Here is a story I want to share with all the tradgangers.
First off my son is starting the first stage of hunting by himself. We have been letting him set on a fence row a few hundred yards from my in-laws home. We can set on the back deck and watch him.
Last Sunday we had a spur of the moment decision to go to one of our honey holes and do a short hunt. He asked if he could sit in the ground blind by himself. I thought it was a good idea so I took my climber and found a tree about 40yards from him. We could see each other form this spot.
After I got settled in I hit him on the radio and told him it was time to settle down and be quiet. He agreed. As I was putting the radio in the pouch I dropped it. I was in a deli mina. Should I climb down and get the radio or get my sons attention and motion for him to walk to me. I figured it would be easier on me if I had him walk to me, so I did that. After he got to the base of the tree and saw the radio he attached it to my pull up rope and told me that I was disturbing his hunt. That was funny coming from a 9 yr old.
As the sun was setting I heard something coming down from ridge. I took position and a short time later observed a deer coming towards me. The deer was closing the distance fast. The deer did not have antlers but that is OK in my book.
The deer stopped behind a clump of beech tree leaves. When the deer stepped out it was about 15 yards from me. It made a turn and gave me a beautiful quartering away shot. I picked a spot and released the arrow. It seemed like it was in slow motion. I saw the perfect arrow flight going towards the spot I pick. I then saw the arrow make contact with the deer. The shot was perfect. All I could see left of the arrow was a small section of the feathers and the nock sticking out from the deer.
The deer bolted away from me. It ran down towards the watering hole and ran behind a small hill. I lost sit of the deer and a short time later I heard something that sounded like a deer falling the ground and somewhat thrashing around.
I radioed my son and told him I had just shot one. I told him to stay put because the deer was moving. I told him that when it gets dark I would radio him and tell him when to get out of the blind and walk to me.
About 15 minutes later I heard something on the same trail this deer had came down. I looked and here came another anterless deer. I took my position and the deer was closing in. The deer was about to walk behind the same clump of beech tree leaves and all of a sudden my radio opened up and I heard my son ask “ Is it time to come out” The deer looked right up at me and took off.
My son came to my stand. I had him mark the spot where I had shot the deer. We then walked all of our gear to the truck. We returned to the spot and began tracking. I was really impressed with the way my son could see the blood. We tracked for about forty yards and entered a thicket. The blood trail stopped. I started walking circles around the end of the blood trail. I was about to broaden my search and located the deer.
The feeling I had is hard to describe. This was my first deer with traditional gear and I was able to share this hunt with my best hunting partner.
The shot was classic. The arrow went in behind the last rib and infront of the rear hind quarter. The heart was not centerpunched but had a long slice down the side of it. The arrow exited on the opposite shoulder.
“TradGang” was very involved in this hunt.
First off I have learned a lot of information about traditional archery from TradGang.
I had a set of the TradGang arrow wraps that Terry Green had sent me.
I purchased the Wensel Woodmans, the Quiver and a few more items off from different members of TradGang.
Big thanks to all,
702 and 702 ½