Hey everyone, My name is Matt and I am from Rosemount Minnesota. This is technically my second year of bowhunting, but really my first. Here is why and 99% will think this story is made up, but I assure you its true. I have been an avid bird hunter for most of my life, never deer hunted. Last year, my buddy asked me to go bowhunting up in northern Minnesota, around Big Fork MN. I was excited at this opportunity, however I did not have a bow or anything to do with it. I made a last minuet call to a friend that had a bow and some stuff for my trip. On our drive up, he asked if I had a release, I said I didnt know what one was and so we stopped at walmart and picked up a release and our licenses and off we went! After our 4 hours drive we ended up at a cabin in the woods, no running water and the only electricity was from a generator. I thought this is the way life should be. We get inside and unloaded and as we are sitting around he asked if I had ever shot a bow, and my response was, I have never even held a bow. He gave me one of those "you have got to be kidding me" looks. So we opened the bow case and he looked and said "you cannot even shoot this" and I said its a bow, you put an arrow in and shoot. He goes "there isnt a knock, how are you going to know where you are supposed to put the arrow? there also isnt a peep sight, how are you going to aim?" Feeling perplexed, he opened his case and proceeded to tell me what I needed and that I might as well just stay in the cabin and relax this weekend. I thought of a brilliant idea and that was to take 2 torpedo levels and level his bow and then stick an arrow in the one I was using and mark the string on where to put the arrow. We got the arrow leveled the same as his and thought to put the release under the arrow so I dont push it down drawing it back. I pulled the string back aiming at a door knob and said it was dead on and I will smoke a deer. He proceeded to make fun of me for the rest of the night. We went out in the morning and it was boring, I hated it and just wanted to shoot guns over lunch. We then went out for the afternoon hunt and I am sitting in my stand (no cell service, nothing to do) and so I start taking pictures and opening pop cans and twinkies. I sat down in my chair to eat my twinkie and there is a doe 20 yards or so away and I go "holy **** a deer!" and I grabbed the bow, drew and fired. (Prior to this I Asked where to shoot the deer and I remember him saying "shoulder area" in a mocking voice followed by "it doesnt matter you wont shoot anything with that piece of crap" I smoked this doe, JUST SMOKED IT! WOOOOOOO I am excited my legs are shaking I have no idea WTF to do at this point. So I called my buddy because my phone randomly had service and for some odd reason his did too. I said "I GOT A DEER" and he hung up. I called him back "DUDE I GOT A DEER" and he goes "shut up" I am trying to hunt, and he goes how do you know you got one, I said it went BAAAAAAAAAAA and he goes I will be right there. He shows up and sees the blood and goes "dude it looks like a crime scene here, what happened" and we followed the blood about 30 yards and he goes to see this I ended up getting 107lbs of meat from her. My very first arrow that I ever fired went into the carotid artery. I now know that was a horrible shot, but for my first try, I will take it! Now this year I have missed 2 nice bucks, but I guess thats how it goes!! I love this sport! I am looking forward to learning as much here as I can. Stay safe out there and good luck!
Congrats on the deer! Now PLEASE do us all, and the deer a favor and become proficient with your equipment.
Oh I have. Since then I gave back the bow to my buddy and went out and bought my own complete setup and have practiced a ton. In the range I am actually pretty good at this, I am just getting used to the yardage now out in the field. I picked up a range finder has really helped with that.
I believed everything except the 107 lbs of meat. +1 what Tacklebox said. Those types of shots end badly more times than not. Is that the exit wound in the belly?
Yea we shot her a 2nd time to end the suffering. Like I said, I have studied A LOT since last year on doing this the proper way. The picture doesnt do her justice. She was pretty damn big. I have a receipt from the butcher! haha
Why would it get locked? Its how I came into this sport and I love this sport because of it. You have to start somewhere right? I didnt have anyone to teach me how to do this, so everything I have done since this day has been all on my own. Even down to securing my own hunting land. I dunno, this is just something that I have become very passionate about since that day.
Glad to hear you have been practicing, even once you become proficient ya still gotta practice on a regular basis. Anyway keep it up and best of luck to you.
Maybe I'll be surprised but I imagine you're going to get several degrading posts and it'll go downward from there...but maybe not.
I hope not. Like I said, I started on my own, no one in my family hunts or is even interested in it. I have educated myself, purchased the correct equipment and I go about my hunts as safely as possible. This is more or less me saying, "hey, I love this sport and this is why" If people want to be negative about my first experience, then that is on them, not me. If they have to be negative to get a boost in life so be it, I will laugh and continue to learn from all of you.
Haha, good for you! It's a good story, welcome to the sport and good luck with your adventures. Archery is a blast even if all a person does is target shoot. Few things compare with successfully taking deer though.
