Hey guys heres the story of my epic hunt and first harvest with my recurve bow in my first season using it! I posted this originally in my team thread but figured id share with everyone! Well guys I finally got one with my recurve after one hell of a rough start. I checked the weather friday night and it said the temps would be in the low 40s with rain coming on in the early afternoon saturday. I was excited from the get-go and knew I was bound to see deer. I stepped out the door in the morning and could see my breath which really gets me excited cause thats when I know its really cooled down. checked the wind with my breath and it was south, perfect to hunt my favorite stand in a small oak funnel. I got up in the tree and watched the forest wake. Squirrels and chipmunks were everywhere and acorns were falling like a hail storm. I didn't bring my phone with me which in the long run was a blessing. So I really had no perception of time, just planned on getting down when instinct told me deer movement would be done for the morning. Time lapsed as I enjoyed the relaxation in my cherry tree, wind in my face, and hoping something would come stumbling along. It got to be late morning and I had not seen anything. I was really thinking about calling it quits and turned to undo my teather. But then i thought to myself: I know deer are in here (after bumping a bunch last weekend scouting after a hunt) and the conditions were perfect so I forced myself to sit back down and wait it out. Shortly after two fawns came barreling across the power line into my stretch of woods. I thought that was strange but figured it could have been a walker or a stray dog that bumped them. Seconds after they got into my woods I saw a mature doe, the mother for sure, and an absolute GIANT behind her. The fawns hit the woods and ran my direction on the ridge line. The doe with the buck behind her had other plans and kept on barreling down the hill unfortunately. So here I stand, shaking like a leaf after what I had just seen with two fawns at 25 yards. I decided to wait it out and see if the doe would run a circle and bring the buck back to me. After 10 minutes the worst thing happened, the two fawns bedded down. So now im stuck in the tree not wanting to spook them and the morning was getting later and later. I decided if one of them stood up and offered a shot id take it. Time kept going, I was tired of sitting watching the young does sleep and decided to take action and "spook" them out of their bed without them knowing of human presence while trying to create a shot. Crazy, I know, but either i would get a shot or they would turn the other way and I could climb down. My first idea was to throw my spitter bottle. I reached into my pocket, looked for a hole in the canopy and chucked it. It was and awful throw on my part and hit a limb on my tree raining leaves down and creating quite a racket. They stared in my direction for a few minutes but went back to being calm. My next idea was to shoot an arrow behind them, getting them to stand up and walk my way. I took my broadhead arrow off of my string and threw on a field tip as they still lay bedded at 25 yards. I picked a spot, drew back, and let it fly crashing through small brush behind them. They stood up scared, and looked the other way which gave me time to nock my broadhead arrow i had put between my teather and the tree. As soon as I got it on, they walked my way. They slowly closed the distance unsure of what had happened. The first doe got to a tree I had ranged at 13 yards earlier so I set my feet and aligned my shot. She entered the lane, I drew back going over all the form I had practiced over and over in the summer in my head. I reached anchor, picked a spot, and let one fly. The arrow flew perfectly and drilled her right behind the shoulder. She took off with 3-4 quick strides and rolled over on her back dead as a door nail. "Smoke city" I said to myself fist pumping the air like never before. Adrenaline flew through my veins and though it was just a fawn and the smallest deer I have ever shot, It was the biggest accomplishment in my short hunting career. I had shot a deer with a 60 pound recurve, no sights, no let off, no bells and whistles, just raw archery at its finest. I remembered the whole struggle of learning to shoot and practicing form and how frusterated I was. All of that work was well worth it for that one moment in time, The moment I became an archer. The one thing to take away from this is if you guys have goals, follow them with everything you have. Ive dreamed of this for as long as I can remember and will remember that hunt for the rest of my life. Also, it brings strategy into the hunting game. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box and make something happen instead of sitting and waiting. Sorry for the long winded story, I'm just extremely excited about it... Heres the pics!
Great stuff right there! In a world where we fight to get 300+ fps, it's good to see someone taking down deer in a more traditional fashion. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
That's awesome!! Congratulation's on your deer!! I know 100% what your going through as I have been hunting with a recurve only for many years. That's a big accomplishment for you. Proud of ya!! Great shot too!!
thats awesome!!! Big congrats to ya! I have been shooting a recurve a good amount as well. Not as much as last year so choosing to not hunt with it yet this season. Thats some accomplishment and def something to be very proud of! She is gunna be DELICIOUS!!!!
Outstanding story. Outstanding first shot with your recurve bow. I missed my first three shots with my recurve before I killed one.