After months of almost daily practice, I had my first close call tonight. I saw some does feeding on the opposite side of a cut cornfield from my stand Sunday and Monday nights. So, today, I put on my ASAT 3-D suit, which I've used with my wheel bow on the ground with great success in the past and set up behind a thicket near the field edge; waiting. They appeared on cue and I stood at the ready for and hour and a half, motionless. The matriarch gave me a broadside shot at 17 steps and I shot just over her.
They ran into the brush somewhat alarmed, but not the type of run you've seen when they are scared. I stayed motionless with a new nocked arrow and the group reappeared 10 minutes later! They seemed content to feed again, but did not present a shot. My longbow is so quiet compared to the "wheels" I've used in the past that it just didn't bother them that much. I love the meat, but the close encounter and watching those deer come ever closer, stopping to scratch behind their ear, and a couple yearlings play around is what I live for. Priceless. I loved every agonizing minute that much more standing there quaking with my longbow in hand. Yes, this is harder and more challenging, but you can bet, I'll be back out there tomorrow.
Topic: Swing and a miss... (Read 350 times)
