"What are ya using for bait?"

A post from guest blogger, J Bowen

I have always been blessed with being able to see some incredible things while out hunting or fishing. I can’t tell you how many times I just sit in my stand or on the ground and do nothing but watch the animals approach me. I’ve seen fox, coyote, owls (a number of different species), eagles, mink, raccoons, possums, skunks, squirrels, turkey, deer, mountain lion, bear and many others! As I get older, I do more watching than actual hunting, but I enjoy the experience no matter what.

One of my most incredible experiences unfolded when my brother and I were fishing in West Virginia. We were fishing in a cove, when we spotted two deer swimming across the width of the lake. The first was a female and obviously older than the second little guy. We saw Mom make it to shore and look back at her baby. I watched helplessly as the baby started swimming in circles about 25 yards from shore. I knew this meant it was exhausted and confused. It would surely drown if something wasn’t done and quickly. I yelled to my brother to take me over to the youngster. He yelled back, “That deer will kick the heck out of you!” I insisted, “Take me over anyway,” and so he did.
As we cruised up to the little guy, my brother positioned the boat so that I could reach over with my left hand and grab the scruff of his neck--I didn’t know deer had a scruff, kinda like a cat’s. As I pulled him out, he just collapsed in my arms and appeared ever so thankful to be out of the water. He didn’t kick, fight, bite or anything except shake from nervousness and possibly the cold autumn water. He didn’t seem afraid of us, perhaps apprehensive, but more thankful to be dry again! His spots were magnificent and cute just doesn’t describe him. How truly beautiful it was to have this animal close to me!

I held him close while my brother took this picture and then we went over to where Mom was on the shore. She wasn’t so sure of us, so she had moved away up on a hillside. I took the little guy, set him out of the boat onto the shore, patted his behind and said “Go find Mom.” God’s markings on animals are amazing camouflage. There was a great deal of underbrush where I put him on shore and just after the pat, I lost sight of him that quick! We backed off to see if Mom would find and accept the little guy. We heard some squalls from baby and responses from Mom, and about 10 minutes later we spotted them up on the hillside beside each other. They both seemed happy and relaxed. It was just one of those very special moments that people who never know the out-of-doors can’t even imagine.

I'm not surprised J was able to persuade her brother to abandon caution and intervene. She once almost persuaded me to stand against the cabin wall at camp while she demonstrated her knife-throwing skill. Today her career is in law enforcement and investigations. By the way, J is not the only person to have such a startling experience with a deer. Thanks for the story and the amazing photo!

Guest Blogger: Fishing with an Owl

By J Bowen

A few weeks ago I had the chance to go fishing at Montauk State Park down in Licking, MO. The Current River begins from springs here so the water is very cold and runs fairly swiftly. It was about 8:30 in the morning and I was the only person down along this portion of the trout stream when a large barred owl flew up into a tree directly across from where I was fishing. He was so magnificent that I just smiled and started talking to him. “Well, good morning handsome (although I didn’t know if it was a male or a female), how are you this morning? Looking for breakfast?” He just kept tilting his head like he was listening to me attentively and then checking out what was in the stream. I said, “Hold on a minute and I’ll get you one,” and I went back to fishing. I looked back a moment later and he was gone. I glanced upstream where I had a stringer of three trout—you’re allowed four a day—and there was the owl with his wings spread and his talons holding onto my stringer! 

“Whoa there, fella, you can’t have all of them!” I yelled and started towards the owl. He flew up into the same tree where he had been across the river. I walked down to my stringer and continued fishing. I looked up at the owl at one point and said, “Just hold on a minute and I’ll catch you one.” I went back fishing when I heard the sound of his wings close to me. He was now in a tree about 10 feet from me, sitting on a low branch. I could see every feather, design, movement, facial features—everything. He was truly magnificent. I watched him watching me and then went back to fishing. A few minutes later I caught a trout, removed the hook from its mouth and called, “Here ya go buddy!” I tossed it just under his perch. He kept looking at me, looking at the fish, looking at me, looking at the fish when suddenly he swooped down, grabbed the trout with his talons and off he flew with the fish in tow! It was one of the most beautiful things I think I’ve ever seen! What a gift to have experienced that moment.

My guest blogger J is an expert at fishing. We met one summer at Girl Scout camp when we were teenagers. She was lighting firecrackers under the camp director’s window at the time. Today her career is in law enforcement and investigations. Love your stories, J! Thanks for sharing around our virtual campfire! And thanks to Richard Crook who shared this photo of an owl looking as though he’s about to steal a stringer!