For the last 30 years I've been hunting mule deer in the Methow Valley during the archery season but this year, after seeing firsthand the decline in the deer numbers and looking at the weather forecast i decided to stay home and hunt for a blacktail around my farm. I live at the base of Mt. Pilchuck on the Scotty Road side and I have both state and private timberland that borders our farm. I left the house just before daylight, entered the woods and began a near vertical climb of about 500 feet to get where I wanted to be. With sword ferns over my head, blowdowns bigger than a car to climb over and the occasional vine maple tangle that appeared out of nowhere it took me over an hour to make the climb. Where i wanted to be is a stand of big mature timber with a series of benches rising to the ridge top. Even though I didn't see any deer it was worth the effort. I was able to hunt slowly in a nice loop all the while immersed in big, dark timber and when I topped out on the ridge i could see all the way to Puget Sound. What a nice way to spend opening morning.
It was also a nice test of my conditioning efforts. I've got an elk hunt in Wyoming with my son in October and I've been walking hills twice a day to strengthen my legs and lungs - I'm not quite where I want to be and I'm not 25 years old anymore but I did ok.
I didn't walk over a yellow jacket nest, I don't have any devil's club thorns that I couldn't get out, I had a great walk in the woods and the Huskies play this evening so all in all its been a great day. Can't wait for tomorrow.

And look at that - after 9 1/2 years I made it to 400 posts