I went home to WV for a week of bow hunting last week with my family. I was able to take a really special deer this time.
To start off the story, a few months back, my dad found some Herter's Farbenglass arrows in the basement. He shot those back in the late 1960s. He asked if they would spine out to any of my bows...turns out they shot perfectly out of my mid 70s Bear Grizzly. So I cleaned them up and fletched them with 5" yellow banana cut feathers and tipped them with some Zwickeys Black Diamond Eskimos (donated by a fellow tradganger).
I told Dad I wanted to kill one with that set up. We hunted hard, seeing very few deer. On Tuesday night, hunting from the ground on a beautiful ridge in fresh snow and single digit temps...I got my chance. A deer showed, but due to the contour of the ridge, I could only see the top 3rd of the deer. I realized my arrow should carry the arc of the hill and drop right in the boiler room.
I concentrated on looking "through" the hill. I released and that beautiful yellow arrow spun perfectly clearing that hill and dropping out of site to that perfect "thump" of a good hit! I watched as the deer bolted down the hill and watched it go down. My cousin worked his way to me and we started tracking as it was now dark. We could not find the arrow which was concerning. We had good blood and proceeded, following the trail about 65 yards to a bed - this is where I thought I had seen it go down.
We moved another step and heard a deer bust out and run just ahead of us. A little dejected, we headed out of the woods. The blood was really good, so we had confidence but really wished we could see the arrow for "evidence."
I went back to that spot and in the daylight, noticed my arrow about 10 yards off the deer's trail. It was coated in good blood. What a confidence boost that was.
(http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af295/WJCook/20141119_080841.jpg) (http://s1017.photobucket.com/user/WJCook/media/20141119_080841.jpg.html)
My dad met me and we re-tracked and found a lot more blood. We returned to that bed and quickly found another, then a burst of blood. I found another bed and before I could look further, my dad said "I see him!" At the end of the trail was a small spike. But because of the equipment used, and sharing the find with my dad - this was a GIANT of a trophy to me!!! Dad was a bit emotional, as was I. These pics show where we found him, then 1 after the long drag to the truck.
(http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af295/WJCook/IMG_0022.jpg) (http://s1017.photobucket.com/user/WJCook/media/IMG_0022.jpg.html) (http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af295/WJCook/IMG_0025.jpg) (http://s1017.photobucket.com/user/WJCook/media/IMG_0025.jpg.html)
Thanks for reading and tagging along.
...not sure why my pics came through small and I'm working from my phone. After the holiday I'll use my laptop and post more, and larger, photos.
Congrats on a special buck! :thumbsup:
Congratulations! Great read and special deer.
Awesome story! Congrats!!!!
Great story....and congrats on the deer brother!!
Nothing better than sharing hunting memories with family!
Great memories was made. Congratulations!
Excellent....congrats!!!
Great story! Congrats to you!
Congratulations on a true trophy! Those old Herter's Farbenglass arrows were great. That's all I used in the late '60's and early 70's. Nice story also! :clapper:
Bernie
Awesome!
Congrats!! Those memories are the most important thing of all as far as I'm concerned
Good story and shot !
Thanks for sharing.
congrats
Great! Congrats!
Very cool! Congratulations!
Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful story. Great ending.
Cool! :thumbsup: Congrats!
I realized I didn't discuss the hit! I hit the back of the foreside lung and drilled the liver. Very deadly shot - but took a little longer to expire which is why we jumped him initially on accident. From his posture when I found him and the sign, it was obvious the sounds we heard that night were his final few steps and a crash.
Thanks for the comments! I moved to NC over 10 years ago and still do this 9-day bowhunt with family back home in WV every year. Memories like this are why!!!
That's too cool. :thumbsup: Good shooting also.
How cool is this?......Way!..... I am saying!!!!
Thank you for sharing!!
:archer:
Much more to a real trophy than big antlers. Congratulations!
Awesome hunt!
Congrats,
Bisch
congrats! sounds like a hunt your going to remember the rest of your life!
I replaced the tiny pics with larger, better quality ones now that I'm not trying to work from my phone. ;)
Excellent pics. Congrats.
Nice deer and well told story. Congrats!
Great story, congrats!
Congratulations on a memorable hunt.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats on the nice buck! Great shot with that vintage grizzly!
Cool story. Thanks for sharing! Congrats!
Congratulations on your time with your dad and family. The buckis icing on the cake.
Greqt job Brother!
Sounds like a great time!. Activities with family are always special, but stepping back into yesteryear makes it even better. I remember the old fiberglass arrows and liked them. I had some but never killed a deer with them.
congrats! great story
Great Story, I enjoyed it immensely :campfire:
Congratulations!
great job Jonathan! Which part of WV are you from?
Great hunt and great story! I hunt with my dad, who has been a bowhunter since 1951, every year and he gets as excited as a kid on Christmas when there's a hit deer to be found.
Congrats on your success. Thanks for sharing. :archer2:
What a great story. To still have your Dad involved makes it even better. Congratulations on the whitetail, too. Not every trophy needs a tape measure to make it special!
Allen, I'm from Petersburg, WV ...not too far from you. But this hunt took place on my cousin's farm in Braxton County, near Flatwoods.
I've been living near Charlotte for over 10 years but the mountains never leave you.
Congrats! :thumbsup:
I am happy for you!!!
MAY THE SPIRIT OF FRED BEAR GUIDE OUR ARROWS.
Congrats on the buck! Great memories were made.
That's great, congrats!
Good Stuff! Thanks for sharing! Congrats.
:thumbsup: :archer:
Congratulations on a fine buck! Great adventure and it should provide some good eating! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup: