Well, we are officially into 2017. Happy New Year Friends! It’s interesting… Sometimes deer season seems to slowly fizzle out as we approach the final day – January 1st – here in South Carolina. With all of the excitement and activity surrounding duck season and the hunts each week and weekend, going after deer sometimes gets put on the back burner. Sure, I always get in the woods in the evenings before and after a duck hunt, hoping to see a nice buck or just bag a doe so we can all have some meat. And I thought that’s how this year’s season was going to end.

But… Sometimes, deer season doesn’t fizzle out.

I had a buck on my camera in September and early October, nicknamed “Mass” because, well, his rack is massive. Especially for around here. Then, as soon as the rut be again, he disappeared (like many bucks will do). I saw just him a handful of times in October and November, always in the middle of the night, and always just passing through. To my surprise and delight, though, he showed back up with just 2 weeks left in the season. I was honestly a bit startled to see him on camera, but it really lit a fire under me for those 2 weeks. I found a new spot to hunt – rather than setting up a climber, I chose a fold-out ground blind instead. Just for something different, and it made for a super easy and quiet way to sneak in and out of the woods in the dark. My chosen spot was to set up along a heavily traveled corridor between the swamp and another field I often hunt.

It. Was. Beautiful. And oh-so-deery. 

You know who else agreed? 

 

Mass.

He found it pretty enough to show up on multiple mornings after daylight. Like, well after daylight. Notice that time stamp? Sometimes he would show up right at seven, when the camera could barely make out his antlers, but it wasn’t odd to see him cruise through between eight and nine. Craziness!

If you’re not a big deer hunter, this may not seem important to you. If you are a deer hunter, you know why this is a unique situation. Most mature bucks are completely nocturnal by this time of year, moving bed-to-feed only, and doing so after dark or in the early hours of the morning. Hunters to choose just sit in the morning often run the risk of busting the deer on their way to the stand in the dark. Not an ideal situation.

But this buck? It’s like he was taunting me, convincing me to sit long hours, arriving well over an hour before first light, hunkering down in the blind, and diligently scanning the woods around me for any sort of movement. I even passed on a duck hunt that last Saturday (December 31st) just so I could sit… And maybe catch a glimpse of him. Maybe even have an opportunity to shoot him.

So, the second to last weekend of December meant a Monday off of work, thanks to Christmas, and I knew I had to hunt that morning. My chances to deer hunt at all were coming to a close, and I knew I might not get many more opportunities. Trying to make sure I didn’t bust him on my way in, I parked my car by 5:30 and made it to my blind at about 5:40/5:45. You can actually see me on my trail camera sneaking into the woods.

I crawled into the blind and got set up – positioning my gun for easy access with minimal movement – and waited silently. About 25 minutes later, I heard movement over my right shoulder. Something was walking. Through the crunchy leaves and acorns. Heading my way.

I could tell it was a deer, but obviously couldn’t see a thing in the pitch black – first light wasn’t for another 30 minutes. That walking and crunching gotten louder and closer with every second, and I sat with my hand over my mouth so my breath couldn’t be seen. It was a cool morning and I was convinced of this deer was close enough to hear me breathe.

And you know what? It was close enough.

I quietly took a deep breath and held it in, listening as hard as I could through the dark, internally urging my ears to suddenly become bionic. Sure enough, in between each step or two, just for a few seconds, I could actually hear this deer breathing.

It was THAT close to me.  And I couldn’t see it.

I heard it meander away from my blind, making a slow and steady beeline to breakfast – about 40 yards in front of me. Remember the “firefly” incident with my buck earlier this year? It happened again, only this time I knew I was looking at the reflection of a deer’s eyes. It was right in front of my camera. AND I STILL COULDN’T SEE IT.

Y’all, it was torture. Sure, I knew very well it could’ve just been a large doe, or even one of the smaller bucks I have on camera in the area. But, it could be Mass.

After a few minutes, I heard the crunch of leaves and acorns as the deer wandered to my left and off towards the swamp. A minute later, silence. 

I’m sure I let out an audible sigh once I knew it was safe to do so… No matter what deer had come by me, it was a crazy experience – hearing it breathe just a few feet away from me, without it ever catching my scent or getting spooked.

Now THAT is what keeps me addicted to hunting. I didn’t even come close to pulling the trigger, but that was an epic moment.

So… I said the deer was in front of my camera, remember?

Guess wwhhhhoooooooooo?

The satisfaction I felt in knowing that I got up and out extra early and beat Mass to the punch was a victory in itself in my book.

Of course, I didn’t know it was Mass until I checked the camera card after my hunt. I was so torn between wanting to run out to the camera and snag the card, and sitting as quietly and as still as possible in the hopes that he was on his way back at any moment.

But, it was not to be. John and I were heading up to Rembert to see Angus at school that morning, so I wasn’t able to sit as late as I otherwise would have, particularly after that sort of event. Still, I was super excited to see PuppyGus, and I knew I had one more weekend ahead of me to try and seal the deal.

Fast forward to Friday afternoon, December 30th, and I was back in the blind by 3 pm. I checked the camera on my way in, and saw that Mass had showed up the morning after my last hunt at 6:15 a.m. He was altering his pattern, showing up early on a more regular basis.

I didn’t actually see anything that night, but I hadn’t really expected to. Most of the afternoon / evening activity I have on camera is after dark, or close to it, but I knew I wouldn’t see (or shoot) a deer sitting in the house! There’s always a chance you can catch a glimpse of that white tail flickering across the brown and green woods, or spot the line of a flat back through the leafy brush.

Needless to say, I caught that deer bug… Bad. Again.

I was back in the blind again by 5:40 Saturday. Surely I wouldn’t be so lucky as to have another extra-close encounter with Mass in the wee hours of the morning, would I?

Nope. Not this time. This was the morning of the duck hunt I opted out of, and I certainly don’t regret my decision. At around 6:20, I could have sworn I saw the tell-tale “firefly” deer eyes reflecting as the camera took photos, so I stared through the binoculars with all of my might, trying to catch movement in the dark. As it turns out, I’d forgotten to turn the camera back on the night before, so I was most definitely hallucinating. Wishful thinking, I guess! I heard a deer crunching through the leaves nearby at around 7:30, but it turned out to be a big ol’ fox squirrel out enjoying his morning.

Then, around 9, I heard a branch break behind me, and turned to find a herd of does passing through the woods over my shoulder. I’ve gotten this group of 7 gals on camera a few dozen times, so I knew instantly who they were. Something farther back spooked them, and I watched them bound off through some thick brush, stopping every few dozen yards and looking back.

Although I never saw what they were looking at, I figured it was either a buck or a coyote. The last time they got spooked in front of the camera and took off, Mass was en route shortly thereafter. Needless to say, I sat my behind in that blind until 11:30 that morning.

New Year’s Eve plans? Hah! Who could think about a late NYE when there’s a big buck roaming all over your newest hunting spot? After I got back to the house and made a quick sandwich, I was back in the blind at 2:30 that afternoon.

Mr. Fox Squirrel was back at it again for a while, making plenty of deer-like noises to keep me on my toes. But, just like Friday night, I didn’t see a deer. I even sat extra late, at least 10-15 minutes past the last minute I could see in the dark dusk.

This is going to sound dramatic (and I am sure crazier than I realize), but it was like I could feel the deer coming towards me at any second in those last few minutes of light. I just knew, in my deer hunter soul, that a whitetail was on its way to my spot. With bated breath and a fuller bladder than I’ve ever felt, I sat until I could sit no more.

John snapped this photo of me when I came in the house around 6:15, cracking up at both my intensity and the fact that I was willing to wet my pants for a glimpse of Mass.

Turns out, my gut feeling was actually true. Guess who showed up not 25 minutes after I left?

I’m telling you – I knew he’d be there! And so, I went to sleep with antlers dancing in my head, ready to wake up early again on Sunday morning. January 1st. My last day to hunt for the 2016 deer season.

I arose to bands of rain and cooler temperatures, but I knew that wouldn’t stop deer from moving. Once again, and for the last time, I snuck into the blind around 5:45 and settled in for another long haul. It would be nearly impossible to hear something walking near me with the rain, but I kept my eyes and ears alert. Like clockwork, I saw the “fireflies” around 6:15, but convinced myself I was hallucinating again.

Turns out, I wasn’t this time! Four does were out there milling around for about 15 minutes before heading into the swamp ahead.

Around 8:00, I saw that quick flicker of white through the trees about 200 yards away, but the deer was gone before I could get my binocs up to check it out. I don’t think I spooked it, just because of the distance, but you never know. Either way, it gave me enough confidence to keep sitting despite the (now steady) rain.

I sat until about 11, and decided to take the long way out and stalk my way through the woods back to my car with the hopes of jumping a bedded deer. It was my last-ditch effort, and I figured, what the heck! But I was evaded once again, and emerged from the woods bleary eyed, damp, and empty handed.

I’m not too worried, though – Mass, the doe herd, and numerous other deer are still showing up on camera since that last hunt. I’ll be keeping a close eye on everyone as winter continues, waiting for antlers to drop and to see who sticks around come summertime. But that, my friends, is the end of deer season!

See you in August, Mass!