When I returned from my archery elk hunt in Colorado it was easy to sit back and wait for things to heat up here before jumping into hunting mode again. By heating up I mean the daytime deer activity, not the daily temperature. I prefer to hunt in sweatshirt weather over tank top weather, especially when it comes to archery deer season. I don’t want to shoot something and have the hunt go south with a long-drawn recovery only to have some meat spoil. That’s a minor concern. A bigger concern is the dang black gnats. I hate ‘em but they love me. I have a crazy reaction when I itch and then swell up from the bites. It’s more of a pain in the butt than an actual pain, but uncomfortable, nonetheless. 

So that’s why I haven’t been out until now. On a cooler sun-drenched day I gathered my gear and headed towards the woods. I found myself getting more and more pumped up about hunting. The goal of the outing was simple: I wanted to get some woods time in and to see/watch some deer. The only buck that I would ever shoot on the first time out would have to be a new personal record for me.

I sat in a ground blind overlooking a hayfield. It wasn’t in a prime spot because those stands are reserved for the crunch time of the rut a few weeks down the line. No, this was an out of the way spot that was a good place to see something, or at least I hoped.

I was in the blind for about a half hour when the first doe and fawn showed up. A minute later both craned their necks in the direction they came from telling me that there were more deer coming. Right on cue, another doe and fawn stepped out of the woods into my field. My first hunt was getting better by the minute even though I really didn’t think about grabbing my bow.

Eventually the deer fed past my blind to the east and settled into the green hay without a care in the world. If I had to take a shot, I probably could have. It was getting close to quitting time when the two does and two fawns did me another favor in that they walked ever the crest of the hill and out of sight. That provided me with the opening that I was hoping for. I slipped out of the blind, headed west, and made my way to the truck without ever alerting any deer.  

Just like that my first hunt was in the books. I had a shot opportunity if I wanted one. I slipped out of the blind and got to my truck with educating any deer. Lastly, and probably most importantly, the whole experience was motivating in that I now know it’s time to get serious about bow hunting.

Didn’t get enough Dave this week? Visit “Outdoor Trails and Tales with Dave Beck” on Facebook or at  ottwithdavebeck on Instagram for photos and video of Dave’s adventures. You can share your own photos and video with him there as well, or by emailing him at dave@piercecountyjournal.news Also, check out OTT content on Instagram @thepiercecountyjournal