Took me about 3 seasons to get a deer, I took my buddy to the same spot 3 weeks later and it was only his 2nd time out and the lucky bigger took a 2x3.
I think it was my first time out deer hunting that I shot my little spike black tail deer. It was shot in region 2. It was Nov.18 , 1998 or 1999. On a cool drizzling raining day. Even though it was a small spike deer it was still a trophy to me. I sits above my computer. I still remember I had it made into deer salami.
Back when I started hunting I saw way more deer and black bears and very rarely any wolf tracks.
Nothing is like climbing a mountain, and then feeling like you are at the top of the world.
After building our cabin @ 18 years ago my Father in Law handed me his guns, figuring they might get some use at the cabin. For a few years all I did was head into the bush and shoot for fun.
Then our cabin neighbour said that he had taken up hunting, did I want to join him so took the CORE, bought my first real "hunting" rifle and gear.
One sunny AM off we went into the hills above the cabin looking for deer. After maybe 4 or 5 hours of seeing nothing we decided to pack it in and maybe 10 minutes from the cabin I spotted a small buck. Out of the vehicle I jump, get a good rifle rest and take aim. The buck was with 4 or 5 does so I was concerned about the shot and had to wait until it was clear while my buddy is calling out "Shoot it, shoot the damn thing." Pull the trigger, "click". Damn, hadn't chambered a round.
Deer moves away a bit, follow him, take aim again "bang" and flop. Unload rifle, high fives, we walk to where the deer fell and it's not there. No blood, nothing. Figure it stumbled into a small hollow when I shot then got up and left.
Look around, there he is again, aim, shoot, missed. By this time friend is pissing himself laughing so hard, I'm fuming.
Locate deer again, band, flop, this time dead.
Half an hour later deer is hanging in a tree out back of the cabin while neighbour and another local show how to deal with it.
Few days of hanging in his shed then his young Son showed me how to butcher it.
Figured this hunting thing is pretty easy, can go out on a sunny day, walk around a bit within 20 minutes or so from the cabin and whack a deer, what could be easier?
Next season, rarin' to go but the night before I decided to try to remove a finger with an axe, end of that season.
Still figured hunting was easy but I'm not even going to say how long it's been since the first one that I've even taken a shot.
I’m not really in a “rush”, but at some point it will come together. I just enjoy being in the woods and seeing any wildlife. Putting something in the freezer is great, but really a bonus. I’ve stalked right up to moose, elk, and a grazzillion non legal deer, so I know it will eventually happen. It’s just a matter of right place and time to see the animal I have a tag for in my pack.
Kelowna was great when I was a kid. Tons of great dirt biking and 4-wheeling, fishing, water skiing etc etc. Now the place has sprawled all over our old haunts. It’s traffic etc, and the number of clueless idiots in flat black Lamborghinis and F350s on 24s really makes me hate it there. The easy access to decent hunting and fishing keeps me going back to the area, but I spend as little time in the actual city as possible.