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DH30's Bowhunt With a Recurve & Cedar

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    DH30's Bowhunt With a Recurve & Cedar

    OK guys….I have not been around much because I have been HUNTING! I won’t be around much for the next few days because I will be getting caught up at work because I have been HUNTING. This hunt started about a month ago when I was looking for time in my calendar to go bowhunting. I picked this week and invited a new friend of mine. After church last Sunday we met up at my house and was rolling to my parent’s ranch around 1:00. We get to the ranch and unpack and I show him his stand setup. We clean up, get dressed and hit the stand.

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    The last few years we have been seeing more deer and my goal was to take a doe this week with my recurve and a cedar arrow and put Tom on a hog or two. If I could accomplish this, it would be my first kill with a cedar arrow. I settle in the stand Sunday evening and await the feeder slinging those golden nuggets. It did not take long for a few deer to come in. I had a small five point come in and a longhorn spike that came by but did not come into the feeder. Monday morning I was in the stand well before light. Once the feeder went off I had the same small five point and his twin (almost identical antlers) at the feeder along with a small 8 point. I was still a little disappointed because I wanted to take a doe and I still had not seen a doe……four small bucks and no does! Monday evening the small five point was there and then the longhorn spike came in…..it was go time.

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    I waited for the spike to work his way into a quartering away position in a shooting lane.

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    He finally got into position quartering away and I drew back my recurve. When I reached anchor and was focused behind his shoulder I released only to see him completely duck the arrow. He ran off about 30 yards and came back in but never offered a shot.

    On Tuesday morning it was cool and foggy and I was foggy and cool….I was PUMPED. The small 8 point came in and made a scrape at a mesquite about 25 yards away. It was cool….he scraped, peed, licked and rubbed on branches. That was the first time I have seen that live. He made the scrape, grabbed a bite or two and moved on quickly which is what he did all week. Two does then came out of the thick stuff and looked at the feeder for a minute and then moved on. The first does I have seen and they would not come in. I was a little bummed. I was worried that the stillness was allowing my scent to settle in too much. Shortly after that I see a deer coming in from the other direction. I then see his antlers as he clears a mesquite tree……he was a nice buck for my area. I knew that I would take a shot if he offered one. He came in and would eat a bite or two and then sniff the air. He would eat another bite or two and then move off a few yards. He kept this up for about ten minutes until he worked his way into a shooting lane but was quartering to me at about 7 yards….no shot. He finally got mostly broadside with his forward leg forward and I started to raise my bow and he stops, sniffs, and jumps back. Man this is getting to me. It is foggy and still and I just know that he could scent me at any minute if the wind breathes in his direction. He is now at 17 yards and starts to quarter away from me with his front leg forward. I thought about how jumpy he was, how my recurve is not the fastest bow, and how the spike who was calm had ducked my arrow the night before. I focused on a spot right in the white hair on his lower chest far enough back to get the exit would around his opposite shoulder. I was focusing on a spot where if he does not drop all I’ll do is give him a shave. I told myself “I make this shot every day in my back yard” and drew back. When I reached anchor and was locked in on that spot I let the cedar arrow fly. I see him duck and hear the thump, but did not see where the arrow hit. As he runs straight away from me I can see my arrow sticking out of his side at a sharp angle right below his spine. I cannot tell where the arrow hit left and right, but I know that it’s higher than I wanted. I hear some brush busting and then what sounds like some thrashing. I made a few phone calls and decide to back out and give him two hours.

    That was the most painful two hours. I tried to fill it with camp chores and phone calls. I had called my uncle who had offered to come help me look. With no exit would and a very high entry wound there would be minimal blood. I was confident that if the shot was far enough forward the angle that I saw would get me at least one lung. My uncle showed up and we drove his Jeep to look for the buck. We found his tracks, but found no blood just as we expected. I told my uncle where I thought I heard the thrashing and we spread out about 20 yards. Just minutes into our search I hear my uncle say…”there’s an ear…..there’s an antler….he’s down!” I raised my bow up in victory and we hugged and then drug the buck out. Now the work began. Upon checking him out. The arrow had entered high and far back and went through the liver and then down through his right lung. There was some ground shrinkage on this buck, but for my first bow buck and to take him with a recurve and cedar arrow out of a stand location I selected and a stand that I built, I am satisfied.

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    I photographed the rest of the week and came home today. I had several visitors to my stand including a few yotes, a bobcat, and a lizard

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    We ate good

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    We had a good time, but the sun has set on DH30’s bow season…..what a bow season.

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    #2
    Way to go DH!! Thanks for bringing me into your hunting world. I really enjoyed the read and congrats on a very nice buck, with a trad bow and cedar arrow at that! Good going man.

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      #3
      Nice. Congrats on a fine animal and getting to spend some time HUNTING!

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        #4
        Congratulations. Nice buck.

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          #5
          Great deer ! and I thought that was you today on the Beltway!

          I actually got behind you guys at I-10 and Eldridge, but you didn't see me til 20 mins later.

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            #6
            Congrats on a nice buck

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              #7
              Great story and recap. Congrats on getting it done your way...

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                #8
                Congrats!!

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                You've been missed around here, Kevin. With all the changes, I think we've been sort of lax in the VE department and you were kind of one of the main folks keeping that going. Heck, I don't even know how to lay down a VE at this new place, but for what it's worth...

                I nominate for VE!

                Great write-up and awesome buck! Doin' it the hard way! Much congrats!

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                  #9
                  I second the nomination. Thanks for a great recap and congrats on the great recurve buck.

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                    #10
                    Congrats on a nice buck

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                      #11
                      Great job and congrats!

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                        #12
                        That is an awesome buck with trad gear.

                        Congrats on getting it done with a real stick and string.

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                          #13
                          Great job Kevin, congrats! That's one to be proud of.

                          Do we even have a VE pic anymore? It may have gotten lost in the crash!

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                            #14
                            What an accomplishment! It doesn't get any better than that. Congratulations!

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                              #15
                              CONGRATS!!!!!!!! I like the set-up, you have a nice tree to set in!!!!

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