so, I have the privilege of hunting some private land this year- been snooping it out for the last 2 or 3 weeks and have gotten sub 5 yards with a mature doe (she came down wind and behind me) tonight I went out and tried a new ground blind- I told myself I would hunt from the ground with my Ghillie this year until I bagged an animal, then I could do something different. about 6:45 I heard something out of place- I leaned to the left around a tree and saw a nose (like 10 yards out!) I jerked back inside the treeline and grabbed the bow and an arrow- I didnt have time to knock the arrow before the doe was 5 yards away and staring at me! I had my left hand holding the arrow on the shelf and my right hand on the knock. Both elbows were up off of my thighs and I was sitting on my tripod stool. She stared at me for what must have been 5-8 minutes- I did every thing I could not to shake but with my elbows up it was pretty useless. I figgure it was more movement to me than to her because as soon as she dropped her nose to smell the ground I knew I was in the clear! She sniffed then stared at me for another 30 seconds, then sniffed and finally looked over her right shoulder~ enough time for me to put the knock against the string and rest my elbows! no sooner than I had accomplished that feat she looked right back at me! Holy smokes that was close! another 1 or 2 minutes goes by and she finaly drops her head and goes up a palmetto trail- wheeeew I can relax and knock that dang arrow! The short trail she walked up is the SAME trail she busted me at (smelled me) a week ago. I wait and to my amazement she comes back out the same trail 2 or 3 minutes later (which would be headed the other direction- initial movement being right to left it was now left to right) she went from 5 yards and not busting me to 15-18 yards. when she droped her head I got ready to draw. she looked away and I drew only to have my right elbow hit a log on the back side of the ground blind! youhavegotobekiddingme! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
So I am at half draw with a 3" log behind me the doe heard that and now is staring at me again, and I am stuck- no way can I hold that 1/2 draw for long so I drop my right elbow and continue the draw with her watching. I find anchor but no way am I in alignment- I am doing a reverse funky chicken or something? I hold it for about 3 seconds and it "feels" decent to take the shot until I let the string fly from my fingers..... The angle my elbow was at made me pluck the string. I knew it was a bad shot, it sucked. I watched the arrow fly not towards the lungs but back, back, wayyyy back and low, real low- I saw the impact. She tensed and stayed there. didnt run off, didnt bolt, just stayed there. she dropped her head and bobbed it up and down to try and "find" me but I didnt move. she casualy walked off with a pause to look back over her shoulder towards my direction. she went bahind a palm and I knocked another arrow- rolled around the tree to my right and followed her now out of range for almost 100 yards till she dissapeared out of sight- I set the bow down and walked up to where the impact was. no blood! YES, NO BLOOD! I was so freaking happy I knew it was a pass through, but it was soooooo low and so far back- not in the ham or leg just forward of that. I looked for the arrow- found it 15 feet away. no blood! just a little meat and hair at the fletching. that doe will live to see another day! the only thing better would have been if I had missed her completely. What a relief. never again will I compromise my shot like that and I am soooo glad she was not gut shot. It was just a huge learning experience for me.
If ya havent hunted on the ground with a ghillie ya got to try it! what a rush!
L.R . :knothead:
I would love to but have never looked in to it. Im guessing the suits aren't cheap either.
Learning experience for sure. Hope you get another good chance at her. Bet bunch of folks have had a shot or two we'd take back for whatever reason.
I plan different shots from any stand & various directions the animal may come. Even draw my bow for confirmation beforehand. Hate being hamstrung. Ghillies make me nervous with all the hanging camo. Never shot in one.
I built mine from scratch and it takes a little getting used to but not any worse than wearing a hunting jacket when its cold out-
Only thing I'll say is if you hunt enough you WILL make a poor shot and you will wound an animal. There are simply too many variables in hunting animals for this not to happen. Not saying you don't try an mitigate all these factors. But the truth is its probably gonna happen sooner or later.
I've probably killed upwards of 70 big game animals in my life--mostly with guns but more than a dozen with a bow. And I can recall three animals that I shot and lost. Most every one took a step when the shot broke..although I do know I hit one badly because I made to shot quickly. In any case...you still feel badly and do your best to retrieve the game. But in many cases it doesn't work out. Its just part of the game....
Jeff, that part of the game SUCKS! I practiced for an hour tonight with all my gear and shot well. I'll drop it down to less than 10 yards if I have to, but that makes it reallllllly hard! ha!
L.R.
QuoteOriginally posted by Lone Ranger:
I built mine from scratch and it takes a little getting used to but not any worse than wearing a hunting jacket when its cold out-
Pics of the suit?
will try and get some pics up here for you to see~
Well, for me I found this one spot where it was hot with a huge fresh scrape and big rub. I walked around found the perfect tree, a black locust tree. I took my time and got my stand set. I sat there and had doe come in from the front and actually peed in the scrape. She then stepped out of the scrape and froze looking my way. I slowly looked to my left and down by my tree was a massive ten pointer. I figured he would take off chasing the doe. instead they slowly danced in a circle. She ended up close to the tree 10 yards and the buck was by the scrape 30 yards. So no I had to decide, I want a sure thing meat, or a Then after blowing the shot and sitting there sulking. I heard a crunch, there was the doe still down there. I must of found the one deaf deer in the area. I nocked and arrow and tried swinging behind to my left for the shot, and I said owe. Remember black locust tree, I forgot to trim for a back shot. I kept trying to get lined up and leaning out. Then she finally got to the point I could get drew back, then the buck came back and chased her off. So, not my day am sure not the only one. That is why we call it bowhunting.
sounds like a great day to me one bad shot but That happens to everyone
We all make bad shots sometimes. But its best not to shoot if you only "kinda" feel comfortable.
That shot sounds like a grazing wound, nothing worse than if she snagged herself a bit on a fence. But the intensity of your hunt will stay with you a long time.
That was some exciting hunting right there! I got one of the Bushrag Ghillies recently and am going to put her to the test this season.
cell phone pics- the ghillie looks way better now it is "broken in"!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-DWVyKxrI1I8/ToNmKBSSllI/AAAAAAAAAB8/9SpG8hiUrxQ/s576/IMG_2667.jpg)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3a9GBeP_wtU/ToNm2_lOYeI/AAAAAAAAACE/-dRoUm91CEg/s720/IMG_2671.jpg)
I need to get a shot when I am "exposed" its kinda freaky when a deer stares at you @ 5 yards with nothing between you and her then they just ignore you like your not there and they walk off.....
L.R.
Sounds like a great hunt. Nice creation, looks good in the woods too!
Is that an arrow in that log in front of you?
good catch LimBender~ its an old aluminum shaft that I use to mark distances with! its not actualy in the cypress log, just on the other side of it~
L.R.
I loved it!!! I love my ghillie and your story... I can tell you it'll come together more and more as you learn just how that doe putting the head down is many times a fake to try and get you to move...
The adrenaline rush is SO FREAKING KEWL!!! You'll get one soon, I am sure!!!
hopefully tonight- heading out around 5~ We will see. I'd be nice if I could post a picture of my mug on here with a nice doe or that 4 point I have my eyes on!
thanks for all the kind words.
L.R.
Here is mine, you can almost see it. Filming myself and the deer came in the worst possible way, surprised I got what I got.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpgmtG91xaE