11/11 2X2

Let me just say that some of my favorite people were born on 11/11. Ray Gilkey, Emma Lee, and Iman (one of my two Black godchildren), to name three. Happy Birthday! Now lets get down to business. Enough politics. Enough real estate woes and Hatfield and McCoy feuds. Enough talk of economic down turn and government bail out. The rut is in full swing. It's time to spend all day in a tree and shoot that big boy. Fuck the rest of it.
This morning I went back to my stand behind Elijah's. I've moved it closer to the action, between two houses, in a brushy field with apple trees. Even though I live near big stretches of woods, I've decided to get up close and personal on these deer this year. It's safe with a bow, I have permission and I've got a bird's eye view of all the action. The problem is that most of the deer are still too far for a shot. I barely feel comfortable at 30 yards. That's my max. I have to get them in. This morning that changed.
I'd seen 6 distinctly different bucks in this spot. Most were legal, but small. But I did see one high six that I wanted to take. Hunting this spot I listen for the dog across the road barking. 9 out of 10 times this means deer are coming. The dog barked and a minute later I saw a big bodied deer walking towards me. From 50 yards I could see a white rack. It looked like the six. I clipped my release and waited. He was coming right for me, nice and easy. At 15 yards I saw a sweeping rack, with a good spread and.....4...... what? only 4 points! He strolled right under my stand. I could've jumped on him. I wanted so badly to grow brow tines on this buck. Three or better on one side is the law in this county. I'm trying my damndest to comply. I had to let him walk. No bragging rights on shooting, even a big 4 pointer. It's still early.
Savage Lynch swears by the 13th as peak of the rut. He's probably right. All I know is for the next week I'm in the woods. Gun opens on Saturday. Fuck the crazy neighbors. Fuck the building inspector and fuck the new President and his new puppy. I'm so over the Obama years. I'd love to talk supermodels, but for now that's a foreign subject. You'll have to settle for hunting. It's light by 6am.