My intention this week was to discuss sighting-in guns and scopes, and the different choices there are for firearms, but I really have no idea what I am talking about when it comes to weapons. I can sight-in a gun, and I can tell you what kind of gun I have, but that is the extent of it.

My firearm of choice is a .243. I know the gun doesn’t kick when I shoot, or I wouldn’t use it. My gun has a big scope on it. Danny said the scope is a 3x9x50. He tells me that the deer I shoot at must have a death wish, since it takes me an extended period of time just to locate the deer in my scope.

Robin's camouflage outfit works very well on these deer.

Let’s get back to what I actually want to discuss. Danny refers to them as necessities. I label them as calls. Did you know that calls are designed for different stages during the mating season? First, there is the rattle bag/rattling horns. This is used for “pre rut.” The clatter of the horns make the sounds of bucks fighting. Then, there is the grunt call, which is used to create the sound that a buck makes while in rut.

Danny said that a dominant buck can be called in with a grunt call. He said that, when using these calls, timing is everything. If the bucks are not in rut and the does are not in heat, the calls are not useful. There is also a gadget known as a bleat call. The sound mimics the noise a doe makes when she is ready to breed. I believe the call sounds similar to a baby sheep. Baaaaaaahhh.

Of course, I can not overlook an incredible creation that has been bottled and sold to millions, and that is doe urine. When estrous, as the city slickers call it, is put on cotton balls and hung from the trees or even poured over a deer scrape, the urine is supposed to attract bucks in rut. The companies that produce this product put a collection date on the bottle, so a person knows it is fresh. What if someone had this job and was asked their occupation. It sounds like a “Dirty Jobs” episode to me.

As I was writing this story, it occurred to me that this thing we call deer season is a lot like marriage. For humans, “pre rut” is called dating. When people date, they try to show that they are worthy of the other person. Once they prove their worthiness, the mating season--or marriage--commences.

When deer season ends, you look forward to the year after that and so forth. I have been dear hunting for over 16 years and I wouldn’t change a thing!

Remember, any comments or questions are appreciated. Email robin@calhounchronicle.com.