Deer Hunting 2021 - Part One, Gearing Up.

Preparations for Family Deer Camp seem a bit haphazard this year.  Of course that just means that last year we had way too much time on our hands!  But there are Things to be Done and the end of summer means it is time to get at them.

I've had trail cams out intermittently.  They are cheap units and so are not going to have long range or great sensitivity.  Sometimes they show you things:

The deer really like that tree in the center of the frame.  I caught multiple images of them using it, as above, to scratch their butts!

Other places I've set up the cams have shown little.  This despite my seeing quite a few of the critters standing around the area looking right at me. 

Last year we had a deer that appeared to come up and lick the trail cam.  While changing batteries just now I noticed this:

Somebody, given the bite size I suspect a porcupine, decided to have a nibble!  It must have been from behind or even with this level of electronics quality we'd have had an interesting picture.  Maybe some of the shots of empty woods happened when the camera was being gnawed on.  That might set off the motion sensor.

A couple of important matters needed attending to.  Hunting permits are an online deal, and this year's sign up involved several time zones, babysitting grandkids, etc.   With assorted electronics deployed we were able to get the requisite (non) paperwork accomplished.

I feel as if my success last year involved a mixture of luck and persistence leavened with only trace elements of skill.  I need to be a better marksman both in the interest of Tasty Vension for the freezer and to be humane to the deer.  Nobody wants to wound a critter that runs off and is not found.  A degree of judgement is required.  Sometimes you should just wish a deer at long range or in deep cover a good evening and keep waiting.  And as in all things, practice makes you better. 

So I was very happy to see this notice at the local Scheel's store!

That's gonna help.  Stay tuned for Part Two.....