Objects in mirror are closer than they appear
Unless it’s deer goggles. If it’s deer goggles, mine work on size.
Surrounded by trees, in a ground blind in a section of forest. It’s 20 minutes before legal shooting time is over. It’s already much dimmer in here than it would be on the edge of a field.
I’m happily watching a porcupine gorge itself on the apples I provided. It’s sitting right in the middle of the pile, apple in hand, getting its fill.
And then I see a dark shadow move. I focus on it and realize it’s a deer. Slowly working its way toward the pile of sweet goodness I’ve put out. At this point, I have no idea if it’s a buck or a doe. I just know it’s a decent, mature deer, and with an open sex tag, I’m already getting my crossbow into position—just in case.
I’d like to blame it on the quickly fading light, but a few minutes later, I spot a nice 6-point buck. It takes me all of about 10 seconds to decide that I will take the shot if it presents itself. I wait...
The deer hovers, very aware of the pokey-boy on the apple pile. It’s standing at 30 yards and won’t come closer. It’s still facing toward me, and I have no shot. At one point, the buck gives up waiting for the porcupine to leave and starts walking away!
But the apples have him drawn in—he comes back to assess the quills and apples again. He stops broadside, but it’s getting so dark that I question whether I should take the shot...
Arrow away—you don’t need to tease me with that shot any longer than it takes to focus on the fading shoulder crease.
He reacts perfectly, and moments later, the satisfying crash of a downed deer can be heard.
I call in backup, and we start to blood trail. It was a weak trail, but it was there. That’s the downside of hunting in the woods—you see them take off, but with so many obstacles, you can’t eyeball an exact route through the trees that all look the same!
We literally got within 8 yards of him before we saw him. How we didn’t see him sooner, I don’t know—because DANG! The ‘modest 6-point’ I thought I shot turned into a massive 8 that ended up weighing 198 pounds dressed!
So, is my eyesight failing me? Or did the fading light and geography fool my eyes? All I know is, if it had been any darker, I would’ve passed on the shot altogether. I almost did in that moment, but there was just enough shadow on that shoulder for me to pin it in my scope. Tag filled—2025 Ontario season complete!
Tara Laidlaw
