Like most of you deer hunters out there I do my scouting and change my hunting locations as the deer season progress and their habits, trails and food sources change. 2009 season came and I thought I had everything zeroed in for the seasons' firearms. Well, it seemed that shooting was all around me every day as I hunted mornings, mid-day and evenings without even seeing a doe. It came down to the final day and I decided to hunt a piece of marsh near a tidal marsh area. As I travelled thru the weeds I came to a small stream which I needed to cross to get to the edge of the marsh. I found an old log that had felled across the stream and started across the log. When I got to within 2 feet of the otherside my feet slipped and down I went into the cold water, portable stand, gun and thermos. Quickly I stood up and made a decision whether wet or not I was going to hunt. All was fine and well until 8a.m when I started to shiver, my mind told me I needed to leave and go get dry and return later , but, my heart said give it 15 more minutes. Being a former Marine and infantry sgt I had experienced tougher situations, so I stayed.At 8:20 I heard thwe crashing of brush as deer moved towards where I was hunting. Two does burst into an opening followed by a 7 point buck. I shot the first doe and then the trailing buck who seemed confused that anyone should be out in his marsh. The doe fell dead and the buck ran off and disappeared from my sight.Then the uncertainty ran thru my mind, why didn't he drop. I climbed down the loblloly pine and gutted the doe, tag the animal and went to look for the buck. When I got to wwhere the buck was standing there was blood and hair but no sign of the buck. I walked the direction of the blood and there he laid just inside some bayberry bushes a mere 20 feet from where I shot him. I proceeded to gut him and placed a tag on him and walked backed to my pick--up. I got inside the cab and warmed myself up. Suddenly the cold had left and I felt warm and energize. After half an hour I trudged back into the marsh and began retrieving the two deer which took me about 1 1/2 hours. So like Yogi Berra said, it ain't over till it's over. Any deer taken on public hunting land on the east coast I consider a trophy, so it was for me in 09, last day of season, shivering but collecting my trophies for the year.
