks within range that I can afford to be a bit picky with my choice.

I then agonized over trying to identify what it was I wanted, and got no further down that trail before I realized that a buck was important but it was nearly impossible to identify what unique requirements were needed to satisfy my need to release an arrow at the animal.

A lesson from the past

It reminded me of a conversation I'd had 30 years earlier with a magazine editor as we discussed his magazine’s photographic needs and how I could help him reach those goals. He said: "I don't know what I want but I'll recognize it when I see it."

My buck-shooting problem is similar to his photo problems: I probably won't recognize what it is I’m looking for until I see it, and then all of my motor skills will allow me to come to a full draw, aim with precision, and let loose a killing arrow providing the animal is within my clear and well defined shooting range.

Once, some years ago, I could see a big buck easing along the edge of an oak ridge. His position in relation to mine made it impossible to see both sides of this rack.

The buck sneaked along an overgrown fence line at the edge of the woods, and he would lift his head on occasion to look ahead for danger before lowering his head again. I heard a soft grunt coming from his direction, and I knew he was scent-trailing a hot doe.

He would come within easy bow range of my tree stand, but still the right side of his antlers wasn’t visible. He was a shooter, no doubt, if the right side was as good as the left.

Here he came, walking gently as if he was stepping through broken glass, and he paused 20 yards away. It was just a bit too far to shoot with unfailing accuracy. His head was down and out of sight, and he would be at 15 yards when both sides of his rack would be visible. Just wait, suck a bit more air, and settle down. The bottom line in all such cases is he will come closer or he won’t. Wishful thinking doesn’t work at placing deer at the preferred location.

He eventually took a few more steps toward me, stepped out into the open, and stood with his head held high. I looked at the right and left side as I drew and prepared to  aim. I soon let off on my draw, and knew I wouldn’t shoot this buck.

The right side had three antler tines broken off as a result of scrapping with another buck. His rack had been damaged in a fight, and if I am to shoot a big buck, his antlers will go on the wall. This old boy got a break on this day although another person shot him on the opening day of the firearm deer season.

A mental crossroads

My problem is I'm at some type of mental crossroads. I'm well past the point where I must shoot another buck. I'm not out looking for massive antlers although I'd probably shoot if that kind of buck walked in front of me at my preferred shooting range, but more than anything, outwitting a good buck seems much more of a personal challenge than just shooting a nice animal.

And I suspect it's one of the reasons I didn't shoot either one of those bucks. The time wasn't right, and whatever it is I seek in a whitetail buck, just wasn't there. Perhaps, both shots would have been too easy or perhaps the reason is the challenge just wasn't intense enough to excite me.

That said, the opportunity is out there. I know of a big 10-pointer in one of my hunting areas. Being there at the right time, with the right temperament, and within easy bow range might tempt me into taking a shot.

Will I take it? Only time will tell, because for me, the hunt is far more important than antler or skull size. Something must challenge my personal skills, and mental moods, and if the challenge isn’t there, neither is the need to shoot.

Many people think hunting is easy. This simply proves that for some people, hunting is far more difficult than one might believe.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors