Well, I think I picked the warmest morning of the season to try and fill a PA antlerless tag. Good for me that the deer cooperated :) . I have no hero shots, no long stories, no drama. This was a fat, year and a half old...one of 10 or 12 deer near my stand in the oaks...and the first one to give me a broadside shot at 20 yards. I was shooting a 41# Widow PCHX with 35-55 GT arrows and 225 grain single bevel Steel Force heads. Shot was square in the chest and the deer went only 45 yards before piling up. There is one piece of bad news: My arrow rocketed out of the off-side and is still MIA. Sure would like to get it back. I think those pink and white fletchings are good luck. :archer2:
Good Hunting Everyone.
Claudia
Congrats Claudia. Good to see You posting on here again.
Hope You have many more filled tags this year.
bretto
Waydago Claudia :thumbsup:
Congrats Pinecone!
Bisch
:campfire: :campfire:
41#, 20 yard shot, pass thru......I guess that says it all. Well Done Pinecone!! :thumbsup:
Congratulations Claudia! I am glad to see you are still with us on the site. :wavey:
Congrats Claudia!
Congratulations. Hap
:clapper:
OUTSTANDING! :thumbsup:
Congrates Pinecone! Sounds like an exciting morning.
Well done !!!! :thumbsup:
Bill
Well Done Claudia!
Good job
Awesome!!!
Well done Claudia!
Claudia, I always enjoy your posts. Congrats
Good for you!
:clapper: :clapper:
CONGRATES...i bet it eats better than the moose stk i had for supper...
Good job!!!!!
Congrats Claudia!
great stuff...does are delicious and onerous to hunt... more wary than bucks...but because they are more plentiful...they SEEM easier to hunt ....CONGRATZ
Glad to see you back.. Always enjoy your posts.
Congrats on your first of the year !
Congrats (and great shot)! Hope you find that arrow.
Congrats, :clapper: Would love to see a pic. What was your total arrow weight?
Great Job, Congrats!
Congrats Claudia!
Congrats!
Wool hoo!
Lady Pinecone is back at it. Even your bare bones story is entertaining. But that's the last time will allow that. You are a true word smith so next time let er rip!
Glad you found yourself a good spot to hunt.
:thumbsup: Congrats! :thumbsup:
Claudia, have been missing your writings, and am delighted to see you back. You always bring a breath of fresh air to these meanderings, along with a very perceptive ladies-eye-view of hunting that some of us fail to recognize as a legitimate stance.
I for one am proud to see you gracing these pages again, and look forward to more of your prose.
Thank You,
Murray
Thank you, Everyone! It is soooo good to be back :wavey: !
I was asked about arrow weight, so here are the particulars: 552 grains which is nearly 13.5 grains per pound of arrow weight and high FOC.
Many archers feel this is way too heavy...well, I respectfully disagree. Some years ago, I kept notes of two years of my critter kills. During that period, I killed multiples of whitetails, antelope, mule deer, and hogs. To cut to the chase, the hands-down best performing arrow in terms of penetration was the heaviest @ 13 GPP of weight.
Example: Two mule deer,one each in subsequent years. Bow weight and shot distance the same each year. Deer 1)Shot was slightly quartering-toward. First deer...570 grain arrow from a 46# bow entered behind shoulder and went full length in the deer busting a rib, blowing out in front of the rear-off hip. Recovery 70 yards. Deer 2) Everything virtually the same except the arrow weight which was just under 10 GPP. This time, however, the arrow failed to break the rib and was deflected. I got the deer, but it required a long tracking job and follow-up shot.
Many people express concerns about trajectory with heavy arrows, but honestly, at the distances that most of us kill critters with a trad, this is not an issue.
I believe that everyone should hunt with what works for them, but I also encourage those who have been reluctant to try heavy arrows to give them a go. IMO, especially when using low poundage bows, arrow weight definitely matters!
Congrats Claudia!
Yes Ma'am, very good tag fill.
Congratulations. :thumbsup:
Glad to see you back again Claudia.
I hope you find/found your arrow too?.?.?.?.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :archer:
Congrats Claudia :clapper:
Congrats; that's one time I never feel bad about loosing or breaking an arrow.
Good job Claudia. :thumbsup: Were you able to go antelope hunting this year?
Congrats!!!!! :thumbsup:
Claudia, good for you!
Shick
Atagirl! I need your inspiration!
I hate losing arrows. I think I would rather break one than lose one. That way at least there is closer. Hope you find it soon.
Congrats Claudia! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats!
Awesome! :archer2:
:thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :notworthy:
nice shoot'n
Great job Claudia! Mike
Thanks for your advice for those with low poundage bows. I agree 100%. Congrats again on your harvest.
Awesome. Congrats!
Congrats!
Congratulations!!! :clapper:
Clean pro job,Claudia well done!
:thumbsup:
Congrats well done
:thumbsup:
Great story and Great advise on the arrow setup :archer:
Thank you all again. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to take this whitetail. I've been lucky enough to kill some nice critters over time, but the last several years have been a challenge for a variety of reasons. After dropping my bow weight, rehabbing my junk spine, and finally finding reliable hunting grounds in PA, I am starting a new and improved chapter in my bowhunting life. The deer I took this week was my first trad deer in PA and I simply cannot express just how grateful I really am.
Claudia
:thumbsup: :clapper:
Congrats to ya!
Congrats. I like your style
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats Claudia......I just now saw this thread! Hope all is well!
Congratulations Claudia! :clapper:
My kind of hunter :)
Great job Claudia. I too am a fan of heavy arrows. I shoot 55# mostly and my arrows weigh in at right at 800gr with 300 gr head 100gr brass insert ,AD Hammerhead lite shaft at 348gr(11.5 gpi and 30.5" length), add in the fletch,cap dip and g nock with aluminum adaptor and I am probably pushing 400 gr without the brass insert and point. Heavy works.
Great job Claudia! Love hearing from other gals on this site!
Congratulations!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations, Claudia! :thumbsup:
Awesome Pinecone ! Glad to see you back here too !
As for that lost arrow.... I would bet my hat if you go back and take your time not only will you find that arrow but you will be amazed at how you walked right past it the first few times you were looking for it...... :readit: I went back and found several like that and bout fell over when I finally could "see " them seemingly laying right on top of the ground in plain sight. Amazing how much better you can see when the adrenaline has worn off. Of course you also know that men cannot find items in plain sight if they are aggravated and the wifey walks right up and hands it to us. Remember "Dances with Wolves" when Kicking Bird could not find his pipe to exchange with John Dunbar ( Kevin Costner) and Kicking Bird's wife was standing patiently by him and hands it to him..... :laughing:
Good job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great job Claudia! You definitely make a case for using heavy arrows. Congratulations on your hunt!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin