Many of you joined me in my build-along as I made "El Cheapo", my inexpensive TD longbow this summer based loosely off the Bingham's Pronounced longbow plans. You "felt my pain" when a nock slipped off the string and I dry fired it, shattering the original riser and then watched it come back to life as I rebuilt it to look like this:
Well, as of yesterday morning, it's a killer!
In our part of Georgia, the pre-rut is beginning to pick up and I rattled in a young 7 point. He came in to about 13 yards but turned and walked away. I hit full draw as he hit an opening and when I bleated at him, he stopped and turned for a nice 17 yard quartering away shot. Like magic, the arrow was gone. Good penetration, entering the back of the ribs and angling down with the head coming out the off-side brisket in front of the shoulder. Started stumbling in less than 20 yards and was down for good in less than 40 in sight of the tree.
This buck was a lot of firsts; first with a bow I made, first with a long bow, actually first shot of the season, first with wood arrows and first using wild turkey fletching I split and ground. Bet you can't tell I was tickled with this deer!
What a thrill! I've always been excited at any deer kill, often a little shakey, but when this boy fell within sight, my hands felt numb - that was a first. I sat down until I felt steady enough to climb out of the tree. Only to look behind me as my foot hit the forest floor to see a small 6 point looking at me from about 50 yards away. Nothing like the first chilly weekend of the year and the pre-rut!
Good hunting to all!
Steve
Topic: El Cheapo the longbow makes meat! (Read 1729 times)
