I have hunted on and off for about 25 years. For years I hunted small game, then married into a family of hunters. I was the first to introduce bow hunting and my brother in law became a fan after 4 or 5 years of watching me struggle to harvest a deer. I was a wheelie guy to start with and shot pigs, squirrels, rabbits, fish, raccoons. I never had any luck hunting public land for deer. Yes, I did miss on 2 separate hunts. One shot high and another low. After years of multiple compound bows, I decided to return to my roots. I shot a recurve in elementary school and my father was a phenomenal shot. I witnessed him shooting pennies out of the air. He actually met Fred Bear at a tournament and Fred gave him a string to finish a tournament. He did have a collection of trophies and had harvested his share of many different game. He shot a 45# Ben Pearson with Bear arrows and broadheads. Last year I ordered a Blacktail Elite VL from Norm Johnson. The best purchase I have ever made. I had shot a Hoyt Dorado the year before, but yearned for the feel of wood. Last year was uneventful. I hunted out of a climber, and I truly feel that the noise of the climber was a factor in not seeing any deer. This year I bought a Millenium Loc on with gorilla climbing sticks. I was able to get 20 feet up. October 2nd was a brisk 45 degrees. I hunted in the morning and had a yearling doe present at 0810. Well, the nerves got the best of me. Yes, I failed to pick a spot and bend at the waist. A fifteen yard shot saw the arrow fly 2 inches over the deer's back. The deer just slowly walked off and I don't think she even knew I was there. Last Friday on October 19th, the weather was cool again. It was 46 degrees, no mosquitos which is rare for Louisiana. I stayed standing once daylight arrived. At 0740 I heard footsteps. I saw a small deer approaching from my left. The area I am hunting is filled with oak trees and I decided to do very little lane cutting. I wanted it to stay as natural as possible. Well, this deer was intent on coming into this oak flat. I do believe it was the same yearling I missed 2 weeks prior. She looked for my treestand and kept staring and moving her head trying to get me to move. I played the game with her and only moved when she looked away. After 2 minutes or so of this another yearling came into feed. Now I had two sets of eyes to deal with. I had to deal with the frustration of a miss 2 weeks earlier and now have to watch two deer and attempt a shot. Well, my heart got its stress test. After about 6 or 7 minutes of these deer moving in and out of the trees and briars, both deer stood fairly close together. I decided to take the closer shot at 23 yards. I pulled to anchor, held, then released. I can hardly remember the shot, but I heard the unmistakable thwack and the deer ran about 50 feet, yes feet and not yards. The deer just stood there. I lost sight of her after a few seconds. I looked for my arrow on the ground and saw nothing. At this time I got a terrible case of the shakes. I sat down and shook for about 10 minutes. Once I finally began to get my composure, I decided to pack my bag and wait another 10 minutes. I lowered my bow, climbed down and heard no movement in the woods. All was deadly quiet. I walked toward where the deer was standing when I shot and could not find any sign of blood or the arrow. My heart sank. I looked in the direction of where I had last seen the deer and saw it laying on its abdomen trying to take its last breaths. As heart breaking as it was to not relieve its misery, I did not have a shot with the amount of vegetation. It only lasted about a minute and she laid her head down and took her last breath. I pulled the deer from its final resting spot. The amount of blood on the ground was unbelievable. The VPA 125 grain 3 blade broadhead did its job. I later found my arrow about 5 feet from where I was looking. Things become a little distorted when you are 20 feet up. All the ground looks the same. The arrow entered in the deers flank. I don't know if the deer lurched forward at the shot, or if I just had a bad shot. The shot was a complete pass through and did a quick work of the deer. I called my wife immediately, for she knows that this had been a dream for many years. To finally have killed a deer with a bow, and to have done it with traditional archery gear was something that God granted me. He has a time and place for everything. My dad is long deceased and never hunted with a recurve and never did much rifle hunting. He did not need to. Next weekend opens for rifle season. I have killed many deer with a rifle and shot gun, but I have chosen to hunt the same stand with the same bow. Today I was sharpening the broadhead, refletching arrows, and hoping for another opportunity. My trailcam has many pictures of some 5 to 6 deer in one shot at this location. Two separate 8 point bucks are frequenting the area. If the Good Lord wills it, I hope one of these is the next opportunity. It took years to finally have this happen. I have confidence now in my equipment, my area, and ability. Thanks to all of you for imparting your wisdom on this site. I do want to apologize. I am antiquated in more than my choice of equipment. I have no camera on my cell phone and have no ability to post pictures. I hope you enjoyed the story without the pictures.
Thanks,
Kajun Archer
:archer:
Congratulations my friend, well done! :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Even with getting busted and all the close calls, theres nothing like hunting with trad. gear.
:thumbsup:
Nice shooting and very well told story. :clapper: :clapper:
Awesome well done :thumbsup:
congradulations
YEAP!!!!! :clapper: :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
congrats :thumbsup:
good deal congrats
:thumbsup:
Congratulations Kajun! Nice story!
From a fellow Cajun who now resides in North Carolina and who also just got his first Trad buck success...congratulations! I know how you feel...best trophy ever.
Congrates...
Good morning Vernon congrats hooked now I am sure amazing what a sharp broadhead can do..Where are you from gotta be close to Ville Platte with a last name like that.. :wavey:
Congradulation Vernon . . .
Can't go wrong with a Blacktail, great bows. Where abouts in LA are you? I am on the western side - Longville.
Michael
Thanks for the story and congratulations!@
Nice to see La boy on the board! Good telling.
Kip, I am from Arnaudville originally. Grandmother from Ville Platte originally and lived in Lawtell. Foggy morning this morning. Will hunt this afternoon
Congrats! :thumbsup:
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Way to go!
Wonderfully written story, congrats on a hard earned trophy!
Congrats!
congrats
:campfire:
Good Shootn'!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Pictures/buzzards.gif)
Thanks for sharing your story with us and congratulations on the first (of many I'm sure) Trad deer!
:clapper: :clapper: Congratulations!
No pictures needed. Your excellent story painted it perfectly and captured the excitement and emotions of your first trad deer. Great job, and congratulations!
Way to go!!!
Feels good don't it???..... Congrats
Congrats, great story! :thumbsup:
Way to go and congrats on your first deer! I bet you are really hooked now, huh?
Bisch