I put the video for the last day of the archery season and the opener for the muzzleloader season together. So far it's not been a horrible season, having seen deer on 3 of the five hunts I've been able to get in.
Yesterday was part of the game on public land.
When I got to my chosen spot there were already two vehicles there. One smaller SUV and a pickup. The owner of the SUV was already gone (so to speak- see later), and the two guys in the truck were just finishing up getting ready. They asked where I was going to be (I wish everyone on public land did this), I told them and they said they were going to be in the second field. Which was fine as it did leave me a good area to watch.
They headed in and I threw my pack on and locked my own SUV and started in. I noticed a light coming back from the first field and figured one of the other guys forgot something. Nope. Upon my getting on the trail I was greeted by two dogs wearing orange vests with a third back with the owner. The light I saw was a pheasant hunter who was now leaving, in the dark. My best guess is he decided to give up the area to the deer hunters. At least I'm guessing for the benefit of the doubt here that's how it went. No night hunting allowed in any of the areas near home so....
I got to my blind and set up. After about 40 minutes I saw a doe trotting from the woodlot to the field and was out of my safe zone in less then a few seconds. She slowed and stopped for a second between me and the other field the other two guys here hunting. I didn't even get time to think about grabbing my ML/ I managed to get a little clip of her on video, but with the low light it's a little hard to see her.
So my morning consisted of seeing a good doe but not having a shot and hearing turkeys where I never heard a peep from a turkey all last May when I was hunting them.