For the guys and gals that are just getting into bow hunting.....
There is nothing more exciting than having all of your work and planning come together and a deer actually steps into your shooting lane within bow range.
Your heart will be pounding in your head, you'll forget to breathe, you'll already visualize seeing the deer fall within sight. You already know who you're going to call and tell the story to!
Unfortunately, our desire to accomplish this goal can override our common sense when it comes to taking a good shot.
When I was a new bowhunter I was obsessed with getting that first deer on the ground. I never saw it coming.
You will be tempted to take a shot that is less than ethical or perfect. And when you do, you will probably pay dearly. Don't do it! I promise you that the sickening feeling of touching off the trigger on your release and not being able to bring that arrow back from a bad shot will haunt you for quite a while. Don't rush the shot. Don't take a marginal shot (quartering towards you, quartering too hard away, walking away, facing you head on).
You will end up like me. Trailing a deer that you will never find. Following a weak blood trail on hands and knees with a dying flashlight. Going back out the next day for a grid search. Telling everybody you don't know what happened...the shot looked good. Knowing in your heart that it was a crappy shot and you wanted that deer so bad that you "took your chances".
Learn from my mistakes and the ones before you. DO NOT LET YOUR EXCITEMENT AND "BOW FEVER" MAKE YOU TAKE A SHOT ON A DEER THAT ISN'T BROADSIDE OR QUARTERED AWAY.
The short-lived excitement of releasing the arrow will quickly be washed away by the disappointment, disgust, and guilt.
I will share my story real quick:
Hunting on my first real deer lease in Kerrville. I had a nice 8 pt. that I wanted REALLY bad. He was nothing special to most folks...115-120" deer.
But I wanted him. And everything came together perfectly. He came in to 20 yards and started eating. As I got my bow drawn and situated out of the blind window, he started walking away from the feeder. I have no idea why. He wasn't spooked...just leaving. I decided that he wasn't going to get away. He was mine. I took a hard quartering away shot at about 30 yards. I forgot to aim far back in the ribs since he was almost facing away from me. I put one right through his front shoulder and it came out in front of the off shoulder. He ran off. I was sick for days...knowing that I had wounded that deer and he was out there suffering because of my rookie mistake.
Luckily, another TBH'er and lease member saw the deer hobbling on 3 legs a few weeks later. He was skinny and barely getting around. He put him down with a rifle and was nice enough to give me the horns. He did me a big favor because those rattling horns are a constant reminder of the heartache involved in rushing a shot or taking an unethical shot vs. waiting for a high percentage shot on a calm, still deer.
I hope this helps at least one person think twice before turning an arrow loose.
There is nothing more exciting than having all of your work and planning come together and a deer actually steps into your shooting lane within bow range.
Your heart will be pounding in your head, you'll forget to breathe, you'll already visualize seeing the deer fall within sight. You already know who you're going to call and tell the story to!
Unfortunately, our desire to accomplish this goal can override our common sense when it comes to taking a good shot.
When I was a new bowhunter I was obsessed with getting that first deer on the ground. I never saw it coming.
You will be tempted to take a shot that is less than ethical or perfect. And when you do, you will probably pay dearly. Don't do it! I promise you that the sickening feeling of touching off the trigger on your release and not being able to bring that arrow back from a bad shot will haunt you for quite a while. Don't rush the shot. Don't take a marginal shot (quartering towards you, quartering too hard away, walking away, facing you head on).
You will end up like me. Trailing a deer that you will never find. Following a weak blood trail on hands and knees with a dying flashlight. Going back out the next day for a grid search. Telling everybody you don't know what happened...the shot looked good. Knowing in your heart that it was a crappy shot and you wanted that deer so bad that you "took your chances".
Learn from my mistakes and the ones before you. DO NOT LET YOUR EXCITEMENT AND "BOW FEVER" MAKE YOU TAKE A SHOT ON A DEER THAT ISN'T BROADSIDE OR QUARTERED AWAY.
The short-lived excitement of releasing the arrow will quickly be washed away by the disappointment, disgust, and guilt.
I will share my story real quick:
Hunting on my first real deer lease in Kerrville. I had a nice 8 pt. that I wanted REALLY bad. He was nothing special to most folks...115-120" deer.
But I wanted him. And everything came together perfectly. He came in to 20 yards and started eating. As I got my bow drawn and situated out of the blind window, he started walking away from the feeder. I have no idea why. He wasn't spooked...just leaving. I decided that he wasn't going to get away. He was mine. I took a hard quartering away shot at about 30 yards. I forgot to aim far back in the ribs since he was almost facing away from me. I put one right through his front shoulder and it came out in front of the off shoulder. He ran off. I was sick for days...knowing that I had wounded that deer and he was out there suffering because of my rookie mistake.
Luckily, another TBH'er and lease member saw the deer hobbling on 3 legs a few weeks later. He was skinny and barely getting around. He put him down with a rifle and was nice enough to give me the horns. He did me a big favor because those rattling horns are a constant reminder of the heartache involved in rushing a shot or taking an unethical shot vs. waiting for a high percentage shot on a calm, still deer.
I hope this helps at least one person think twice before turning an arrow loose.
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