Deer Hunt

This last weekend we went up Nephi canyon to go deer hunting with the Taylors. Jered had talked Nate into getting a deer tag this year and so the bow and the camping had to come with it. It was the last weekend before school started and I really didn't want to go. Nate had taken the boys up with him the week before to scout out the deer and they had so much fun I couldn't not go. I'm really glad we went because it was such a nice weekend. The "big" boys would go out in the morning and come back right as the rest of us were finishing breakfast and getting up for the day. The kids would just run around all day and play. The Taylors have this little four-wheeler that the kids could ride by themselves. We didn't trust Norma on it by herself but she sure loved playing on it. Maddy and Norma would get on there and play all day. This is them "posing" for the picture. Silly girls!


We love going camping with the Taylors and just enjoyed ourselves so much. The "little" boys would go hunting with the "big boys" at night so Stephanie and I would put in a movie for the little ones and we would play Phase 10. (She totally beat me every time.) It was just a very nice weekend.
Now it's time to turn over the computer to Nate to tell you about the weekend from his point of view. He tells it better than I could.
"Bow Hunt Blind"
Tucker and Thad helped Jered and I make this blind. It was an awesome spot near the "Elk Waller". We could fit 2 full size camp chairs with room to walk around and stand up to make the shot. We also had room for a bag of goodies...(not a good idea). We had several deer heading to get a drink when they would stop and look in our direction. They couldn't see or hear us. However, I think the Starburst gave us away or it might have been the dill flavored sunflower seeds.

"The Shot"
After watching several deer want our Starburst but too afraid to come closer, we decided to head back to camp on the four wheelers. (This was Monday morning by the way.) We saw the same group of deer that we have been watching all month. They were over 200 yards away(too far to shoot). We inched closer on the four wheelers to about 120 yards. We then got off the four wheelers and were able to get close enough for a shot. They were next to some scrub oak and it was difficult to get a reading on the range finder. I made a guess-tament and I guessed wrong. My arrow went about 10 feet over the deer. They scattered. But they stopped on a trail not to far away from where we were. I walked over to a spot with a clear shot. Jered went around to the other side to try to get them to come towards me. I had a perfect silhouette of the deer standing sideways to me up on the hillside. I pulled up the range finder, 73 yards. I had a 70 yard pin set on my sights. I took the shot. I was able to see the arrow fly right until it got close to the deer then I lost sight of the arrow. I knew it was on track. The deer reared up and kicked both hind legs. He was hit. We went up to the place the deer was standing and found the arrow that had gone clean through the deer and stuck in the hill side. Now it was time to track it. Back to camp we went to get our trackers.

"Tracking"
We got back to camp to inform our better halves that we wouldn't be leaving for home just yet. We got Tucker and Thad to help track the deer. We went back to the sight of the hit. We then began looking for drops of blood. There wasn't very much. Every 10 feet or so we were finding a single drop of blood on a rock or a leaf. There were a few times that the trail split several different directions. Just as Jered and I were getting frustrated we would hear one of the boys yell out "I found Blood!" Sure enough, another drop of blood. We now knew which way he was going. After 3-4 hours and getting close to the top of the mountain, we came to a big meadow were we lost the trail. Being the last day of camp and out of formula for Kate, we had to head back. We had given it our best effort to find the deer.

"Limpy"
After we returned home, Jered realized that his dad's trailer may have been left unlocked. Jered and his Grandpa returned to their property up Nephi Canyon to lock the trailer. They couldn't waste a perfect evening on the hill, so up they went to look for another deer. Jered was able find the little spike that I had shot and confirm that it was still alive. It was walking with a limp, but when it ran it was just fine. It looked like I hit it in the rump somewhere. They gave the deer the name "Limpy". The kids enjoyed hearing that since we couldn't find the deer that it was O.K. Maybe next year we can find "Limpy" and he will be larger than a spike, and we won't have to wipe the milk off his mouth.

He had a lot of fun and will be going out a few more times to see if he can find another one. The boys will be sad that they can't go anymore because of school. They really had a lot of fun tracking and scouting for deer. They are already talking about next year.