Granted it was only last season, but the memory of that morning still repeats itself every time I think of the possibilities of chasing deer with a traditional bow.
It was just two of us at the lease that weekend in October of last year. I was still looking to get my first deer with a bow after having been unsuccessful in recovering the one I had shot at the previous season and hit a little high. A neighbor had found that doe, but I had never laid eyes on her. This year was going to be better. At least that was the plan.
While I had been shooting a recurve all summer and had upped the weight to a more comfortable hunting weight, I was going to use my compound to seal the deal.
It was my 2nd weekend out at the lease after bow opener with the opening weekend not producing any real good shot opportunities. In fact, I really don't remember opening weekend that year, it was that unforgettable. It was a Saturday morning, and as usual in the evening before, my buddy and I picked out spots. I'd hunt a popup on the front side of the property. He was going to sleep I a little bit and hit the blind near our camp. We went to bed and woke up the next morning with a slight chill in the air. After getting prepped and smoking my clothes and self, I grabbed my chair and my bow and headed on the 1/2 mile hike to the planned spot. I find that walking slowly is good for 2 reasons, it helps to avoid spooking game and it helps from breaking into a sweat. So as usual, is tried to go as slow as I could without going to slow. As I cross the open field and head onto one of the main roads headed south, I ponder the possibilities for the day. What would I see? Would this sit be the sit I drop a deer with a bow?
My day dream was rudely interrupted when I heard some rustling in the tree line I was to walk through to get to the blind. I stopped, I waited. Then I heard the noise that is like fingers on a chalk board at our place.... MMMMOOOOOOOOO!! Dag nab it!!! stupid cows! What was I to do? I instantly starting thinking about the wind and the other available spots... The two closest to me were bad for wind.... I was chicken-**** to hunt the one I had lost my previous season's deer on.... The only "good" blind was all the way across the lease... another good 1 mile hike... and back through camp!
So, I turn around and head back through, trying to be quiet as I walk through camp near my buddy's setup. About 30 minutes later, I make it to the approach into the spot. At this point, I have pretty much ruled out my chances for the morning. Daylight is starting to break. I am going to bow hunt out of a blind that is 15 yards from a feeder and is just a tree and some brush that covers up to your hip... at most. I noisily settle in and throw some hand corn on my side of the feeder pen.... and then I sit and wait.
As daylight actually breaks I can hear some turkey's down in the valley that my spot somewhat overlooks. I grab my phone and check to see what the TPWD app says about turkey....
About that time I hear a noise off to my right. My bow is on a bow stand in the ground in front of me. I see a nice 8pt step out about 20 yards away. He is still behind some brush, so I slowly lean over to grab my bow... but something spooked him. I'm guessing it was me. I am not sure how he saw me, but he must have, because he decided to change his mind and take off!
Well that is just great! I text my wife. I convince myself that the hunt isn't over by telling her that there is more hunt left... I didn't believe it, but that is what I'd tell somebody else, so maybe I could convince myself.
20 minutes later, about 50 yards away, I see a deer cross over the path that runs through this set.... and then another... and then another. I go on high alert and wonder where they are going as they disappear into the tree line directly ahead of me and behind the feeder. A few minutes later a small buck comes out from those trees and heads directly towards me. I need to tell my wife my the hunt isn't over more often!!! He is young buck, but one of those 2 year old spikes that we get running around. I will drop him if he gives me a shot. He comes over closer to me while another steps out. He is more impressive, but young for his impressiveness. I am desperate for my first bow kill, so either will do, but would prefer the spike given these two are about the same age. And then another one comes out.... he is even bigger... but my focus shifts to the spike that has now started eating within 10.... no make that 7 yards in front of me.
I forgot to mention that I had my bow in my hand for the last 30 minutes since I was busted by the 8pt earlier. It was laying across my lap. My release already clipped to the D-loop. Me trying to control my shaking.
The spike periodically looks in my direction.... he is close enough I could probably have spit on him had I given it my best try. But I am frozen. He is too close for me to execute getting my bow vertical, drawing, anchoring, settling a pin and letting loose. And this is why I will remember this day probably for a very long time to come. I instantly think back to shooting my recurve in the back yard. Alll the sitting or kneeling position shots. I remember the ease of pulling up the bow and drawing while it was canted and reaching anchor in an instant and more than ready to release, especially at a target that is just 7 yards away.... 7 yards away!
Why God? Why??!!?? First the cows, the 1.5 miles of hiking, sweating, the low blind... and now the WRONG BOW!!! And by wrong bow I mean I'd have been sooooooo much happier shooting him with my sage vs the Mathews venture I had in my hand at that moment.
That deer lived to tell his side of the story. About that how he saw that bow come up to vertical out of the corner of his eye as he seemingly looked away at his buddies who had started sparing. How he stared down this hunter who now only needed to draw. How he escaped death because had that hunter made it to vertical with his recurve, he'd already been at anchor and that arrow would have made that 7 yard trip in no time. Instead, he stomped and snorted and eventually made that hunter flinch just enough to convince him he needed bolt off, taking his buddies with him.
It was that morning and in those moments that I realized, without a doubt, that I could kill something with my trad gear. That sometimes, fancier gadgets get in the way. Some might be able to point out that there might have been a way for me to get him at that distance with my compound, but I am not so sure. I am certain however that I could have taken that deer with my recurve.
Was it enough to convince me to switch to using a recurve the rest of that season??? Well, no. As the story would go, on the last hunt of another weekend that same October, I took a similar buck, he was 2.5 yrs and a spike/fork and I drilled him through the heart at 20 yards in a better concealed blind. But that weekend and that shot was the last weekend I shot my compound. I took some deer with a rifle to keep the freezer full, but I haven't shot or chased an animal with a compound since.
Sorry for the long read... but the memory of this hunt is what motivates me as I get ready for deer season this year when I leave the compound at camp.
(note, it's hell waiting for a new bow!)
It was just two of us at the lease that weekend in October of last year. I was still looking to get my first deer with a bow after having been unsuccessful in recovering the one I had shot at the previous season and hit a little high. A neighbor had found that doe, but I had never laid eyes on her. This year was going to be better. At least that was the plan.
While I had been shooting a recurve all summer and had upped the weight to a more comfortable hunting weight, I was going to use my compound to seal the deal.
It was my 2nd weekend out at the lease after bow opener with the opening weekend not producing any real good shot opportunities. In fact, I really don't remember opening weekend that year, it was that unforgettable. It was a Saturday morning, and as usual in the evening before, my buddy and I picked out spots. I'd hunt a popup on the front side of the property. He was going to sleep I a little bit and hit the blind near our camp. We went to bed and woke up the next morning with a slight chill in the air. After getting prepped and smoking my clothes and self, I grabbed my chair and my bow and headed on the 1/2 mile hike to the planned spot. I find that walking slowly is good for 2 reasons, it helps to avoid spooking game and it helps from breaking into a sweat. So as usual, is tried to go as slow as I could without going to slow. As I cross the open field and head onto one of the main roads headed south, I ponder the possibilities for the day. What would I see? Would this sit be the sit I drop a deer with a bow?
My day dream was rudely interrupted when I heard some rustling in the tree line I was to walk through to get to the blind. I stopped, I waited. Then I heard the noise that is like fingers on a chalk board at our place.... MMMMOOOOOOOOO!! Dag nab it!!! stupid cows! What was I to do? I instantly starting thinking about the wind and the other available spots... The two closest to me were bad for wind.... I was chicken-**** to hunt the one I had lost my previous season's deer on.... The only "good" blind was all the way across the lease... another good 1 mile hike... and back through camp!
So, I turn around and head back through, trying to be quiet as I walk through camp near my buddy's setup. About 30 minutes later, I make it to the approach into the spot. At this point, I have pretty much ruled out my chances for the morning. Daylight is starting to break. I am going to bow hunt out of a blind that is 15 yards from a feeder and is just a tree and some brush that covers up to your hip... at most. I noisily settle in and throw some hand corn on my side of the feeder pen.... and then I sit and wait.
As daylight actually breaks I can hear some turkey's down in the valley that my spot somewhat overlooks. I grab my phone and check to see what the TPWD app says about turkey....
About that time I hear a noise off to my right. My bow is on a bow stand in the ground in front of me. I see a nice 8pt step out about 20 yards away. He is still behind some brush, so I slowly lean over to grab my bow... but something spooked him. I'm guessing it was me. I am not sure how he saw me, but he must have, because he decided to change his mind and take off!
Well that is just great! I text my wife. I convince myself that the hunt isn't over by telling her that there is more hunt left... I didn't believe it, but that is what I'd tell somebody else, so maybe I could convince myself.
20 minutes later, about 50 yards away, I see a deer cross over the path that runs through this set.... and then another... and then another. I go on high alert and wonder where they are going as they disappear into the tree line directly ahead of me and behind the feeder. A few minutes later a small buck comes out from those trees and heads directly towards me. I need to tell my wife my the hunt isn't over more often!!! He is young buck, but one of those 2 year old spikes that we get running around. I will drop him if he gives me a shot. He comes over closer to me while another steps out. He is more impressive, but young for his impressiveness. I am desperate for my first bow kill, so either will do, but would prefer the spike given these two are about the same age. And then another one comes out.... he is even bigger... but my focus shifts to the spike that has now started eating within 10.... no make that 7 yards in front of me.
I forgot to mention that I had my bow in my hand for the last 30 minutes since I was busted by the 8pt earlier. It was laying across my lap. My release already clipped to the D-loop. Me trying to control my shaking.
The spike periodically looks in my direction.... he is close enough I could probably have spit on him had I given it my best try. But I am frozen. He is too close for me to execute getting my bow vertical, drawing, anchoring, settling a pin and letting loose. And this is why I will remember this day probably for a very long time to come. I instantly think back to shooting my recurve in the back yard. Alll the sitting or kneeling position shots. I remember the ease of pulling up the bow and drawing while it was canted and reaching anchor in an instant and more than ready to release, especially at a target that is just 7 yards away.... 7 yards away!
Why God? Why??!!?? First the cows, the 1.5 miles of hiking, sweating, the low blind... and now the WRONG BOW!!! And by wrong bow I mean I'd have been sooooooo much happier shooting him with my sage vs the Mathews venture I had in my hand at that moment.
That deer lived to tell his side of the story. About that how he saw that bow come up to vertical out of the corner of his eye as he seemingly looked away at his buddies who had started sparing. How he stared down this hunter who now only needed to draw. How he escaped death because had that hunter made it to vertical with his recurve, he'd already been at anchor and that arrow would have made that 7 yard trip in no time. Instead, he stomped and snorted and eventually made that hunter flinch just enough to convince him he needed bolt off, taking his buddies with him.
It was that morning and in those moments that I realized, without a doubt, that I could kill something with my trad gear. That sometimes, fancier gadgets get in the way. Some might be able to point out that there might have been a way for me to get him at that distance with my compound, but I am not so sure. I am certain however that I could have taken that deer with my recurve.
Was it enough to convince me to switch to using a recurve the rest of that season??? Well, no. As the story would go, on the last hunt of another weekend that same October, I took a similar buck, he was 2.5 yrs and a spike/fork and I drilled him through the heart at 20 yards in a better concealed blind. But that weekend and that shot was the last weekend I shot my compound. I took some deer with a rifle to keep the freezer full, but I haven't shot or chased an animal with a compound since.
Sorry for the long read... but the memory of this hunt is what motivates me as I get ready for deer season this year when I leave the compound at camp.
(note, it's hell waiting for a new bow!)
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