I got about as mad as I have ever been in the deer woods yesterday. I haven't a chance to do much hunting this year. I went out to Wheeler yesterday morning a little before noon. I was little excited because the rut should be getting fired up out there, it was a beautiful day, and I planned to sit until dark. I had also found a good area about 1.5 miles from the truck which was torn up pretty good by a good buck. This area *shouldn't* get as much pressure since it is a little harder to get to - at least from the normal refuge gates/parking spots. I could tell by the size of some recent rubs - which were some of largest rubs I have seen in this area - that there is good deer in there.
Anyway, there's no where in 200 acres or so in this area where this deer was to put a climber. So, I bike in about a mile with all my gear, walk in the last 1/4 to 1/2 mile so, and setup an impromptu ground blind with camo 3d netting in a small opening that intersects a trail. I was feeling pretty good about the setup. It wasn't too long before a young six point comes cruising in following my scent drag. He eventually busts me and trots off but I'm waiting on his Daddy. No big deal.
Around 4:30pm I see some asshat off in the distance in a truck. He gets closer and closer. He eventually leaves the road, which is already on refuge land - behind closed gates - a road you’re not supposed to be on already - and drives through the opening I'm sitting in within 15 feet of me and stops in the opening directly in front of me 20 yards away. He never saw me but the girl in the passenger seat did because I waved and was shaking my head. I thought maybe it was his daughter and that's why I didn't get more irate. By the time he stopped his truck I was at his window. I think he was a little surprised. I said "What the F#$k are you doing?" He informed me that he "was the adjacent landowner and he was looking for someone trespassing on his property." Congratulations. I don't care who you are or what you're looking for. I told him "You just ruined my damn hunt. It wasn't me. I know where the property lines are. The only person breaking the law here is you. You aren't supposed to be driving out here..." He said he was sorry as he was backing out of there pretty fast. You're sorry? That's all you got?
There are signs everywhere through there marking the corners of the refuge. He even admitted to seeing my bike back in the woods where I left it - on refuge land - and still continued driving right towards me. I think he was full chit. He wasn't looking for a trespasser. I had been there since noon. No body was out there in that area except for me or I would have seen them. He was looking for a deer. As far as I can see, his land its all flat extremely wide open farm land and he was driving down to the refuge to find a deer with his daughter to shoot with a rifle. That's what it looked like to me. I don't know if it is him or not but I have also seen where someone has been out there in that area shooting ducks. I should probably call the game warden. I definitely will if it happens again. I have been pretty lucky out there the last few years. I have never even had someone walk up on me in the areas I go – much less drive a damn truck right up to me.
