Screwed up BAAAADDDD (pics added)

[Dave Bulla]

No, not a bad shot on a deer....WORSE!

Yesterday I went out and hunted for the evening and almost got a chance at a smallish 8 point.  Only deer I saw but still a great night.  Got back to the Expediton, leaned my bow against the side and began unslinging my quiver, canteen and shoulder bag and putting stuff in the truck.  There were two other trucks still in the lot and it was an hour past dark so I figured they might have gotten some action.  I figured I'd stand around a bit and wait for them to see how they did.  After ten minutes or so, I figured the heck with it, I gotta get home, my wife is waiting.  I hopped in the Expedition and drove off.

Remember where I said I put my bow?  I sure as heck didn't....

At least not till this morning at about 5:45 when I was back in the same lot putting on my safety harness to head back in to my stand.  The Expedition has a 60/40 split middle seat and I always hand my bow in by the end and let the string slide down into the split and the bow handle sits across the top of the seat.  Doesn't slide around that way....

This morning when I reached for my bow, I did a double take at first and thought it must have slid forward or maybe my wife moved it.  I checked in front of the middle seat, nada.  What the heck?  A faint quiver of trepidation starts to grow in my guts...

Now, I've driven all the way to my hunting spot before and forgot my license, bow or quiver so I had to think for a minute.  Did I take it into the house?  I did't think so.  What did I do???  Think.....Did I lean it against the side of the truck?  Oh crap!!!  I think I did!

I called home, no answer.  Darn, wife's probably in the shower.  Try again, still nothing.  Maybe I took it home and left it in the garage?  Maybe I put it on the bow rack?  No, I don't think so... Maybe?  Did I leave it leaning against the tree last night when I packed up?  I can't imagine walking all the way out and not noticing I didn't have my bow...  Didn't I tuck it under my arm when I was crossing the wet spot in the field?  Didn't I have it over my shoulder as I came up the field road?  Maybe I..... oh, I don't know anymore....                  

Better head home and check.  A couple miles down the road and finally, my wife called me back, it wasn't at the house.                  Turn around and go back to the lot.

Well, I have to walk in and pull my stand anyway.  Maybe it's by the tree          But I know it's not.  Hope anyway...

Nope.  Not there.  Climbed to the stand and sat for about an hour and a half just feeling sorry for myself.  You can't imagine how empty my hands felt sitting there with no bow in them.  I was just waiting for a big buck to come in and me not have a bow but at least that didn't happen.  Finally, I pulled my stand and moped all the way back to the lot.  Left a note on the sign at the lot with contact info and a reward.  Called the local conservation officer and asked him to keep an eye out.  He's a nice guy and sounded sincere about trying to help and keep an eye out.

I'm trying to remember for sure but I'm almost certain that the bow has my name on it.  Funny, but I've carried it for years and no longer look at the writing on it.  When I get in a situation like this when I misplace something, I get flustered and doubt my memory.  I'm sure my name is there though.  It's a Lonetree Ocelot longbow by a Wade or Ralf Castoe.  (There's that memory problem again...I think his name was Ralf and maybe his son was wade.  Either way, he died a couple years ago.)  It's 66" long with heavy reflex/deflex.  The handle has a wrap of about 1/8" wide leather lace spiral wound and the shelf and sideplate are black velcro.  There is also a single arrow quiver/broadhead sheath tied to the upper riser/limb. Limbs are curly myrtle over maple and the tips are cow horn.  Not sure of the riser woods.

Looks like I'm probably done hunting for a while.  I've got another bow but I'll need to point load my arrows a good bit because the other bows are 5 to 10 lbs lighter.  Just ordered broadheads YESTERDAY and they'll be to light...

Anyway, just getting this off my chest and I'd like to ask you all to keep an eye out for this bow on any classifieds you go to and give me a heads up if you see it.  Since I have not heard from anyone, even though my name is on the bow, I'm guessing they have no intention of returning it or trying to find me.  Maybe it will show up on line.

[Gaff]

oh man thats a bummer dave!!! i dont even know what to say about that!! wow....  :(  

gaff

[mwmwmb]

maybe you will get lucky. hopefully you didnt run over it and someone will have it and return it.

[ARCHER2]

Dave,
That's aweful brother, but maybe one of the other trucks that was there will turn it in to the sheriffs dept., hope so.
                             Sorry Man!
                               Charlie

[richbat]

hope you get it back. i'll keep my eyes open for you.i'm on here and many of the other sites,so i'll be sure to let you know if it turns up anywhere.what exactly does it look like?woods,tips any thing special other then what you already said?

[Hot Hap]

Ouch. Good luck. I did that with a BW in the late 80's. Put it on top of the truck cap, and drove home. When I turned left out of the parking lot it slid off the roof into the road ditch. I found it there the next day. I hope you're as lucky as I was. Hap

[Dave Bulla]

"maybe you will get lucky. hopefully you didnt run over it and someone will have it and return it. "

It'll be a miracle if I didn't run over it.  I leaned it up against the right rear quarter and when I backed up, I had to turn the wheels to the left and swing the front end 90 degrees to the right.  If I'm lucky, the front wheels straddled it.  Parking lot was packed gravel.  I guess pavement would be a little worse/harder but not much.

I'll drive back up there this evening and hit all the parking lots looking for either of the two trucks that were there last night.

[SlowBowinMO]

That's terrible news Dave!  :eek:

[Dave Bulla]

Here's a picture of the handle area taken on the KC trad bunny hunt this past December.



Here's one of me holding it.  Can't see the wood or a lot of detail, but gives you an idea of the R/D profile.

[Plumber]

Iam sorry for your loss Dave I hope it wines up to where you get it back

[ron w]

We all have "senior moments"!!! I'll bet you a dollar to a donut that you'll get it back. Most people don't even want a long bow.It'll turn up.

[Brian Krebs]

That is bad news. Hopefully one of the other hunters picked it up and you will get it back. I would have been inclined to notify the sheriffs department or put up a note in a local gas station; or best- a local archery shop.
 Keep praying the person that picked it up did or does the right thing.....  

[Brian Krebs]

Did you check the bushes around the area you were parked? Someone might have chucked it in there knowing nobody but the bow owner would look there...

[BowHuntingFool]

Oh man I feel for ya! I hope she turns up brother!


Last week I learned my bow up against a wooden fence post in a dirt lot. packed up, jumped in the truck and started to back out. My headlights caught it a bit and I said damn thats almost looks like my bow. I kept pulling out and realized that IS my bow! Yikes!

[JimB]

Why not post a note at the parking lot?Someone may be trying to find you.

[Dave Bulla]

Jim, I did nail a note to the big brown conservation area sign in the parking lot.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

[kennym]

Dave ,
What a bummer! Give me a call tonite,might have one you can use!  660-895-5185

[Dave Bulla]

Hey thanks Kenny.  You're already the second person to contact me about that.  

What a great bunch of guys!

But, I really don't feel like borrowing a bow yet.  Still too P.O.'d about it.

Kinda like the country song where the girl says "I just wanna be mad for a while."

One other thing, if any of you guys have any suggestions of sites to post this on, please let me know.  I used to go to several but for years now it's been pretty much tradgang only so I'm out of touch about other sites.

[TimRadke]

Long story short, but a buddy's bow fell out of the back of my pickup a few years ago.. A big backtrack, lotta phone calls to local law enforcement, a good Samaritan who got the license plate of a car who pulled over and picked it up, some coaxing by the Officer for the felon who found it to turn it over, and a few hours of lost time, and we were hunting once again.  Hope you find the same luck we did.

[longarrow]

Let's hope a good bowhunter and friends has picked it up!..I'm sure he's lookin' for the owner as we speak!!!