Okay, so my first traditional archery deer season just ended the other day and I figured I would share my sucess story.
On a recent hunt as I watched two young deer oblivious to my existence walk within thirty yards of where I was standing, I found my heart beating almost out of control. I had spent the better part of two hours stillhunting 100 yards down a treeline towards a bedding area for an afternoon hunt. As they passed just out of my effective range I found myself thinking “just 5 more yards”, these were deer that even 2 years ago I would have passed up because they didn’t fit into the trophy category I had set for myself.
When they bedded down within 35 yards of me in the corner of the woodlot in a pile of brush, I spent the next hour trying to pick out one little spot amongst the brush as I closed the distance. Before I could stalk to within range they had gotten up and turned to come back my way. As I stood there motionless, pinned down by this young doe that had somehow sensed my presence I tried with everything I had to concentrate on one spot. I don’t remember the bow coming to full draw or the release. I do remember the sound of the arrow cutting the cool Michigan air and the sense of slow motion as the doe standing no more than 20 yards from me, turned in a split second avoiding the arrow. I also remember standing there in that fence row thinking how cool it was to have been this close to a wild animal again and how fast they can move when they have to. That arrow covered 20 yards in under a third of a second and somehow she had turned in time to avoid it.
As my pocket watch ticked away in my back pocket all I could think was.
Man I love this sport.
Success story you say. I say yes I found my long lost love for archery again. I'd call that a success.