BY MICHAEL KING FIRST RUN-IN I was three years into archery hunting and still hadn't seen a buck. Clearly something was wrong. But what? Maybe I was rattling too loud or grunting too often. Or wearing the wrong clothes or using the wrong scent-block. Perhaps I just waited too late in life to start hunting, a middle-aged novice in the woods, scaring away bucks. Such thoughts were going through my mind when quitting time came and I climbed out of my tree stand to head for home. That's when something big came crashing in my direction. I froze when I made out the outline of a large deer. It was a nice 8-point being chased by an even larger buck - and right at me. When the lead deer finally saw me, he skidded on the wet leaves, snorting and bracing his front legs straight out as he put on the brakes. I hunched in preparation for a collision. The buck stopped within spitting distance, glared at me for just an instant, then barged off into the dark. I felt fear and wonderment all at once. Returning to my stand early the next afternoon, the cold steel ladder chilled my hands at first touch. The sun was a pallid yellow ball screened behind gray clouds. I nestled in, hung my bow beside me, and DRY SPELL COMES TO CRASHING HALT OCTOBER 2021 17