BECOMING FEAR: THE HUNTER (DAY 3)

The Logger's Point field lodge, which is "the new entry point for all hunters coming into the Evergreen Hunting Reserve. Mule Deer is the main attraction but there are also many other interesting prey in the fields including Pheasant and a large population of Feral Hogs that have been attracted by recent logging activity."

Common Prey: 

I've Got It Covered

Mule Deer 

Pheasant 

Feral Hog

Coyote 

Whitetail 

Ranges: 

Double Rise Clay Shooting

Rifle.

7:00

Field Lodge, 07:00 hours.

7:24

Found a mule deer, after following it's tracks for around fifteen minutes, I saw it in the distance. Too far to take a shot, but I got a quick photo with the camera, before it fucking fled!

Honestly, it's like they don't want to get shot.

7:30

Not giving up on the fleeing Deer, I continued to follow it's tracks (which the Huntermate insisted on telling me the deer was fleeing), I stumbled across a Pheasant.  Whilst I couldn't get close enough to take a 'great' photo, It was still a nice moment. Taking in the soft textured colours of it's feathers, it's long protruding tail, it was glorious.

Now, to kill me a deer.

8:00

After finding three more Pheasants  I found a mule deer. Not wanting to waste my chance again, I decided I would shoot, then find a way to deal with my barbaric actions (I'm thinking sobbing uncontrollably). So, I took aim and shot -- only for a FUCKING TREE TO BLOCK MY BULLET!

**Day 3 Wrap Up**

Those of you who have been reading 'Becoming Fear: The Hunter' have probably come up with the conclusion; I'm no hunter. Not even close, and as I know nothing about hunting, things were always going to be a little difficult. Now, I play games, a lot, all kinds of games, but going into a massive hunting game, where you have to manually track and hunt your prey, without even doing the tutorials (come on, I'm a gamer...or at least I was) is proving to be challenging.

This game is not fucking around. It is huge. I've spent 3 hours a day over the last 3 days, walked for ridiculous miles, and I've encountered just 2 Mule Deer, and a couple of Pheasant's, butterflies and something which I called a 'rock o'dile'.

Having Doc pop up every time I see a Pheasant and saying "You don't currently hold the licence to hunt this prey" makes me want to shoot Doc. Right in his stupid face. I have a gun, he's just a floating top half of a man. I would win.

Then again, going on my lack of actual successful kills (my bullet hitting a tree!?) maybe Doc would float away to safety, with all his magic licences, laughing to himself as I wander around his reserve.

So, with my trusty Huntermate GPS thingy telling me that every deer I was hunting was fleeing, I was on my way for yet another glorious walk.

Twenty-four minutes later, I found my second Mule Deer, stupidly far away, but it was there. Probably chowing down on some delicious virtual grass, I slowly made my way a little closer. As I made literately two steps, the deer bolted and so, not giving up, I made my high speed pursuit.

As is typical in most circumstances, the Mule Deer was far quicker than my (virtual) human legs, and as a result of moving maybe three feet from where I was stood; I lost the deer.

Exhausted from the reckless speed thrill, I scanned the few prints the deer had left, only for my lovable Huntermate to, yet again, tell me the deer was "fleeing".

After regaining my stamina by leaving my virtual me (codename Clive) standing in the reserve whilst I went to make a cappuccino, I began wandering blindly into the unknown, where I stumbled across a Pheasant. Now, this isn't actually that exciting (I know how you're all so used to my action packed days as a hunter) as where I live, I see actual real life Pheasant's on most days, but this virtual Pheasant was different. Almost sexy. Which, sounds weird in itself, but is made more weird by the fact I was hiding in a bush with a camera.

Becoming less of a Hunter with each day, and gradually becoming a weird animal stalker/peeping Tom, I left the Pheasant and continued to track Usain "Mule Deer Edition" Bolt, on the hopes we could rekindle our semi romantic relationship (I'm going with the he's playing "hard to get" idea).

Three Pheasant's later, I finally catch up with the/a Mule Deer, I decided it was now or never. I wasn't going to ruin this chance, not this time. So instead of hitting '3' to equip my camera, I pressed '1' and drew my rifle. Lining up the scope as I perved on the unsuspecting Mule Deer, casually chowing down on grass, soon to be consumed in the humble pie I'm about to bake it in.

BANG!

I take the shot. And the deer flees. Turns out, I hit the small branch on the tree in front of the deer.

Huntermate "The Mule Deer is fleeing". 

Fuck off Huntermate.

Tomorrow: Day 4! 

As it's getting ridiculous now, tomorrow HAS to be the day I can claim my prize!