It was sometime in October 1991. Don't know the exact day. I was way too young to be hunting alone with a gun, but my parents figured I couldn't hurt myself or anyone else with a bow. I was only 11 years old, but I was armed with thousands of hours of reading every magazine or book I could get ahold of, and dreams of killing a deer. I had gotten in trouble at least a dozen times that summer for shooting my bow off the roof of the barn. My father hunted when he was younger, but I didn't really have anyone at the time to show me how to do much, everything was trial and error, or read in a magazine or book. I was carrying a 35lb Darton recurve, Easton Gamegetter arrows, and Wasp 3 blade broadheads. I doubt anything was in tune, but I could hit a pie plate almost every time at 20 yards. I had read in Field and Stream that deer would stop to smell vanilla extract, and I had a 35mm film canister filled with cotton balls and vanilla extract that I set on a main trail. I had no idea where the deer were going or coming from, but I found that heavily used trail up the road from our house and wedged a homemade stand made of 2x4 and plywood into the forked limbs in a pine tree just a few yards away from it. Within the first 10 minutes of light that fateful morning, a fat nanny came down the trail and stuck her nose in that cannister. I shot her from way too steep of an angle and only got one lung, but she bled everywhere. When I woke my father up that morning to come help me drag her, no one could believe that I just shot a deer, but sure enough she was laying there when he came down the trail to help me gut and drag her. I still remember after shooting that deer how hard I was shaking in that tree. It wasn't even cold, but it was the most uncontrollable shivers you can imagine. While I don't get it quite that bad 20 years later, if that feeling ever completely goes away I'll probably quit.
It was 11-7-2009 I had been bowhunting off and on for 8 years but finally decided to get serious and see if I could harvest something. I scaped up some dirt with my boot to make a mock scrape, ten yards from my stand poured scent into it and climbed into my stand. No more than did I get an arrow nocked then this busted up 2.5 year old came in. Walked right to my scrape then stopped at about 5 yds. He went 75 yds and piled up. It felt great.
Dave - at this point I just don't know - would love to be there. The 3 buddies I took this year are absolutely addicted so they will be working on me. Should know more as we start to roll into 2012... Too bad I'm a 12 hour drive from Denver - we are infested with whitetails here. How long are you in the states next fall? Anybody else making the trip with you?
It was my 2nd sit ever in a stand on a november afternoon. I had my eyes peeled just waiting and scanning the woods and the bean field close to my stand. All the sudden I see 5 doe come running through the field heading in my general direction. I think my heart was beating so hard from adrenalin that I could feel my heart beat in my finger tips. They were coming in fast and I was hoping that they would stop in the little window I had from behind me. As they started to come through I gave a little bleat hoping one would stop as I drew back and she did. I let the arrow fly thinking the deer was at 25 yards but she was really at 31. I saw the arrow hit and get good penetration but wasnt too sure if I had hit heart or even lungs. I watched the group split as the arrow hit trying to keep an eye on the one I actually hit but with the cover and the number of deer it was just difficult. I waited 5 mins. while I calmed myself before falling out of my stand from the adrenalin rush, excitement, and the questionable shot that ran through my head. I called my friend and mentor scott on the cell that was hunting the other side of the woods, and his first response was did you shoot her? I shakingly said oh yeah i shot her! But I am just not sure exactly where she went. His response was well it sounded like she came crashing in behind me so I think you got her good, just stay there I will come get you in about 20 mins. I sat there thinking oh my god i did it! Scott came over and got me and the first thing he asked was where did the arrow hit her? I replied right behind the shoulder. Where right behind the shoulder he asked. I said I dont know behind the shoulder. So we figure lets go look for the blood trail. We start tracking and find some blood but it was more like blood mixed with a brownish color. So scott turns to me and says how far behind the shoulder did you hit her? I was so unsure and just shrugged my shoulders and said I dont know why? He points to the brownish color mixed with blood and says because you hit her pretty far back cause this brown stuff is Sh**! I think to myself, what have I done?? So we continue tracking for a bit more when we come across my arrow. And I definitely put the gut shot on her without a doubt. At this point I am aggravated with my self and all the practice I put in shooting and the mistake I just made. So we continue for another 20-30 yards and there is no deer but we know exactly where she is headed. We both agree we should back out and return in the morning so we can let the deer expire and not push her farther away. It was a sleepless night for me to say the least. I ran a million what if's through my head that night. Will she die, will the coyotes get to her, what if we pushed her off the property? When we returned the next morning we start were we left off and went probably another 30 yards and there she was piled up next to a fallen log. I jumped for joy and high fived scott about a dozen times! I couldn't believe it. After all the worry a sense of relief and accomplishment came over me. It was a feeling I will never forget and it's a feeling I get every time I come across a deer I just harvested.
My first Bow Kill and First buck ever was on October 30, 2010. Bucks were chasing does everywhere and I eventually put my arrow through a 120's 9 point. The arrow went fletchings deep and I knew it was a good shot. It was also my first year bow hunting and forgot about watching him to see where he goes.... I was so pumped I started yelling and cheering lol... The blood trail was not very good but I found him piled up about 50-70 yards from impact. Will never forget that feeling in my life! That 3 min rush through your body is worth all the hours spent in the woods watching tree rats.
Do the figures Matt and make that trip to Elk Camp , I'm spending 2 1/2 weeks up their this time . A whole week in Elk Camp hunting Mule Deer and Elk and then Myself and Will are driving to South Dakota hunting Whitetail . I may have to come to visit sometime and take one of these Whitetail you're infested with , just got some unfinished business in Colorado first . Longbow is primed and ready to go , I'm sick of hitting targets and stumps , I need the rush of a hunt . Not sure of number coming from UK yet , we have a British Bowhunters AGM meeting next Saturday and I'm presenting it to some new members . Hopefully 2-3 interested already .
This gets my vote for the win thats an awesome story and I would have loved to seen the look on your dads face when he saw that deer.
