I had a great time out in the woods yesterday. I work a 6-3 shift so even with the sun going down earlier and earlier each day, I can still get a few hours in the bush until dark.
I hunt off of an access road just outside of Fredericton and normally hike about a km into the main trail with the thinking that animals will more likely be around where it is less travelled. Last night I decided to rustle some branches and kick some bushes closer to where I park "just to see".
Well wouldn't you know, within 5 minutes I had scared up a snowshoe and started to follow him around. He'd hop a few meters (just out of sight) and I'd sneak up on him. "Sneak" is a relative term I suppose. I walked as quietly as I could, but I know he knew I was there. I just hadn't scared him enough yet for him to take off.
This went on for about 15 minutes until I thought I had lost him. I turned around to head back to the main trail and continue on, when I spotted him. Not 15 feet away sitting on a rotting downed tree trunk. I guess he thought his camouflage was better than it was, but unfortunately for him, he had turned half white already.
Too bad he isn't around anymore to learn that white shows up really good on brown and green.
I was hunting with my 12 gauge as I often flush grouse in the area and too often I've done that with my .22 in hand, cursing myself for not having a scatter gun to miss it with. So I lined up on his head and tapped the trigger.
Poor bunny didn't feel a thing. At 15 feet, everything above the neck pretty much vaporized. He wasn't a huge guy but he'll make a nice pie or maybe a casserole. We'll see.
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On a side note, I have read threads on here about guys who really don't like the mandatory blaze orange rule some provinces have, but last night another hunter and I spotted each other from probably a 1/4 km off. We waved our hats at each other and went back the way we came so as not to disturb each other, but it really proved to me that the orange really helps in identifying other hunters in the area. I doubt we would have actually shot each other or anything, but it let us stay far enough away from each other to not bother the other in our hunts.
Matthew
I hunt off of an access road just outside of Fredericton and normally hike about a km into the main trail with the thinking that animals will more likely be around where it is less travelled. Last night I decided to rustle some branches and kick some bushes closer to where I park "just to see".
Well wouldn't you know, within 5 minutes I had scared up a snowshoe and started to follow him around. He'd hop a few meters (just out of sight) and I'd sneak up on him. "Sneak" is a relative term I suppose. I walked as quietly as I could, but I know he knew I was there. I just hadn't scared him enough yet for him to take off.
This went on for about 15 minutes until I thought I had lost him. I turned around to head back to the main trail and continue on, when I spotted him. Not 15 feet away sitting on a rotting downed tree trunk. I guess he thought his camouflage was better than it was, but unfortunately for him, he had turned half white already.
Too bad he isn't around anymore to learn that white shows up really good on brown and green.
I was hunting with my 12 gauge as I often flush grouse in the area and too often I've done that with my .22 in hand, cursing myself for not having a scatter gun to miss it with.
So I lined up on his head and tapped the trigger.Poor bunny didn't feel a thing. At 15 feet, everything above the neck pretty much vaporized. He wasn't a huge guy but he'll make a nice pie or maybe a casserole. We'll see.
-----
On a side note, I have read threads on here about guys who really don't like the mandatory blaze orange rule some provinces have, but last night another hunter and I spotted each other from probably a 1/4 km off. We waved our hats at each other and went back the way we came so as not to disturb each other, but it really proved to me that the orange really helps in identifying other hunters in the area. I doubt we would have actually shot each other or anything, but it let us stay far enough away from each other to not bother the other in our hunts.
Matthew
