Today was the last day of deer season for me. (The county I live in has a late Archery season but sadly I have nowhere to hunt.) What a day the season ender was for me, from elation to feeling like a complete idiot. I apologize in advance that I have only a single image to post. Please read through to the end and you will understand why.
Last night we (wife daughter and me) went to a friend's house for a new years eve party. I was planning to be there till 9 or 10 but the wife obviously wanted to stay till midnight. I protested, said I needed to get some sleep because January 1st is the last day of deer season. I finally told her at 10:15, "I am going home, you can go with me now or get someone to bring you home when you are ready to come home.
So, at around 12:15 I finally get to leave and head home. :knothead: I'm in the bed by 1am, asleep by maybe 1:30am. The clock went off at 5am and I almost did not get up to go, but I did. Showered, loaded up and headed to a WMA with a late 1 week archery season that ended today.
It was cool and drizzling off and on for much of the morning. Calm winds but nothing was moving. Was kinda weird. No squirrels, no deer, not even any birds. Needless to say I was not feeling very optimistic. Then at around 10:30 I hear a bunch of noise behind me, I slowly turn and a doe is running full tilt behind me. I did not think she was even going to slow down but suddenly she slams on the brakes right behind a small Birch tree still loaded with leaves. She stands there for the next 15-20 minutes stomping but never blows or snorts. I can see parts of her but no way to take a shot. She finally turned and started walking back the way she came but is extremely jumpy and nervous. Wind was blowing across my face so no way she smelled me, not sure what had her so jumpy. I had my bow up and was saying to myself, "pick a spot and aim low". Shot was not meant to be, she disappeared back the way she came.
I started to climb down but I figured since she never sounded the alarm then maybe something else would come by. The wind was supposed to start picking up after lunch so I figured I would stay till the wind got rough and then call it a season. I sent the wife a text and said I was going to stay a bit later than normal as I usually leave the woods around 11-11:30. I had just put my phone back in my backpack when movement caught my eye. It was another doe traveling the same path as the previous doe but this one was coming from the direction the other deer was originally heading. This deer was not alarmed at all so I crossed my fingers. She walked into an opening, I was already at full draw and picked a spot near the bottom of her chest, waited till her front offside leg was moving forward and released. I don't remember seeing the flight of the arrow. The doe jumped forward, took several trotting steps and stopped. Seriously??? I missed???? Impossible!!!!!! I eased another arrow out of my quiver and knocked it hoping for another shot. She was walking away from me now, slowly. No white flag, no blowing, basically no reaction at all. I am totally frustrated with myself, ready to pull my hair out, then something looked funny. I thought I saw her wobble a bit, then she tried to run forward but made it just a few yards and went down nose first. She tried to keep moving but just kind of rolled and kicked a few times. She was down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was full tilt River Dancing in my stand!!! I couldn't believe it.
So I lowered my stuff down and walked over to where she was when I shot. Took my phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture. Could not find my arrow right away so I walked over to my doe and still could not believe it. I touched her with my bow to make sure she was done. I cleaned her up a bit and moved her into a nice pose and took a couple pics of her with my John Schulz. At this point I just sat down and stared at her for a few minutes and reflected on the day and the season. A few minutes later I walked back to the spot where I had shot her, finally found my arrow buried in the leaves and dirt and then I paced the distance back to my tree. 23 yards.
I sent Buddy Bell an email with a teaser pic, (the only one I have now)
(http://i.imgur.com/7bur4.jpg)
then threw my phone in my backpack. I took off my Asbell pullover as I was already getting warm, rolled it up and crammed it in my backpack and I took my climber off the tree and got it ready to pack out. I hung my backpack on my stand, threw the stand on my back, grabbed my bow and quiver and headed over to the doe. I strapped the doe to my safety rope and started dragging her to my truck.
Now to get down to my truck I have to go down a 15' straight drop from the woods down to the road so when I get there I leave the doe and take my stand, bow and other gear down first. I went back, got the deer down to the truck and by this time I am super heated, the thermals I needed at 7am were killing me. I stripped my thermals off and then started loading up. Put my bow and quiver in the cab, throw my stand in the back drag the doe into the back and headed to a local processor. Had a nice chat with the processor, was dying to tell the story to someone. He weighed her, 127 pounds, I told him I would gut her (he charges $10). My 145 grain STOS took out the heart, almost centering it. After telling the owner how I wanted her processed I hit the road.
So, I get home and take my bow and quiver inside and head down to the basement. Put my bow up and head to my PC to send Buddy another email. Reached into my pants pocket for my phone and remembered I had put it in my pack.............where is my backpack???? I went back to my truck and no backpack. I had left it on the side of the road!!!!!!!!! My backpack, phone, binoculars, wool pullover are all in the backpack sitting where my truck was parked. I yell to my wife that I have to go back to the WMA and tell her why.
I get back to where I was parked about 2 hours after I left. Backpack is gone. I guess someone saw it, and decided to keep it! $100 backpack, iPhone 4 that will cost me $400+ to replace, Nikon Monarch 10x binoc $300 (just bought this year, first quality pair of binocs I ever owned) and my new Asbell Wool pullover all gone! I went to AT&T but unless someone brings the phone in there isn't anything they can do so I have to buy a new phone. So, only the one picture and I am out close to $1000 bucks. Mad at myself for being in too big of a hurry, feel like a such a moron. However despite it all I am still on a high. The items can be replaced, the experience of today will never be replaced! Honestly, what bothers me most is I have no pics, but today is permanently etched into my memory. In close to 30 years of deer hunting I have never felt a thrill like today. I can't wait for September to get here!
I have to tell everyone what a great guy Buddy Bell is! I doubt he has any idea how much he helped me. (Even though I have told him) He has given me advice and words of encouragement when I was frustrated. Helped me choose my first longbow, not by telling me what I needed or wanted but by asking me questions that helped me figure out what I wanted to try and then answering all of my questions. Sure wish he lived closer, just the kind of hunting partner I have never been able to find.
Thank you Buddy from the bottom of my heart! I can't wait to shake your hand one day soon!
Also, thanks to everyone else at Trad Gang for all the answered questions, great advice and how to guides. And thanks for letting me share my success story!
Happy New Year everyone!
Boy! I don't know what to say! Obviously, congratulations for hanging in there to the end and shooting a doe on your last day. I could hardly believe what I was reading about your misfortune with your backpack and equipment. What a way to spoil a party.
Your story truly is a success story, but I feel bad that someone would make off with your equipment! Sometimes it's hard to have a lot of faith in humanity.
Again, congratulations and thanks for sharing your story!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Awesome dude! congrats. sorry about your gear!
Congradulations. Hap
Way to go sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
A hunt to remember that's for sure!
way to keep at it,dont give up on the equpiment call around and post on your local boards we found a compound on the side of the road this year and with a little help got it back to its owner.
Don't ever give up! :thumbsup: Buddy Bell does seem to be a pretty good guy. Your fortunate to have a fella like him him to share info and stories with.
Way to go!!!!!
Congrats!
Bisch
don't know what to say about your gear but a BIG CONGRATES is in oreder for the clean first trad kill!!!
:dunno:
Way to go! Congrats!!
congrats on the doe!
sorry about the gear. Call your phone and tell'em you want your stuff back.
Steve - Congrats! Great story!
Sad that someone feels the need to take your stuff. I once dropped my cell phone while grocery shopping in the market - didn't realize I had even lost it (never heard it hit the floor) - until I was 1/2 home! I then called my phone using my girlfriends cell and the market customer service attendant answered, said someone shopping found my phone and actually was decent enuff to turn it in to the customer service counter! I lucked out on that one! I then returned to the store and promptly picked it up! I would TRY calling your phone and if no one answers - leave a message that there IS a REWARD for the safe return of the backpack and contents. Maybe you will get lucky and whoever found it IS a decent person and just didn't know WHO it belonged to and thought that MAYBE if they did pick it up they might be able to get it back to the rightful owner? I know the chances of such in today's world are pretty slim - but one never knows the morals of whomever picked up that pack! I do hope that you are able to recover everything you lost. I would like to believe that a fellow hunter(s) would have enuff respect for another fellow hunter and be honest enuff to return it. Wishful thinking I know....but maybe, just maybe!
Anyway, great story and thanks for sharing! And yes - Buddy Bell is a great guy from this forum and has been helping me as well rethink my current 3-blade BH choice after starting to read some of Dr. Ashby's reports on BH choice, penetration tests, etc.
Enjoy those steaks and keep us posted on IF anyone has the decency to return your stuff to you!
I hope things turn out good for ya.good job on your deer
Congratulations on the deer way to stick it out!
I would check with the police dept in the town you were hunting maybe someone turned in your gear. Maybe even a patrol car picked it up. It might be worth a try?
I can really feel for you, I had a DB blind stolen last year and it really ticks me off every time I think about it. Good luck, Glen
Monster heartshot Steve!! Great job on a beautiful big deer!! One for Schulz!
Congratulations on a great first deer! I hope the gear somehow ends up with a happy ending, but even if it doesn't, the memories you have can't be lost.
:clapper: :clapper:
Congrats !!!
I once shot a big 10 pointer on a lease that we had never seen anything like what i had shot. I was 18yrs old and saved up all summer to buy this weapon. Man was i proud this thing was a work of art.
Total cost back then was $1,800 dollars, anyway i got the rope which wasn't mind, i borrowed it from my dad's friend because i had mine on another stand. Well the rope was dry rotted when my weapon got 2 feet down from the tree it broke.
I swear it looked like it was falling in slow motion and when it hit the dround it landed on a big root from the tree i was in and sounded like a car wreck.
Biggest buck i had ever killed at the time and in the process ruined $1,800 dollars of hunting gear. I didn't know whether to be excited or start crying.
Joe Van
Congrats on your doe! :thumbsup:
GMASIUK - wow, that was pretty LOW of someone to do something like that! God - people are something!
Yep, and the kicker to it was that it was on private land. And it was set up on a Saturday afternoon and I was to hunt our monday morning opening day.
Man was I in a tear when I got there before first light and it was gone. I think I know who took it but can't prove it.
So now when I leave soomthing out I don't expect it there when I return. IE : I don't leave anything of value.
It stinks that people are so evil.
Congratulations on the deer. I hope your stuff shows up.
Congrats on your first! Nothing like it!
I did almost the same thing one year with my gear, longbow included, but I got lucky and all my stuff was still there the next morning- covered with 2" of fresh snow! I also got lucky recovering the doe as all the blood was covered as well.
Truly hope someone is decent enough to return your gear...good luck.
Congrats on the harvest. Hopefully whomever took your pack will return it.
Congrats! Thanks for sharing a unique experience. Hope the gear shows up.
Boy Steve, I sure was enjoying your story until the end. I hope this person gets to feeling bad about what they,ve done and gets to experience the pleasure of returning it. Nice job on the kill and way to stick it out!
Sorry to hear about your gear gone missing like that. I wonder if your insurance company would cover something like that.
Congrats though on the great hunt and doe you took, a great accomplishment.
Nice story. Congratulations!!
Nice,Congrats,,,,
Thanks for sharing,,,
Congrats on your deer. There are ways to track your iPhone. Check with your service provider.
Congrats on your doe,As being fellow hunters it is really sad that other hunters dont respect fellow hunters property.Now if the shoe was on the other foot they would feel your pain brother.It just sickens me to hear this type of mishaps.What they should have done was take it to police station or leave it there.Dont worry my friend God never sleeps he will bless you in ways you will never know.Take Care and Happy New Year
QuoteOriginally posted by Lonala:
Congrats on your doe,As being fellow hunters it is really sad that other hunters dont respect fellow hunters property.Now if the shoe was on the other foot they would feel your pain brother.It just sickens me to hear this type of mishaps.What they should have done was take it to police station or leave it there.Dont worry my friend God never sleeps he will bless you in ways you will never know.Take Care and Happy New Year
I keep telling myself it probably wasn't a hunter. Since this WMA is fairly small and most access is from the road side I suspect it was someone just riding by that spotted it. If I left it where I think I did it would have been maybe 8' from the road.
Congrats on the deer!
I hope your gear finds it's way back to you. I found a phone last winter that had been buried under several feet of snow for 5 weeks. I found a charger that fit it and I couldn't believe that sucker still worked! I called the fella and he came and got it.
If the person that found it doesn't return it, that will be one rotten way to start off a new year for him, and I hope he has an ugly 2012.
Steve, congrats!
Wish I was there to see it (and maybe notice your pack). What a great accomplishment - and on public land, no less!
As you said, things can be replaced, but the experience is what will last.
Ben
Congratulations on your trophy. Something I am sure that you will never forget.
Congrats on hanging in there, glad you got your doe. Hope you can recover your gear. Good luck
not sure if someone said this but go to your local Craigslist and check the lost and found and place a lost ad there.. my buddy got back a simms fishing pack this way and I did this with keys I found down near the ocean and a women e-mailed me and described them perfect so I mailed them back to here and un expectedly got 20 bucks in a thank you card sprayed with perfume a couple weeks later,,, I know what you might be thinking but the wife would be done with me..
Craigslist works sometimes just mention in your ad if anyone replys to use a certain word or comment in the heading or you don't open it.
Way to go buddy!
Don't know how I missed this earlier but I'm glad you hung in there
We might have to call you Last Day Man or somethin'!!
Perseverance is a huge asset in bowhunting and you proved its value with this kill!
Looking forward to being there when u get it first hog!!!!!
Thanks Ray! Preserverence paid off in more ways than one. In looknig back through my hunting log for the seaon, I think I saw more deer than I ever have in a single season and 90% of my hunting was public land. Just did not have many inside my self imposed limit but I do think my constant pursuit to get closer and understand my surroundings is the reason for the increase in sightings.
I have already started scouting for next season and plan to do so most of this coming Saturday. Sunday I will be at the NGTA shoot.
You have no idea how much I am looking forward to February. Shooting my new HH daily, bought a 3d hog target for practice (ring placement is useless but always is) and I am getting the new STOS 160s sharpened! Can't wait!!!!!
Congrats on your deer! I hate you left your gear.
Congrats on a fine deer, hope you get your things back. Keep us posted!!!
No luck on the gear everyone. In fact at this point I am just writing it off. It helps to tell myself that whomeever picked it up needed it worse than me. (Probably not but it will help me deal with it without getting my blood pressure up!!!!! :mad: )
But should anything change I will be sure to let you all know.
Thank you for sharing the hunting story. Congrats on the deer. I hate to hear that about your gear being stolen. Elation to depression in a day. Sounds like you have put sometime in this year on the bowhunts. Hard work pays off. Good to hear about the last chance success. Really cool the way that happens shooting at game and go into a "zone". Interesting that there is less awareness or conscious thought of the process. All those arrows "in training" lead to a "conditioned instinct" as John Schulz puts it. Congrats again.
Congrats on the deer. Sorry about your gear. It must have been the day for it because my ice fishing partner lost about $600 in gear in much the same way on the 1st this year.
Congrats man - can tell you are excited! When I kill something it is almost a part of the ritual for me to lose something. :knothead:
Maybe, just maybe, the person will feel like a scumbag for taking it, look you up on your phone and give you a call. I also wonder if AT&T doesn't have a way of tracking your phone - while it has Big Brother implications, I heard you can track the phones now with GPS if they are turned on.
Well, the phone has been turned off because it is the phone I use primarily for work so I had to have the number. Transferred the number to another phone. AT&T won't even attempt to track it unless you pay for their tracking services. There are also a couple of apps you can apply but again if the phone is not on they don't work.
I have a line on a permanent replacement phone, plus I will get assistance from my employer, so right now the biggest loss is my Binocs but I should be able to replace them in a few weeks. I also already spoke with Mrs. Asbell (Is she just wonderful or what?!?!?!) and I am going to have another pullover made soon to replace the lost one. Waiting to see a new pattern she has coming first.
Congrats! :thumbsup:
Congrats! It will be alright. I kept looking for a post that said someone returned your stuff. I would pick up the pack if I seen it on the side of the road and try to find the owner. I was hoping that is what had taken place.
God Bless,
Nathan