I have worked for two years trying to tag a white tailed deer with a long bow and I have learned more about whitetails than in 10 years of rifle hunting. Last night it came together. A lot of things went right and a few went wrong but in the end I was able to get my early season whitetail buck! My first with traditional equipment!
I located a low stand at the corner of a harvested pea field just off the field, on the low side of a gentle ridge. This is where a number of deer come around the corner of the wide open ground, stick to cover and head out to a new alfalfa field. This stand is generally no good in the afternoons as the winds blow to the NE into the bedding areas that the deer are leaving on their way to food. But last night I thought I would check it out since I got busted out in my evening spot the night before. When I arrived at around 4pm and parked I was surprised to find the wind blowing roughly west and south. Perfect! These whitetails would not have the wind in their faces as they came out of the timber and towards the food. I was excited as I climbed into my stand but things were dead for an hour. Then it happened, I spotted a small doe and watched as she slowly moved up slope through the tall grass 60 yards away. Then after her a little 3 point buck. They disappeared behind several pines for a half an hour. Then it happened. The little buck emerged from behind a pine tree and began working his way towards my stand. He stayed on course and I had to settle my heart beat. Wait for it... zap. But to my dismay, the buck collapsed and struggled. I had missed my mark (heart/lungs) and broken his back. Fortunately, by the time it was over he lay dead at the bottom of the ravine just to the south of my stand just as night began to fall.
As it happened in calling home to let folks know I would be late, my oldest son was just home after work and wanted to help me out - and boy did I welcome it. He drove out met me and we drug the buck up and out of the ravine. Lot of work and I was very grateful for my son's help since this little 3 point didn't feel small at all going straight up hill. I couldn't have been happier. I used a JD Berry Argos bow – 48@28 and a GT traditional shaft/50 grain insert and a Magnus two blade head at 125 grains.
I included a couple of photos of deer from the game cam and the pines just to let you in on the type of country we hunt here in this part of E. Washington. Lots of open pine forests.
Some last thoughts on this experience:
•Life is sacred and hunting and spending time with nature using traditional tools puts me in touch with this! I have a lot of gratitude that I get to be a part of it.
•I must improve my shooting under pressure!!! I was lucky not to lose this deer. :pray:
•I worked hard to understand WT deer behavior, the wind and terrain. It worked!
•Whitetail deer are absolutely awesome critters for which I have a huge respect.
•Many thanks to JD Berry for helping me in shooting, for creating such great hunting bows, and last thanks for the loaner tree stand that I used to shoot this deer.
Season is over early for me so I guess fall turkeys are now my focus! Thanks!
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b530/jwhitetail/P1010509_zpsaa108079.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jwhitetail/media/P1010509_zpsaa108079.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b530/jwhitetail/P1010532_zpsdcc05e64.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jwhitetail/media/P1010532_zpsdcc05e64.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b530/jwhitetail/PICT0210_zpsc6add413.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jwhitetail/media/PICT0210_zpsc6add413.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b530/jwhitetail/PB250228-1.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/jwhitetail/media/PB250228-1.jpg.html)
Awesome!!!
Congrats!!
Congrats looks like all your hard work paid off.
Nice job
Great Job
Your hooked now!!!! Have fun.
Nice deer
Great Job
Your hooked now!!!! Have fun.
Nice deer
Way to go! I'm happy for ya! But you westerners got your counting all wrong. That's an 8 point! HA! Congratulations again and good luck with the turkeys. Beautiful country out there!
Congrats!
Way to go! I'm happy for ya! But you westerners got your counting all wrong. That's an 8 point! HA! Congratulations again and good luck with the turkeys. Beautiful country out there!
:thumbsup:
Awesome!
Congrats on the first of many I hope. Good of your son to share this experience with you.
QuoteOriginally posted by jonsimoneau:
Way to go! I'm happy for ya! But you westerners got your counting all wrong. That's an 8 point! HA! Congratulations again and good luck with the turkeys. Beautiful country out there!
Couldn't have said it better myself!
Great story and pics!
Outstanding! Great story
Eric
OUTSTANDING!!!! Your outlook on hunting and your respect for the animals is very commendable. The picture of you and your son is priceless! Congrats! :clapper: :clapper:
Nice, congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Yeah buddy! Congrats
Congratulations!
Congratulations on your first. I enjoyed the story.
Awesome buck! Congrats on your first whitetail. Since this is in Washington is that considered a Columbian whitetail?
Hearty congrats and thanks for sharing.
Congrats!!
Congrats......the first is always the sweetest.
:thumbsup: :clapper: That is what it is all about.congrats Kip
Congrats on your first!
Thanks for the comments guys... Victory Hunter, my buck is probably the O. v. ochrourus subspecies which is a wide spread form of whitetail in the NW - there are lots of them and they are very adaptable - they will live under your back porch if you let them. The Columbian is a little different subspecies that lives in small pockets around the Columbia River. They are pretty rare.
We have a lot of mule deer in this area as well but the seasons are slightly more restrictive on them as they aren't doing quite as well as the Whitetails.
And yes I AM HOOKED! I will spend the Nov. rut scouting for next year.
Congrats! and very nice 8 point.
Awesome! Good luck with the turkey hunting. Keep us posted.
Great story, thanks for sharing and congratulations!
Great story, I thoroughly enjoyed it And congrats
X3 Ya, here in the east we call that an 8 point. Nice Buck, Big congrats. Took me years and years to get over buck fever. Did I say I'm over it......I'm not so sure. Enjoy the triump. BTW I spine shot my first Buck also, but every one since then has taken one threw the heart or lungs. I wish you the same!
How cool is this?...Way!!!...I'm saying!!!!...
Congratulations Jerry!!
I have to admit I was hoping to see that your buck(8pt BTW) had been stung to death by your JD Berry "Bumblebee" "North Star"...lol
Thanks for sharing not only your trophy but your son with us.
God bless,Mudd
Very cool! Congrats!
Great job!
Boy them smiles say it all! Congrats!
Congrats! Nothing else like trad.
Congrats on a fine buck! :archer:
Nice Work :wavey:
thanks for the story. Congrats!
Awesome story and Great Job!
Congrats. :clapper:
Nice buck !!
Congrats.
Very nice buck and great story.
Jerry, Congratulations on your hunt and harvest of an awesome deer. Thanks for the story
Awesome! May it be the first of many!
Congrats!
JWhitetail.... outstanding!!! I'm hoping to make my JD Berry Vixen speak whitetail soon. Congrats on a nice buck and for your first trad kill!!
Congrats on a beautiful deer, and great story!
Awesome accomplishment, Congrats!
Excellent experience. Thanks for sharing, and thanks foe the great photos.
An excellent first, congrats! :thumbsup:
Congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great Buck and congratulations. I bet sharing that time with your son was also extra special!!!
I am excited for you and know how you feel, I took my first last year with a longbow.
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Great Buck and congratulations. I bet sharing that time with your son was also extra special!!!
I am excited for you and know how you feel, I took my first last year with a longbow.
X2!
The same kind of smile when he out shot Dan and I this summer at the archery range,lol. Jerry, does this mean that I cant call you the "Gobbler" any more? CONGRETS!! James
Congrats!! Nice buck! Hopefully the first of many!!! :thumbsup:
I am headed to the dry side in a couple weeks. Hunting with my bow during muzzleloader season due to work constraints.
Sharing this experience with my son really made it beyond words for me. I will hold on to this memory.
Hey James, with venison in the freezer I will be bugging you to get back out on the range - nick name or not - LOL. (Don't forget your buck!)
Great job!
Congrats!
Looks like nice hunting grounds, and you've got them figured out. Have fun keeping the freezer full!
Bear Heart, if your in the Spokane parts, drop by the shop. James
Good Work!
And got your son involved, too. NICE.
Nice job and congrats on your first whitetail with the longbow! Can't imagine being tagged out this early in the season.....thankful for multiple tags. :)
Outstanding!! Enjoyed the story!
Congrats Jerry :thumbsup: very nice WA WT
That's simply awesome! I really liked your story and your philosophy of your hunting. It's great to have a son help with the manual labor! Good luck with your turkey hunting and congratulations on a fine trophy! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Congratulations Jerry. All those days we shot at Evergreen Archery payed off. Next year we will be going to the Blue Mountains to bring home a elk. Once again, Congratulations!!!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats!!!
Jerry, I am just thrilled for you, I know how much you have planned and practiced for just this outcome. To share it with your son just makes it more perfect. Now you'll be buying bows for two. lol
I came in after three days to dry out and head out again in the morning. Reading about your good fortune just made my day.
Iam moving up the list on my first Berry bow so maybe I can use it this winter.
Again, congrats on your accomplishment.
Mike
congrats!!
Good job!
Congratulations. Great story and glad the hard work paid off. Good luck with the Turks.
Jamie
Congrats!!! Well done. :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great story! :thumbsup:
Thanks again, all!
Danny and James, I am hoping we still have a few days at the range together before the snow flies and Heck yeah lets chase elk in the Blues in 14!
Mike, I've been wondering about your season up there... here's wishing you luck in the Valley and you will love that Vixen!
Mudd - the Bumblebee will see action on the Turkeys and Next year the Vixen is the hunting bow!
Pulled the stand out of the woods today... I will miss hunting the rut. Ah well, life is good. :goldtooth:
Never shot a Berry bow but I see you are having good luck with em.
Thanks for sharing your hunt! Great job on getting that buck. I especially like the the father and son shot!!
Congrats!
nice job! :thumbsup:
Congrats!
Congratulations, and thanks for the inspiration; Post-conversion, I'm still seeking my first traditional deer.
That is a great story! Congratulations.
Congrats!!
Sweet!!!!
Congrats!!!
Congrats! Even better that you got to share the experience with your son.