| Vickie managed to get the first shot of the opening day for our hunting party, near Sabinsville, PA. After thinking that she missed the deer, the follow-up showed a hit had been made and there was a large blood trail leading down into the brush. We followed it a little ways then across the backyard of a home and continued on. On down to the edge of Eldridge Lake and instead of turning and running down the trail as expected this doe decided to take a shortcut across the lake. It didn't make it. | ||
Problem was the beavers had made the water level about 2 to 3 feet above the road. We had to figure out a way to get this deer to shore. Thoughts about casting a heavy plug with treble hooks surfaced. I guess this would have been a fishing/hunting combo trip? Considered stripping and swimming out, not a good idea in the cold water. One even suggested we could shoot enough times to make waves and wash the deer ashore, nope. No one seemed to have any archery fishing gear use so we started looking for a boat. Now we don't typically take a boat and lifejackets with us when we go hunting for deer, so we had to make do. Knocking on a couple doors we procured a borrowed boat complete with one oar. Then a short drive to Terry's place and we had the necessary lifejackets to be legally boating in the lake. With help from the hunting party and plenty of comments we were able to make the retrieve. |
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Here Nick and "Roadkill Reed" are preparing for the launch of the good ship off the edge of the road at the beaver dam. |
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Vickie has stepped up to the boat to help with the
retrieve of her kill. Although not visible, the doe is about behind Nick's
shoulders. |
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Having made the retrieve, we are on our way back to the road. You can see the rest of the hunting party awaiting our arrival back at the road. It would have been better had I had two oars, but had to make do with what we were able to procure. |
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 Kenneth and Keith were awaiting us to help us upon our landing. Here you can see the water level thanks to the local dam keepers. At this point were were able to finish the gutting and continue our hunting day.
The King - Nick's Buck taken in PA the following Sunday - Dec. 5 |
