Blind Faith

The bristled beauty of ridges and ravines leads my vision across the landscape as I search the snow covered area in late December for movement of deer. The perfection of their natural camoflage, even against snow, is not easily detected until a motion draws the eye to study for long moments until it is verified that one or more is in the area. Sitting up in the crotch of the big maple, the afternoon wasn't very long toward evening when I saw them coming from the south. In single file, I started counting them as they moved from the cover of the river bottom hardwoods,one, two, three... across the barren soybean field, four, five, six... and into the alfalfa, seven, eight, nine....where I hoped they would come near enough for a good shot. Ten, eleven...astonishingly, I finally saw the end of the group clearing the woods and milling in the alfalfa at the count of seventeen. I could see at least 3 mature bucks, not the biggest I had seen this season, but since I am not a trophy hunter the antlers only excited me for the privilege of witnessing their beauty. I watched, hoping eagerly that some would wander the hundred yards or so to make it even hopeful of my having a potential shot. I vacillated between frustration and chuckling at the situation, that so many were so close and still not in my shooting lane! Of course, the frustration was compounded by the fact that several does were milling about my ground blind, set up in the corner of the alfalfa field, where the fence and tree line helped seclude my presence when I chose to sit there. One young doe even tip-toed into my blind and investigated a few minutes before stepping back out into the herd in the alfalfa. There was really nothing I could do but relax and enjoy the scene, so I hung my bow on the hook, took out my phone and took a picture. As I was viewing the herd in my lens I noticed, right as I snapped the shot, another group of deer coming from the woods to the north! I was surrounded by a great number of deer, closer than I had ever been, and not one shot to be had. I let go of the frustration and began to just give thanks for what an amazing sight, what an amazing gift this had turned out to be for me! This late in the year, having outlast slug and muzzleloader season, I knew I could still count on a good population of bucks and does to be there next fall.