The sun had set about five minutes before, and there, in the middle of the road, was a small buck. He trotted off to join two does and a fawn. And then wandered around amongst them.

While they were only concerned with feeding their faces, he was definitely thinking about the rut. I slowly backed the Explorer back up the hill. While youngest son scrambled to get his orange vest back on (he had already given up on the season). Once on top of the grade, the three of us snuck out of the vehicle and behind some trees just off the road.

Funny, I've hidden here before. From heelers...

Anyway, finally got to go hunting today.

I wasn't really hunting. Legally, I was, but in reality, only the youngest son was hunting. Yes, I was wearing orange, and yes, I had a license valid for a season open in that area at that time. And yes, I carried the rifle once. But no way was I going to kill a cow elk today, and then have to worry about butchering her this week, with Hallowe'en and the Coalmine Town Overnight coming up. But youngest was looking for a deer. And wife's godson was along for the diversion.

Warned youngest son over a week ago that this weekend would be his only chance to go deer hunting. He's 15 and never killed a deer. Don't think that bothers him much, but you don't want word like that to get around at school. I, as is typical, was too busy to take him hunting when the season opened, and he has been busy with band activities anyhow. Including the halftime show at the University yesterday.

So today, after mass, we got out to the range to check the rifle and get him used to shooting it again. And then, near 14:30, we finally headed out. Leaving us a grand total of four hours to get make the 35 mile drive and then try to find a buck before the end of legal shooting hours.

Godson could not believe we went hunting this casually. Apparently his dad is the standard "got to pack half the night and then *must* leave by o'dark thirty or we'll never get anything" type of hunter.

Of course, he may be right. Dawn usually is the best time to ambush any of the big game critters. But that attitude sure takes the fun out of it.

Had several ideas where to go. Came across four bucks at dawn on Monday that could easily have been taken. Two would have been close enough for snowballs. But there is a canyon in the Seminoes that I have been curious about.

It empties out onto the main road, but does so in the middle of a stand of dense trees and is hard to see. Just at the beginning of the steep climb to Hi-Line, so most folks just whiz on by. And there is no road in it. Not even an ATV trail. From the main road you can see big granite cliffs on the west side, but that is it.

Showed youngest son several of the spots I had recently spotted bucks, and then mentioned the canyon. He wanted to try the canyon.

The hike starts in a ponderosa grove, easy walking with a thick carpet of needles. Then a small marsh filled with Nebraska sedge.

Pointed out all the green shoots of sedge had been grazed. Recently.

Elk.

Soon after, the hike got rough. Either bushwhack through the trees or take to the rocks on the east side. We took to the rocks. And eventually ended up crawling hand and foot up the slope.

All the while glassing the opposite hillside. No deer. No movement, no nothing. Were halfway up before a couple pine squirrels heard us and started scolding. We had actually passed one of them without it noticing. Not bad. But when we finally crested one rocky outcrop, we could see the rest of the valley.

No deer.

Not even a doe.

The hike downhill was a lot quicker. The only time I ended up carrying the rifle.

Youngest son dubbed this unnamed canyon "Useless Canyon."

We had less than a half hour til sunset, so roadhunted for a while. And I found some does, so the boys at least knew there were deer here.

And then, shortly after sunset, on the route home, the two-point buck.

Youngest son tried to sneak around the trees for a better angle, but godson bounded ahead, in open view.

Dumb.

Dumb because it spooked the deer, but also dumb because you never want to be in front of the guy with the gun.

Could be unhealthy. I motioned him back with me.

Son got ready for an offhand shot, but I offered my backpack for a rest. By then the does were still in sight, but the buck was behind a tree. And the light was fading fast. And the lead doe had had enough of this. She went into a slow trot up the hill, out of sight. With the rest following.

Youngest son scrambled up over a large rock outcrop, with me panting behind. Got a beautiful silhouette of all four deer as they slowly walked along the crest of the divide, single file, with the glowing clouds behind. A near-perfect broadside shot at less than 100 yards.

Nearly perfect. Except there was absolutely nothing behind the deer to stop a bullet if he missed. An unsafe shot. And he didn't take it.

His first and only chance at a deer this year, and he didn't take it.

A good day.