I went out to the lease yesterday to find a nice deer for jerky findings. Starting before daylight, I watched a dry, but soft branch(creek) from a 20 foot high bluff where I sat backed up into a huge summer blowdown hickory limb still holding leaves. This spot overlooked a little 30X15 yard oval bottom still not an opening , but just slightly thinner underbrush than the surrounding full growth mixed wood. Over the years I had selectively pruned tiny openings where deer sometimes poked their noses out of cover. NADA. Two hours later I moved 200 yards north of where the branch came to the Little Fishing Creek to a wooden ladder stand I built years ago with its back to the creek. Downstream on the left at 135 yards through various trees and openings was a gravel bar where the deer crossed when pushed by dogs, or in the peak of rut, yet 8 or 9 days away. On the right several faint trails led along the creek bank to 30 acres of a tough briar tangle. A far shot here is 60 yards. I had my old Remington 14, 1914 production, caliber .32 Remington. Plenty of deer medicine. About an hour and a quarter into the wait I slowly looked left prompted by very faint rustlings. Coming to me at about 45 yards is a brindle dog of pitt bull form slipping through the weeds and brush, not at all like a cat though. No collar, up to no good a mile off the road at the nearest. At 35 yards the handloaded slug went stem to stern and the dog slumped before the shot quieted. An hour later a little doe jumped off the opposite bank and splashed to the gravel bar and from there up the bank on my side. The chase had started shortly after my shot and I had listened to dog music for nearly an hour as the pack chased that doe. I don't shoot driven deer, but I do reward ferals.

Nice shootage Sherlock! All ferals be damn-ed to Hades! No matter their stripes or affiliations, nor how lovely the setting. Hogs, Crats, Dorgs, Boas, it matters not. Be especially vigilant for the Black Mamba in the southern latitudes of the Windy State, and I've heard talk of Kraits as well. Be warned, be armed.

Dan

Pres., TYHC

http://www.AnAssaultAllowedByAFew.EmpoweredByIdiots

I also had the esatisfaction of sending a feral crat to its final reward via a Winchester .22 mag JHP through the head. Our church grounds are becoming overrun with them and as we are directly across the street from the local high school and football stadium, there is plenty of "feral forage" after games to draw them. No one at church knows that I am nabbing them (yet) and hopefully no one ever will. After all, I'm trying to save our church and school children from a bad case of cat-scratch fever or perhaps even a rabies series. But, not even that altruistic motivation would satisfy some of the tree-huggers.

On the way to our leased property, there is a black AME church that has a huge dead oak at the edge of the property that is near the parking lot.

There are always crows sitting in that tree and it is too much temptation for a mere mortal to pass up an easy 150 yard shot. Perfect for a Hornet or the .221. I guess I have killed seventy five crows out of that tree over the past 3 years, that always fall right into the parking lot by the side door to the church.

I got word through the grapevine that the blacks at that church were gonna have that tree cut down because they think it is haunted.

POTKB!!! A fine bit of social engineering if ever there were one! Now the real trick is to get them to NOT cut the tree down as it will interfere with your crow plinkin'... I'd use the superstition route, mebbe start a rumor that Booker T. hisself usta study under THAT VERY TREE! It's where he invented peanut butter doncha know!?

Dan

Pres., TYHC

http://www.PuppetsOnA.String

Thats what I'm Talkin' 'Bout!

Dee Lawd Has Come,Dee Lawd has come.