The stream in places had ice over it betraying the colder temperatures this hollow held over the rest of the area. The hills on each side of this hollow were filled with buck scrapes and rubs, as well as many well traveled deer paths. Most of the hunting on this public land would be done in the fields and the other sides of these hills and in the distant woods across the way. I reached my goal area and settled in for the two hour wait for shooting time. by 643, when shooting time begun, the sounds of the screech owls that had kept me company during my wait silenced. Two hunters were seen out in the field at the edge of the woods I was in but no other hunters were seen. Over the next two hours shots rang out as other hunters found their luck or misfortune. Single shots I guessed as success. The string of shots I figured not so much. Through it all, I gazed the hills around me with my 10x42 Swarovski binoculars. (I remember KirkD's thread of him trading in a gun or two to purchase good glass). I had done the same last year and this morning, the clarity of view was rewarding as I picked apart the landscape searching for a flickering ear, a straight line of a deer's back, or the glint of antler.
About 845, 40 mins after the two hunters had moved away from their spot to seek refuge from the cold, while I was combing the ridge to my left, I heard a slight scuff noise to my back and behind the tree I was leaning against. I slowly looked around the tree but could not see anything. I brought my binos up and after a min or so, located the gray of a deer's back in a thicket. About 80 yards away, making its way towards me, was a browsing deer. I soon was able to make out enough bone on his head to realize he was big enough and held at least three points. Now I just had to wait for the shot. 10 mins went by and the deer was 60 yards away horizontally, but nearly to the top of the hill. He had three choices, go over the hill, go back or continue my way. He held up behind a tree which obscured most of his body but I had a portion of his shoulder and all his neck visible. Through the binos I could see my aiming point and I was sure I could make the shot, but held off to see what the deer would do. When he reversed direction, I thought he was leaving and I lost the shot because of the large tree. What the deer was doing was heading down the hill. I knew there was a trail, a heavily used trail that ran out to the field and into private land. In fact it would go right past the two hunters previous stand if the deer took the trail all the way out. at 50 yards he was still coming down to the trail when he turned to its right which would bring him parallel to me. I waited and at 45 yards, the gold bead of the front sight met the point of his shoulder and I squeezed the trigger. The shot was true and the deer dumped right there, rolled off the trail and expired facing the opposite direction, 6 feet from where he was hit. The Remington 14, made in 1927, was purchased as a result I had of wanting a bit more power and ergo-dynamics in a woods walking rifle. The Leverguns offer this in spade, but I find the pump action more user friendly. I had a source for an original lyman tang/receiver sight and sourced the super grade swivels it took and a Remington sling. I put it all together and took it to the range and was well pleased. I was happy to have it continue hunting in in Penn's woods after 86 years in others care.
Red Plaid Coat- a gift from a dear friend, Remington 14 in 35 Rem, and the gift from above.
The bullet struck in the shoulder near where the top of the sling is seen in this picture.
My first Buck since 2003. I had shed the red coat by this time as it took over an hour to get him out of the woods and I was very hot.
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