CLIMBING TREES

Author’s Note: This is part three of the series I started earlier this week. Once again today, I am busy making summer sausage and bratwurst from the deer I killed last Saturday. The hamburger I ground yesterday is vacuum-packed and in the freezer after having been mixed 50/50 with beef. The seasonings Duane and I mixed yesterday for the brats and sausage has been mixed with the remainder of the ground venison and pork. That mix sat overnight in a refrigerator out in the garage and will be stuffed today.

In any case, all the work we have done since taking the two deer we got is a big part of the responsibility a hunters takes when going afield. We use the meat and enjoy each meal made with it. In January and February of 2009 we will be out ice fishing and carving off chunks of the sausage we made this fall as a snack. No doubt we’ll remember the details of this successful hunt while out chasing perch across the big weedflats on nearby Little Bay de Noc. For us, the hunt is so much more than just the kill.

I hope you enjoy this part of the series.


CLIMB CAREFULLY

7:20 a.m.: I slowly climb the spruce I’ll hunt from, one careful step at a time, branch by branch. It is just about like going up a ladder, except I use branches rather than steps. My bow is tied to a pull-up line while I ascend toward the small seated platform I hunt from. I always secure a “three-point hold” tactic while climbing. That means I have at least two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand firmly planted before moving up to the next branch. On a spruce, the branches are strong and grow out at a right angle to the trunk so they are great climbing trees.

Once I get up to the platform, I ease into place and fold the small seat down while making sure my safety strap is in place. The entire device is small, measuring about eighteen inches wide by twenty-four inches long. The small padded seat is just large enough to sit on, and it is comfortable enough for a five hour hunt or more.

I have a small backpack that I hang on a branch next to me. It is filled with stuff like deer calls, binoculars, a bottle of water, a package of granola, a small notebook, an extra wool cap, and a dozen other things that make the hunt more comfortable. I don’t have a cell phone because they don’t work up here anyway.

I pull my bow up using the cord I leave attached to the tree, and nock an arrow, check the mechanical release strapped to my right wrist, and lay the bow across my lap, ready to use. It is still too dark to see much, but I lean back and relax as I try to tune in to the sounds natural to the forest. Legal shooting time starts thirty minutes before sunrise, so I simply check my pocket watch to see how much time I have.

7:30 a.m.: I slowly reach for the adjustable tone deer call I have hung next to me where it is easily accessible. Deer use many sounds in the woods, the most common being a sort of raspy “urp” vocalization and this is what I’ll use to send out a message saying “hey! I’m over here” in deer language. Older bucks have a deep tone, mature does have a kind of medium tone, and fawns give out a thin, somewhat reedy call that can even sound bird-like at times. I’ll use what is called a “doe bleat” just to try to communicate the message that there are deer here on Birch Hill and everything is clear and safe.

Just after getting settled in, I removed a quart-sized resealable storage bag (like a sandwich bag) full of dried corn from the backpack. I fling several handfuls out in front of my stand to attract bluejays and squirrels to this spot. There are several reasons for doing this. First off, the presence of other wildlife is somewhat reassuring to deer. They may be more likely to pass near my stand if they think the birds feel safe enough to be there. Secondly, jays and squirrels are among the noisiest of woodland creatures. The distracting sounds they make, help mask any noise I make while trying to get in position for a shot. Finally, the longer I watch jays feeding, the more I have come to believe that deer actually swing by to check out what the jays have found to feed on. Anyway watching squirrels and jays squabble over the few corn kernels I toss out is entertaining.

BUCK PASSER

7:45 a.m.: I hear a single deep-toned grunt from just east of my tree and not far away. I’m fairly certain it is the sound of a buck and I hope to see it pass by. I go on “high alert” straining to hear footfalls, the buck rubbing antlers on trees, any other deer calls, breaking branches, or the common “snort” deer make when alarmed.

Weather is quite comfortable now with temperatures about 40 degrees, an overcast sky, and no wind to chill me. If I had a choice though, I prefer a mild breeze. That rattles branches, creating movement which helps hide the movement I make while drawing my bow, and the wind increases the sound level which also helps conceal any sound I may make while moving into position. Conditions are too calm today.

Incidentally, getting into position means very slowly standing up and drawing my bow – however there are plenty of times when I’m already standing because I know a deer is approaching or because it is a day when they are very active and have been passing by frequently. I didn’t know it at this time, but today was going to be a day when I was standing with bow in hand for about three and one-half hours out of a four and one-half hour hunt.

Stay tuned for part 4 tomorrow!

Copyright Ray Hansen, 2008