and I gave him a haircut. :(
Just as a backstory, I've never really gotten a "big buck". A forkhorn here or there, but nothing with some serious headgear. It's really never been important to me, I just enjoy the experience.
This is my first season with Trad, and I've done my best to refine and hone my skills for extended yardage, slowly getting my max out to 25yrds comfortably. Last night I was drilling a 1" sticker on my block - to 29yrds. I was confident.
Got on the stand this morning, everything was going wrong. Got in late, had issues getting the climber to climb, couldn't get settled, just awkward. Then I heard it, the faint steps of something larger than an angery grey squirrel. I peered into the scrub to see definate movement - Turkey! I thought. A flash of brown - Ah, those does are back! And then he ducked around the bush into the open. :eek: I don't know where he came from, but I've got no pictures of him on the camera, my buddy and the landowner knew nothing about him, and I haven't seen anything like him on the property or adjoining properties. He was huge - all I saw was tines, still wrapped in soft velvet. A truely magnificent animal.
I tried to get comfortable, I tried to pick a spot, all I could see was antlers. :knothead: And to make matters worse, he was heading slowly, and very steadily directly to me. When he got to within 10 yrds, my shot angle was getting very severe (I was over 20' up!), so I decided to draw. No good, he snapped to and stared me down - those big brown eyes desperately trying to figure out if the bow was a branch, and I another limb slung to the side, or something else. So I held at a quarter draw for way too long. Finally he put his head down and continued forward a step or two on his path.
I couldn't take it anymore, a few more steps and he'd be lost to the scrub again. He's too close, the angle's too sharp, aim low - aim low - aim low I told myself. I could only guess at where his belly line was, so I took my best guess and went into autopilot.
The arrow was beautiful - a spinning whirl of pink and chartruse, Magnus head silently slicing toward destiny. Then - a puff of hair erupts from his back and the broadhead slams into the ground. He recoils and is gone - 30 yards later he stops and stares at the arrow, fletchings pointing back at me accusingly. Silently, he turns and walks away - yep, walks. He'll be back.
At first I was angry that I missed such a chipshot. Then I remembered that I spent all my time practing long yardage, not up close. If I had my compound, came the next excuse...
Ultimately, I've never been so excited or determined to succeed, and even more now that I've found traditional archery. The sun will rise tomorrow, and I will be in my stand, recurve in hand. I hope more will join me.
:thumbsup:
Chris :archer:
Awsome story! Thanks for taking us with you! NEXT TIME!!
:thumbsup:
It happens to everyone. I've missed a few gimmes with my compound in the past. This is my second season with trad gear, and have yet to miss(also have yet to shoot) :-)
Sounds like he wasn't too spooked, you may get another crack at him.
Good luck, keep up the good spirits and enjoy!!
Yep, that story reminds me of when, LOL. You just have to smile and say to yourself, you won this round but next time.
Fantastic hunt, keep your spirits up.
bhfp
Had a close call this evening myself, but just didn't get a shot. Had a nice 7 pointer 15 yards and closing and his sixth sense kicked in. He stopped, looked around, and just walked back the way he came. Hopefully next weekend!
Great read,,,and best of luck to you next time :thumbsup: :archer:
Sounds like a great time! I hope you can get him on another day! Cheers, Ben
I used to take shots like that. When I managed to connect I found that pass thrus were difficult to get and trailing a deer shot at such close range to be about a 50/50 proposition. Now I let them pass and don't educate them any more than necessary. He may be back but he'll probably be looking your way. Another thought, if he caught you 20' up he must have heard you. It could have been your heart beat but I would get in a dark room and draw my bow with all my hunting gear on just to be sure everything is as quiet as it needs to be. Hope you get another crack at him.
Listen to your instincts next time.
You should be a writer Chris...Great story. You WILL get it done.. So :goldtooth: until then welcome to the club
Wow that was short but sweet and makes me want to get out there, Thanks
Chris,
This is what traditional bowhunting is about... Getting close and making it happen when you do get close. Not relying on any "gadget" using just your own skill is what makes this a challenge. Missing a chip shot just makes it so much sweeter when you do make it happen.
Good shooting tomorrow.
John III
QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
I used to take shots like that. When I managed to connect I found that pass thrus were difficult to get and trailing a deer shot at such close range to be about a 50/50 proposition. Now I let them pass and don't educate them any more than necessary. He may be back but he'll probably be looking your way. Another thought, if he caught you 20' up he must have heard you. It could have been your heart beat but I would get in a dark room and draw my bow with all my hunting gear on just to be sure everything is as quiet as it needs to be. Hope you get another crack at him.
I figured out the problem right away, I never got around to putting a teflon tube on my rest - carbon finish and metal launcher arm = SQUEEEK at that quiet hour. That's been fixed that afternoon.
I'll readily admit that a steep angle of entry is not my favorite, almost all the deer I've gotten have been between 19-25 yards, with some being longer. Placement was perfect, if it would have been 4" lower I would have had both lungs and possible the edge of the liver with a low exit point in the chest, and the broadhead was at least 3"+ in the dirt, so it could have made it through.
No living in the past, just enjoy the experience and focus on the future. Hopefully I see him next week - I'm going to let that area cool down - we still have a lot of season left.
:thumbsup: :coffee:
Chris
I can see your feathers spinning in my minds eye.
I can see the tuft of hair fly.
I can feel the disbelief...the confusion of how a miss can occur with such short range.
Trembling hands, weak knees, a tinge of anger.
Then a deep breath, and a smile that begins somewhere in the middle of you.
Been there...done that. :thumbsup: