I saw the coolest thing 2 weeks ago when I fished the Deep Bottom area...

I saw john boats carrying hunters across the river to the "ring shaped" land just across the ramp from Deep Bottom. As you know, there is a lagoon/enclosed lake just across from that ramp and the land that circles it is only about 20-30 yards wide in most places...here is a picture of what it looks like:

http://www.childers-childress.com/Resources/ariel22.jpg

Anyways, the john boat drove into the lagoon/lake, dropped hunters off at intervals, then came back out into the main river....drove back across the river and picked up a couple of dogs....drove back across the river, parked the boat, got out and the guy started walking with the dogs down this thin strip of land.

Now the deer that they jumped had 2 choices: Keep getting pushed further down the strip of land or take a swim across the river.

The dogs weren't really pushing them that hard so they just went down the ring of land....and since that land is only 20-30 yards wide, the hunters had a clear shot at them. I heard them shoot 6-7 times....I swear it was like a deer funnel. Very innovative....It was cool because I got to enjoy fishing while also hearing a pretty good dog chase.

Hey Ego, I was fishing a point at Briery Creek lake not too long ago. I could hear some dogs running a dear in the woods, and they were getting close and closer. All of a sudden this huge buck with one of the biggest racks I have ever seen, jumped out of the bushes into the water in front of my boat no more than 50 feet away and started swimming at me. It scared the crap out of me. But when the deer saw me he made a u turn, swam back though the dogs that had jumped in the water, hit the bank running and the chase was on again.

Blackie,

Don't you wish you were using treble hooks at that time :)