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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: J. Cook on December 01, 2022, 07:58:18 AM
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I go home to WV to hunt the week before Thanksgiving every year - I have done this since the very first year I moved away after grad school which was the 2003 hunting season. My father's getting up there in age so each year I get to go, is one more batch of memories I get to spend with him in the woods. He is now 78 so he doesn't hunt near as hard as he once did, but it's still great time spent with him and my family.
We had a weird year in terms of we really didn't see the typical rut action that we see that time of year. I did have a handful of small bucks in range that I let walk, and saw a few decent rack bucks that I would have taken a shot at if given an opportunity, but they seem to know my effective range with the recurve.
I was hunting with a bit of shaken confidence as I had gone up a couple weekends before and hunted the farm on Halloween weekend. That particular Saturday evening I was given a display and a great shot opportunity on a unusually large true 6 point - very cool buck with a huge frame and tall g2s and brow times. Long story short, buck fever got the best of me and I chunked my release and hit the buck far back in the spine but did not penetrate the spine enough to get to the spinal column. Good news is I caused very little trauma to the deer. A friend of mine got a trail cam pic of him a couple weeks later, just before he was killed by a neighbor on the opener of rifle season.
So with that still in mind I was feeling a little unsure of myself with recurve in hand, but got after it anyway. On a particular morning where I had seen a lot of deer, but none close, I did get an opportunity at a very large doe however she squirted through my closer shooting lanes too quickly. She paused quartering away and completely unaware at 28 yd. I do practice out to 30 yards, but that's more of an effort to hone in my close shots. I decided to draw, and to my surprise I was very settled and comfortable and I let the arrow fly and delivered a perfect 10 ring double lung shot and watched her fall about 60 yd away.
Never did connect with a nice buck as I had hoped, but it was some really good meat for the freezer and a shot that I really felt great about to counteract the poor shot I had made on the buck earlier. As we all know in so many things, including bow hunting, confidence is everything.
This bow is a 64" Browning Fire Drake 55@28".
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Well done and good story. Glad you spent some time with your family-appreciate your father while you still can.
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Redemption shot! Sounds like you have some great family values. Congratulations on the doe and hoping for many years of enjoying your dad in the woods.
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That’s a good story for sure. Bowhunting has such deep lows balanced by triumphant highs. I completely understand this emotion. Thanks for sharing!
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Great story man, I know the feeling all too well of being unsure of yourself. All it takes is one good shot to get that confidence back. Buck fever is a real thing, even on does I still get shaken up. Glad you were able to connect and spend some time with your father. Thanks for sharing!
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Way to go Jonathan! Thanks for posting that up for us. Congratulations! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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:jumper: :clapper: :jumper:
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Good Job <><
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I like that picture! Congratulations! Being able to spend time with family is very important. At 76 years old I don't hunt as hard as I used to, but I cherish the time spent deer hunting with my son and grandsons. You're building memories.
Bernie
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Good on ya and congrates!!!...your time with ur dad doing what you both love means as much to him as it does you :thumbsup:
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Great litte story. Good to see someone spending time proper with the parents . Enjoy that time best you can. I lost my pop when he was 63 .
Of your hunt...Hunt long enough , and sooner or later (reguardless the weapon) you will have bad things happen . All we can do is our best to keep them from happening . Lots of lifes littles can get between our ears...and sometimes an animal and bad luck have other ideas for the moment.... Fine animal you were gifted my friend ...enjoy the many gifts given.
Congarulations ! :clapper:
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Congratulations and a good story. And as a Browning collector, good choice of recurve. Where in WV were you hunting. I lived in WV for ten years in Hurricane. I bought a lifetime hunting and fishing license while I was a resident there. One of my better life choices. I’m on a lease in Randolph county and go there every spring for turkey and fall for deer.
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shes a bigg'in!
great picture!
many congrats!