Prayers for a second chance……………..Lots of Prayers!
Well on Dec 10th I talked myself into “kill him right there” and had to relive that poor decision for 19 days. It has been a long time since I had a “dad gum it” thread, matter fact I think these were the last…………https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=186738 ......https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=201228 .......But,
I had been hunting this particular 10 with character since the 3rd week of season. He went missing in action during the month of November which shot my worry meter up a little. So to say I was relieved when I got a few trail cam pictures of him in early December. Got to lease on December 8 and ran across the 10 with character late morning of the 10th.
Here is where everything went south………especially my killing thought process! The buck walked in and stood quartering hard away as he scanned the area. A young 7 had already panicked and turned inside out when the 10 stopped and looked his way. All I could hear in my most calm voice……….”kill him right there”……. I never once went through my normal mental check list, did not focus on his body posture, did not look at his off side leg position nor his front leg position……… only just kept hearing “kill him right there”……I could have waited and he would have most likely turned broadside or at least turned a little for a much better quartered shot……But
I had already noticed a fluff of hair that made a dark spot just in front of his rear quarter. I just assumed as quartered away as he was that if I hit that patch my arrow would drive through to his offside shoulder and probably would have if he was a 3D target……..
So instead of doing what I have preached to my kids…….”Be Patient”, I drew, kind of anchored then rope started the release because mentally I had already convinced myself he was going to hurry and leave….. I heard the unmistakable sound of arrow hitting deer. Only one thing…. The lighted knock did not enter where I thought I was aiming. The 10 lunged forward and kind of ran 25/30 yards to the south and stopped. I grabbed my binoculars and threw them up to see a lighted knock and fletching’s hanging out the back of the bucks front leg with the remaining arrow and broadhead dangling out the front paralleled to his body………. My heart dropped and anger was setting in quickly, all I could think about was getting another arrow in him.
I tried to find an opening through the overhanging Live Oak limbs but could not. So without thinking (again)….I grabbed my bow and one arrow and attempted to slip out the back of the blind. As I took my first step, the young 7 that I had forgotten about was standing a mere 5 yards. He panicked and yes, ran right by the 10 like I had shot him…. taking the 10 with him.
I quickly got out from under the canopy and reset my pin for 75 yards, knocked the arrow, clipped my release and tried to find an opening to get another arrow in him as he was limping off. His limp was bad but not bad enough to make him check-up before getting into a thicket and out of my sight.
My brain had yet to restart so instead of doing what I should have done before; stay calm, stay still, have patience…… I got on my fat slow horse and hustled the same direction he was traveling trying to parallel him thinking I could catch up………like that decision has ever worked? Well it did not work this time either!
I walked back with my head dragging pretty low, found both sides of my arrow, very little blood and decided to back out and regroup.
I was certain that my shot was not lethal so I ended up resetting a trail camera and dumping a bunch of feed in hopes he would go layup, lick his wounds and forget about the brain dead hunter that had put a Mercedes Benz logo tattoo on his front right leg.
Fast forward to the week after Christmas; I headed to my lease with high hopes my 10 was still alive, around and had walked by one my cameras. I pulled in the gate and headed straight to grab SD cards. Once back at camp I quickly scanned through trail cam pictures and was ecstatic to see the 10 on camera and feeding within the last 5 days.
It was not hard to figure out I would sit on that feed area until I had to leave. Morning of the third day my buck limped into the feed area. It was early and no way to see my pin. It was a long wait but finally I had enough light. I waited (patiently) on him to turn perfectly broadside and once his front leg stepped forward and opened up the big white patch, I drew, floated my pin on the white fluff of hair and once my pin was burning through him I tripped my release. I watched as the buck bound to the south and stopped. He turned back to look at what just happened as the voice started whispering in his ear to walk to the light. I watched as he started to stumble, then bam, to the ground with white belly glowing.
I did my best outdoor channel fist pumps then sat in disbelief and could not believe that the 10 with character had given me another chance. And grateful that I did not go brain dead again!
I thanked the Lord for the second opportunity and for all he does, like answering prayers.
Ended up staying around and filling 3 more doe tags before calling it a wrap.
On a quick side note, the 10 broke his left brow tine after I wounded him..........go figure?
I am blessed and always thank God for what he allows me to do and the success he allows.
Hope each enjoys and learns additional patience from my non-patient brain dead performance!
Rwc
Well on Dec 10th I talked myself into “kill him right there” and had to relive that poor decision for 19 days. It has been a long time since I had a “dad gum it” thread, matter fact I think these were the last…………https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=186738 ......https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=201228 .......But,
I had been hunting this particular 10 with character since the 3rd week of season. He went missing in action during the month of November which shot my worry meter up a little. So to say I was relieved when I got a few trail cam pictures of him in early December. Got to lease on December 8 and ran across the 10 with character late morning of the 10th.
Here is where everything went south………especially my killing thought process! The buck walked in and stood quartering hard away as he scanned the area. A young 7 had already panicked and turned inside out when the 10 stopped and looked his way. All I could hear in my most calm voice……….”kill him right there”……. I never once went through my normal mental check list, did not focus on his body posture, did not look at his off side leg position nor his front leg position……… only just kept hearing “kill him right there”……I could have waited and he would have most likely turned broadside or at least turned a little for a much better quartered shot……But
I had already noticed a fluff of hair that made a dark spot just in front of his rear quarter. I just assumed as quartered away as he was that if I hit that patch my arrow would drive through to his offside shoulder and probably would have if he was a 3D target……..
So instead of doing what I have preached to my kids…….”Be Patient”, I drew, kind of anchored then rope started the release because mentally I had already convinced myself he was going to hurry and leave….. I heard the unmistakable sound of arrow hitting deer. Only one thing…. The lighted knock did not enter where I thought I was aiming. The 10 lunged forward and kind of ran 25/30 yards to the south and stopped. I grabbed my binoculars and threw them up to see a lighted knock and fletching’s hanging out the back of the bucks front leg with the remaining arrow and broadhead dangling out the front paralleled to his body………. My heart dropped and anger was setting in quickly, all I could think about was getting another arrow in him.
I tried to find an opening through the overhanging Live Oak limbs but could not. So without thinking (again)….I grabbed my bow and one arrow and attempted to slip out the back of the blind. As I took my first step, the young 7 that I had forgotten about was standing a mere 5 yards. He panicked and yes, ran right by the 10 like I had shot him…. taking the 10 with him.
I quickly got out from under the canopy and reset my pin for 75 yards, knocked the arrow, clipped my release and tried to find an opening to get another arrow in him as he was limping off. His limp was bad but not bad enough to make him check-up before getting into a thicket and out of my sight.
My brain had yet to restart so instead of doing what I should have done before; stay calm, stay still, have patience…… I got on my fat slow horse and hustled the same direction he was traveling trying to parallel him thinking I could catch up………like that decision has ever worked? Well it did not work this time either!
I walked back with my head dragging pretty low, found both sides of my arrow, very little blood and decided to back out and regroup.
I was certain that my shot was not lethal so I ended up resetting a trail camera and dumping a bunch of feed in hopes he would go layup, lick his wounds and forget about the brain dead hunter that had put a Mercedes Benz logo tattoo on his front right leg.
Fast forward to the week after Christmas; I headed to my lease with high hopes my 10 was still alive, around and had walked by one my cameras. I pulled in the gate and headed straight to grab SD cards. Once back at camp I quickly scanned through trail cam pictures and was ecstatic to see the 10 on camera and feeding within the last 5 days.
It was not hard to figure out I would sit on that feed area until I had to leave. Morning of the third day my buck limped into the feed area. It was early and no way to see my pin. It was a long wait but finally I had enough light. I waited (patiently) on him to turn perfectly broadside and once his front leg stepped forward and opened up the big white patch, I drew, floated my pin on the white fluff of hair and once my pin was burning through him I tripped my release. I watched as the buck bound to the south and stopped. He turned back to look at what just happened as the voice started whispering in his ear to walk to the light. I watched as he started to stumble, then bam, to the ground with white belly glowing.
I did my best outdoor channel fist pumps then sat in disbelief and could not believe that the 10 with character had given me another chance. And grateful that I did not go brain dead again!
I thanked the Lord for the second opportunity and for all he does, like answering prayers.
Ended up staying around and filling 3 more doe tags before calling it a wrap.
On a quick side note, the 10 broke his left brow tine after I wounded him..........go figure?
I am blessed and always thank God for what he allows me to do and the success he allows.
Hope each enjoys and learns additional patience from my non-patient brain dead performance!
Rwc
Attached Files
Comment