Toby and I decided to head up into the woods and look around for some deer. I've hiked in the woods before -- on hiking trails -- and I've rarely seen deer fishing and four wheeling. So I was pretty excited to get into the "real" woods, follow deer trails, and actually see some fauna up close. Well, and also maybe fill that buck tag.

We follow a deer trail up into the trees for awhile, looking around for signs of movement, me feeling a bit out of my element. After a bit Toby holds up his hand, then indicates deer. How the heck did he see that thing??

I glass the area and see a doe peeking through the trees at me. Hey, wait, there's another one. And a fawn. Cool! No bucks. We watch them a good while then move on, stealthily. See, now this is what I think of when I think of hunting. Going all Elmer Fudd and tiptoeing around in the woods.

After scouring the area, we find nada and start to head back via a steeper route, knee hurting, heart pounding. My old boots are terrible. I fall hard on my arm on a slope. Pretty soon we're down. We head over to a private area we have permission to hunt on meet with Joe, and do some more stalking, me leading for a bit. Lots of deer tracks, sign, bones. Hold it-- hand up. Across the ravine is a big white deer butt sticking out from behind a tree!

The doe was laying down. She knows we're there. We move closer and eventually she gets sick of us and runs off. We follow and Toby spots her again. The slightest sound of me stepping on a loose rock and she jets away along with several others. It's a real challenge to be that alert and that stealthy. And that's about it for the day. So we thought...

It's getting late, Joe stays behind, we head back. Sunset comes, then night makes its entrance. Toby and I are starving and about to go to dinner (prime rib again) then Joe calls. He got a buck!!

...but now we have to help him get it back. In the dark.

The day is about to get really long.