March melt

Today I decided to go to Unity. After weeks of fighting snow and finding only one shed so far this winter the snow was finally leaving some of my best spots and Unity seemed to be at the Northern most edge of spring melt. That is at that point I like best, patches of open ground and just enough snow to give a hint of wintering activity.

In years past the brunt of the deer stayed close to the old homestead and ate the buried apples and yarded in the two hemlock groves bordering the old orchards. However, an earlier trip this year in February reavealed the deer had abandond these well used yards that I had succesfully hunted for many years. Time to think outside the box.

After reviewing some sattelite images and doing some thinking I settled on a plan of attack. I would hike way back in to an area I could remember from earlier scouting trips. I could gain access by snowmobile trails most of the way in, according to the map 1.75 miles. Then it was up to me to bushwhack back in and make good on my hunch. After walking almost 2 miles on mud snow and ice I came to a bend inthe trail that marked the bushwhacking portion of this trip. Up to this point I had not seen a track.

Walking 500 yards weaving through what seemed prime wintering ground,bingo! The deer yard. The sign was over whelming, and so wasn the smell. If you don't know what a deer smells like let me take you to one of these yards and you will not ever miss that smell again. This yard was large, maybe snaking around 5 acres, most likley more. The first thing I noticed were some giant rubs on some thigh sized hemlocks from last fall. My excitement rose when I realized the caliber of deer that may be in this spot.

I started to follow the packed down remnants of the trails. I crossed a small stone wall a headed up hill. I noticed an open quarter acre patch of oak leaves to the right of the trail, good I thought "maybe I will see something in these open spots."And up I went. There was still spots back in the yarding area that I had to strap snowshoes on and follow the packed down trails. An hour later as I reached the top of the yard I still had found nothing and started my swing backdown. Some how after alot of looking and a slightly unscheduled trip around some mystery river not on any map I arrived directly back where I had originally crossed the stone wall and as I began to follow trail # 2 along the wall, I noticed in that same open patch of oak leaf coverd ground was an antler!

How in the hell had I missed that before? There in the middle as plain as day a nice 4 point side, not the giant that had been rubbing those big trees but a nice one none the less. More than likely from a 3 1/2 year old. At this point my watch read 5:00 so I decided to start heading out by following trail#2 to the Northeast back in the direction of the truck, attempting to exit the woods at dark. Ihadn't gone thirty yards and there not a foot off the trail at the melted out base of a big spuce was a beauty of a 5 point side. Dark and with nice mass.

I was amazed at how perfect it had fallen. After a few pics I hefted it up and just marveled at how dark it was. Short stubby points but from a 4-5 1/2 year old I would guess. I looked around quickly for the match but to no avail. I started move along at a quicker clip to get out and made the truck at 7:00 pm with a good take for the day.