Monday, October 22, 2007

Deer off the River Property!!!

Yesterday morning was opening day for "general" rifle season in Montana. Clint was stuck in Butte doing Game Warden stuff, but I still wanted to get out. We knew a lot of deer were crossing our property and I thought it would be kind of neat to get one of them. (Clint shot a doe off our property last year, but I hadn't gotten the privilege yet.)
Perry and Mom happened to be here bringing over a load, so Perry was able to come along for his first taste of Montana hunting. (Though the poor guy wasn't necessarily expecting to be drug out in the cold Montana morning to sit in a blind so he didn't really have the right clothes. It's hard to have everything you might need, when you are trying to move!!!)

We got the blind set up and after not too long a doe passed through the bottom. It was about 15 minutes before shooting light, so I was hoping that there were more coming. (I could shoot a doe or a buck.) About 10 minutes later two does and a little buck showed up. They fed down straight towards us, but because of the tall grass and brush, the depression they were in, and the fact that they were coming straight at us, I didn't take a shot. At about 60 yards, they began feeding in earnest, not a care in the world. The does were feeling a little sassy and kept rearing up and striking at one another. A couple of the hits they landed were pretty good... I would want a doe mad at me!!!
About this time I hear Perry whisper to me, "which one are you going to shoot?" To which I replied "whichever one turns broadside first". (He later commented on my patience. ) Ultimately, the buck turned broadside and then was feeding that way for long enough, he talked me into shooting!!! He's kind of a little bugger but it was great to take him off our property and to share this with Perry since it's been years since we have hunted together. After the shot he went less than a hundred yards and we had a great critter on the ground!!!
It was great hunt, but I truly missed Clint. It is something that we are both passionate about and not having him there made it feel like I was missing something. But, I think he may be back a day next week, so stay tuned for possible pictures!!!
Mom and Perry also have the cutest little puppy.. Her name is Meesha (sp?) and she is a love! She also is incredibly tenacious and wore out Bones. They would have played for hours, and as you can see, she made up for her lack of size by grabbing legs or whatever else she could get!!!

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