awsome morning----- frustrated with the outcome

[bowhunterksb32]

I ha planned on a hunt close to the house this morning. I left the house around 6 and walked down the road a couple hundres yards and vered off into the woods. I couldn't find my flashlight in my pack so I had to wait to go into the woods.I've been tothe spot so many times over the years I could easliy find it in the dark,but the way some people are i hate to walkin without a light for fear of someidiot shooting at nosie in the dark. As it became lighter i would walk until i couldn't see very farthen wait for more light.

It's been so hot here lately  making the hunting tough. looking up inot the sky through the trees I was thiking how easily the woods looked like srping intesead of the second week october. The birds werewaking up and i hal expected to start heaing gobblers sounding off fromthere roost.

I made it to my ground blind just as it  was getting light enough to see a long ways in he woods. I knocked an arrow and set down to enjoy the morning. I have trouble setting still,so i usally bring a book to read. I got out my book and started reading. I would read 2 pages then slowly scan the area with my eyes then turn the page.

I had been there about 5 minutes,when a flicker of moement out in ront caught my eye. I glanced up to see a yearling walking toward me at about 10 yards. I slowlylaid the book down and grabbed mybow. I was able to get to my knees,then an alot of nosie off to my left stopped me. I thought another deer was walking in fromthat direction but it ended up being a huge raccoon. The raccoon looked like a tank. he strode over to a fallen tree and jumped up on it. the deer saw the coon and started walking toward it . The racons fur stood up and he started hissing and growling so the yearling snorted and ran toward the coon. The coon ran up a tree and deer went back to feeding. By the time i was able o get into positon the deer was about 15 yards. I drew back and released the arrow.

My wife is bugging me to go to the 3d range so i'll finishwhen we get back.

here is a pic of where i ws setting


 

[MI_Bowhunter]

So far it sounds like a good morning.

[bowhunterksb32]

The arrow flew all of the place a nd the deer just looke at me for a long time andthen went back to eating. She started feeding away from me and at one time was about 30 yards away. The racoon decide to come downfrom the tree andhe wasn't being quite about it eighter. Upon hearing this the doe went back over and ran him back up the tree. I usally have another broadhead tipped arrow laying out but for some reasonfrogot to this morning. While she washarrassing the coon i was able to get another arrow out of my quiver. after a few minutes i was given another shot at about 10 yards and agian the arrow flew awful and hit no where near her. I looked down and in the dark I had some how buttoned my shirt wrong and had caused it to ahng out and the string had hit it. I fixed the shirt and had forgot all about the deer when again she walke right upon me .I grabbed anoither arrow and amazingly she still didn't know what i was. She offered me an 8 yard shot. I concetrated on a little patch of fur sticking up right behind her shoulder. The arrow flew true and looked like it hit the eact spot. at the shot their was aloud thump and the deer took a couple stpe backwards. I was in shock as the arrow hit the deer and merely bounced out. The deer looked at the ground toward the where the arrow lay and walked back to it and starterd smelling the ground and then kicking at the arrow and snorting. after about 5 minutes of this she walked off. In the heat of the moment i forgot i only had 2 broadheads with me instead of the 3 I uaslly carry. I had shot her with a filed tip. The field tip had the insert shoved up inside it and wasrounded almost like a blunt from all the shooting i've donewith it. there was no blood or hair on it.


 


I went and got my arrows . One broadhead was fine and still sharp but the otherone would need touched upbefore shooting at an animal. I knocked the good broadhead adn went and set back down. With all the nosie I made and all the scent i left behind from getting my arrows i doubeted I would see anymore but it was early so i set back down. I started reading again and just enjoying the quite calm of the morning. I saw several squirrells and was plan onleavinga t about 9:30. Around 9 i kept hearing something walking in the leaves to my left. I slowly stood up and looked around but didn't see anything. I had been standing for about 15 minutes when I glanced to my right and could see a deer walking toward me.I had to turn around and in turning I put my bow in my drawing hand and when i got turned around i switched it back. The  little buck saw movement and looked in my direction.I had just switched hadns and only had 2 fingers on the grip of the bow. After what seemed like hours he went back to eating  and i wasable to get a beter grip and finish getting set up for the shot. After a few minutes he offere me about a 13 yard shot and i drew back and the arrow flew rgiht over him. He acted just llike the doe earlier and was unimpressed and went back to eating. comign all the way up to 5 yards every now and then he would cast a glance in my direction. The other broadhead had hit something hard and had a big bur onit so I was stuck with just watching. After about 15 minuteshe fed off.

 

[MI_Bowhunter]

Now I see the frustration.

Fortunatly no serious harm was done.   Sounds like you hit shoulder.    It could have been a lot worse.

I'd trade that morning for being at work any day.

[vermonster13]

An exciting morning. Have you practiced shooting from your knees and a sitting position?

[mcgroundstalker]

Holy Smoke! Ya Can't Make That Stuff Up! What a day...    ... Buy the way... What was the name of the book you were reading? ...    ...

... mike ...

[Brian Krebs]

ummm I hope you don't feel alone in this kind of deal .....

[bowhunterksb32]

When I got home i shot a broadhead into my target just to make sure they were flying straight. I only shot my broadhead a couple times this summer and since they were flying with the filed tips i went back tothe field tips.


 

I was a little right of where i aime but well within the kill zone of a deer. I'm real frustrtaed and thinking about gving up the longbow and going back to the compound. I love shooting the longbow but just can't seem to get it together to hit conistently on live game. Counting the 4 shots this morning i've shot 6 times this year and thats awful.

[Cabal]

Sounds a lot like my hunting this year. I have missed 4 shots on deer all under 20 yards and when I finally hit one my arrow didn't penetrate at 15 yards. Just made some adjustments, took a break to get my head right and am heading back out. This is my first year with trad and it seems that this is just what it takes to learn the trade. But I wouldn't want to go back to compound simply for the fact that I have learned a lot more about the forest and the deer in this single month than I did all of last year. You got close to deer who had no idea you were there even after multiple shots. That's awesome in itself, but I feel your frustration. Give yourself a break, relax and go back out with a clear head and bring it all together. Don't rush it and when things finally do all come together you will be glad you kept at it.