So, I got invited up to my favorite hunting spot on Sunday. So off I went for the 3 hour trek in hopes of filling any tag in my pocket. Buck, doe, squirrel. Anything, that gets too close. The wind was right for me on Sunday evening, I got into the stand at 3pm and before I had my release on, a big bodied 6 point walked directly under my stand. So I knew this was going to be a night to remember. He was too small to take, so I just enjoyed watching him walk by. I had to take this picture after he walked by because he was so close. I was thrilled because he had no idea I was literally 10 feet above him. I knew I had the wind in my favor, and all that I needed now was something to come by. The rule of the property is 120" or bigger on bucks, and take any doe you want to. The next few hours passed uneventfully and just as the sun was getting low in the sky in walks a doe. My heart starts racing because I know if she does what I think she's going to do, I'm going to be dragging her out of the woods when I leave. Over the course of the next 20-30 minutes, she just strolls around, doing what deer do, and my heart goes through the normal skips and palpitations as I start trying to slowly get my arrow nocked and bow into position. And in she comes. Just like clock work, just as the sun is going down, and now it's a race against the sunlight. No more, no less, this is going to be a chip shot of a freezer filler. The only question is will she get within my shooting range before it's too dark to see. And she does. She comes right in. She's less than 15 yrs from me. She parks herself directly between the goal posts of trees that I'm stationed in, and buries her head in the weeds. Like an ostrich burying it's head in the sand, she has got her whole head stuffed under the tall heavy weeds looking for a snack. But she's slight quartered. Not comfortable with the shot placement, so I wait. And wait. And wait. And wait some more. I'm surprised she can't hear my heart pounding out of my chest. I'm doing everything I can do to control my breathing, and it seems to be working. She has no idea that I'm there. I had just bought some new gloves for the hunt, since the weather is starting to get colder, and I'm shocked at how cold my hands are at this very moment, why are these expensive gloves not doing their job right now. My blood just isn't pumping to my arms and legs anymore. I decide to draw back and wait for her to turn slightly, and that will be that. I draw back..Whoaa!!! What the heck just happened? Arrow goes flying, deer is bounding away. My mind is racing.. My hook style release let go of the D-loop prematurely. Why does my lip hurt? I know why, because I've been here before, I just punched myself in the mouth. Oh No!! Where's my arrow? Where's the deer? I can't find my arrow, it's not stuck in her side because she's coming back. What? She's coming back! Quick nock another arrow. Now, she's on high alert. Bobbing and weaving in the same patch of weeds looking for a scrap of food to nibble on. It's getting dark, darker, darker, she just won't calm down. Why doesn't time move this fast when you're waiting for deer to show up? Why is the sun disappearing with such astonishing speed? I can still take her. I'll wait for her to bury her head in the weeds, and it will be done. I draw back, I can see her broadsided silhouette through the peep sight, but can't see the shoulder anymore, she's now just the outline of a deer, I can't see my pins. I decide to let up. "You win today. Now go on" I said in my mind. I let down, and she was gone. At the risk of getting laughed at by you guys, I had to tell the story, I figured everyone has been in this position at least once. Even though I wasn't able to put a tag on her, it was a great experience nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed reading about my incompetence.
Great story and, yes, this has happened to me almost to the word. I was at full draw when my trigger went off and that arrow flew so far into a field that i couldn't see the lighted nock anymore. Thanks for sharing.
Great read! That is the reason that I force myself to physically push my trigger release closed with my finger behind it while I draw! Ever find the arrow? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Way to do the right thing. You still had the rush of the attempt, but kept it ethical. Bad things happen when your target is "the whole deer" as opposed to that tiny little spot behind the shoulder.
Great story, enjoyed the heck out of it! Just because you didnt kill the doe doesnt make for a great hunt. You and her alone, youll remember it forever. Thanks for sharing your story. Great pics too!!
Yup, I planted an arrow 20 feet up a tree while drawing on a doe. Im pretty sure that arrow is still there.
Your lucky. I did the same thing the first time I ever drew a bow back with a release, but caused injury and needed emergency room care. I almost decided to never bow hunt. Some of the best stories are the ones were you get to laugh at yourself.
Lmao your a loser... Punched yourself.... What a loser eh guys lol just kidding. Fortunately I have never hit my release by accident punching myself. But I have done many other stupid things which costed me a deer. Like trying to draw in a akward position only to realize you don't have enough room to get all the way back. Then slowly letting go your arrow and bow make a crazy noise. And a buck of a lifetime runs away. Then he stops out of range and does the broadside body with head turned towards you. Just so I could always remember how huge he was and how much of a idiot I was to not practice draw a couple times in this set up. Then he snorted which is deer for "go f yourself" then ran away.
HAHAHAHA, We have all had those days. Just the other day I drove 45 min to a property to find I left my climbing sticks on the porch! doh! I've seen quite a few guys punch themselves in the mouth.It's usually one of those things once they do it once they will never do it again. Just how many times have you punched yourself in the face? lol!
Great story! We've all done dumb things before. Hey, at least you had arrows with you...lol. I walked all the way to my tree once, climbed in the stand and starting pulling up my bow to realize I left the quiver on the tailgate of my truck....lol. Still can't believe i'm posting this to the public...lol. A release I could understand, but your arrows? lol. Seems liked I would have noticed my quiver not on my bow as I walked in...
Enjoyed the story, punched myself in the face a few weeks ago on a broken d-loop, but it was during practice, I went straight to the ground too and had a hard time eating that night because my jaw hurting gooooooood!
