2014 Buck

[Caleb the bow breaker]

All,

Just wanted to share my success and tell a short story.

A little background. I have harvested 8 deer with traditional equipment.  However I have probably missed 15 deer in the same amount of time.      :rolleyes:     Needless to say, this has really messed with my confidence at times and I have been plagued with negative self talk when I get the chance to shoot.  Stuff like, "Don't gut shoot this one also" or "Try not to shoot over another one" which has led to some pretty poor performance on my part.  This year was no different.

Earlier this season I had 5 bucks come by my set-up during a morning sit and 2 of them would have been within my range.  The first one I shot 2 foot low at 8 yards,  Yikes!  The next was just a bit low and grazed a front leg.  Dangit!  That left me pretty depressed.  I talked to my wife about it, and she told me that I have convinced myself that I was going to miss before even pulling the string back.  I thought about it and she was right on the money.  I started talking myself up during practice sessions.  Saying things like "You are going to drill that bullseye",  "Both lungs", even saying them out loud and my confidence and accuracy improved.  

Fast forward to Saturday the 8th (This is where it gets good gang)!  I was sitting in a new stand that I just put up the night before with pretty good sign.  I got there a little late in the morning after getting my brother all situated and got settled in.  I hit the grunt tube and low and behold here comes a very nice little 6 point.  I get all set, he turns broadside, I draw and SQEEEEAK!                           Oh squeaky tree stand how I hate thee, let me count the ways.  He takes off like a streak and I am pretty peeved.  I get everything tightened up and try to regain my composure.  About half an hour later, I hear another squirrel, then a buck grunts.  Oh wait that's not a squirrel, its a doe, why is she looking back, quit screwing around and get ready.  Out steps a nice 9 point buck but he looks to have me pinned.  Luckily the doe is in some deep cover and cant see me at all and the buck wouldn't leave her.  I spend what feels like eternity hiding behind my bow and string silencers trying not to look into his eyes or his antlers.  The whole time I am whispering to myself "I am going to hit both lungs".  The buck turns to look back or something, I see my opportunity.  I draw, settle into my anchor and release.  The arrow flies true and hits its mark.  The buck sprints off, I hear crashing and then hear him slip through the phragmites and all is quiet.  

At this point I am pumped, and just have to sit down.  I start thinking about the shot and it occurs to me that the angle may not have been as good as I had hoped and I know that I didn't get and exit hole.  Also its not good that he got in the river channel.  So now I am full of worry.  I send out some texts for prayer on the shot and recovery and start the long wait.  I give the deer 1 hour and get down and look for first blood and cant see anything.  I start trying to follow tracks but no luck.  Finally I go to the edge of the river and just start looking for something on the phragmites.  Hey whats that?  Its some blood about waste high and the back of my arrow.  I follow the meager blood and just on the other side of the vegetation I find my buck laying in the dry overflow channel.  Total distance from my stand is easily less that 75 yards.                        

At this point the weight of the world is lifted and I have the biggest buck i have ever shot with trad gear.  As far as the shot goes, it turns out that the deer was indeed quartering toward me a bit and not the broadside that I thought he was in the moment.  Shot placement was good and i hit one lung, through the heart and into the liver.  The lack of blood was due to the lack of an exit hole.  I will be honest and say that looking back I should not have taken the shot and things could have easily gone the other way.  I was so focused on the spot I needed to hit that everything else sort of blurred out.  I guess as they say sometimes its better to be luck than good.

Rig Rundown
RER Arroyo 53lbs at 29"
30.5" Vapor Carbon shafts with 3X5 fletch
100 gr brass inserts
160 gr Magnus I with 40 grain screw in adapters.

And what everybody was waiting for I am sure... A pic

 

[KentuckyTJ]

Nice work Brother!

[Friend]

Fine harvest!

[Shape Shifter]

Very nice buck! Congrats.

[Nook]

Nice Buck great story... Congrates.

Nice looking bow too..

[KSCATTRAPR]

Great job and great story.

[limbolt]

Nice one!!!! Congrats.  

[lilbobby]

Congrats, great story!

[stykbow67]

Nice job Caleb!!

Steve

[tracker12]

Sweet buck.  Nice when it all comes together.

[Tyler C. Moore]

Beautiful buck.. Great story

[Big Ed]

Very nice!

[KyStickbow]

Great lookin buck brother!!!

[Wannabe1]

Congratulations! That is a fine looking buck.  

[23feetupandhappy]

[Tim]

Very nice!  

Yep, a lot of things go through our mind "in the moment".  I'm guilty of picking a spot and than the deer looks over his shoulder.  I shoot and the spot I was on is now a touch back or forward!    

Nice to see everything worked out.  Congrats again!

Aren't you guys having frigid temps today?  Looks like summer in the pic...   :eek:

[Caleb the bow breaker]

Wow, guys thanks for all the nice words.

Tim,

Yeah it was in the low 60's Sat and Sun, but I think the high today is 17 and windy,  Glad I got it done when i did.

C

[Bernie B.]

Nice story and a really good looking buck!  Congratulations!  That's also a nice looking bow!    

Bernie

[D. Key]

Excellent!!!

[steadman]

Congrats!