Suburban Deer

If you look at a map of any city, you'll find patches of woods in and near the city. People like trees and some patches of land aren't suitable for development for one reason or another. If you look more closely at the map, you'll find patches of woods that aren't in the city limits. Some of those places can be hunted if the hunter uses good common sense.

My friend Craig has access to one of those places and I won't tell you where it is located because ... well, just because. Suffice it to say that it's in central Louisiana, it's perfectly legal to hunt there with permission, and Craig has permission. Today he called and invited me to hunt that small patch of land.

I jumped on the invitation like a duck on a june bug.



It's a mixed hardwood deciduous forest with hills and a stream. Lots of vines and understory and plenty of trees that were downed in the hurricanes several years ago. About sixty to eighty acres and I was within shouting distance of some factories, churches, and suburban homes. Craig's taken three deer in there this year, all with a shotgun. I carried my .45-70 Handi because it is tailor-made for patches of woods like this. I could see only about sixty yards and it's a whole lot easier slipping through the woods with a rifle that is only 37 inches long when you've very seldom walking upright.

No, I didn't see a deer, although I saw lots of sign. Tracks everywhere and plenty of rubs were evident from when the deer were in velvet. Craig has already taken three deer this season and he tells me that there is an absolute monster lurking in there. Ole Mossy-Horns hisself lives in those woods.

This afternoon I got to look at new woods, was able to walk a creek I had never seen, and was told that I'd be invited back. It was a very good Saturday afternoon.