It has been awhile since I have posted here and awhile since I have been doing any archery. A lot of things in my life have changed and I have been trying to find my way so to speak. I know this was from late December, the 29th to be exact but its close enough to 2013 so I figured I can post it here.
I was hunting the last gun season which was an antler-less season in Illinois. In that season you can hunt gun or bow and I has my long bow in tow. It wasn't the coldest day on the books but the wind made it uncomfortable. There were 4 of us hunting this day and since I had taken a deer earlier in the season I had last pick of stand choices. It was a hodge podge of hunters so to say. One had a modern in line muzzle loader, one had a Hawkins percussion cap muzzle loader, one had a wheeled bow and I had my long bow. After the other three hunters, 2 of which were my brothers, chose the stand they wanted to hunt i decided to pick mine. I settled on a stand that was placed in an ox bow off the river that runs through the property. I had never hunted the stand but my father, who accompanied one of my brothers, told me the shot, if there was one, would be 15-20 yards if they came form where they always come from. I was somewhat uneasy as I know I was good at 20 yards but not perfect.
So we split ways towards our trees for the evening. A family friend was also hunting that night and the stand he chose was on the way to mine. I can only explain him as a simple man, smart, but enjoying of the simple way of life. He was very impressed that I was shooting a long bow and wished me luck as we parted ways. I was told that the tree i needed to look for was the biggest on the ox bow and that I would enjoy how the stand was set. My father knows I prefer straighter trees that are about as wide as I am. Upon finding the tree I laughed to my self in disbelief. It was 2 cotton wood trees and their age is unknown to me except that they are old and big. The tree that the stand was in could not be accessed form the ground and the second tree had to be used to gain entry to the stand. The tree the stand was straight but the entry tree was at an angle. I felt like a squirrel climbing into the stand but found the entry rather easy.
When I got in the stand I readied myself. I played back a moment in time from a few month earlier. I had a rather large 9 point at 6 yards not to far form here. The shot he presented was perfect. The wind was perfect. The deer not so much. My father is strict QDM and I passed on him. I am not an antler hunter, but rather a meat hunter. I was hoping that this night wouldn't end like that morning did.
About 30 minutes into my hunt a nice doe came in and the closest she came was 40 yards. Too far for me to shoot but not to far to enjoy her presence. I love watching deer just be deer. As time passed the wind picked up. I was thankful that I was in a larger tree and not in one that swayed back and forth. Other than the doe i had only heard deer running behind me acting like it was being chased. About 15 minutes before quitting time three small deer appeared in front of me. I quickly knew that these deer were button bucks. I had been given the green light to shoot a button buck if I had the chance, so my heart started racing. I get buck, doe, fawn fever real bad and I love it. The trio browsed a little and made their way into the ox bow. I mentally prepared myself. Remember to hit your anchor, bend at the waist, aim small miss small. When the larger of the three came closer I knew it was time. I positioned myself. He grazed a little bit and stopped slightly corning to me. I knew it was time.
I slowly started applying tension to the bow all while keeping my eyes on where i wanted to hit. I estimated he was at 16 yards and picked a spot that was a little high. I drew. As I hit my anchor I stopped for what felt like forever, but in hind sight it was a fraction of a second. I remember saying to myself, well are you going to shoot? So I released and let the arrow fly. I watched my arrow fly and connect the deer slightly back from where I had aimed but it was a good hit. The deer jumped from the hit and ran a 180 but stopped 10 yards from where I shot it at. I did not see my arrow in him and knew I had a complete pass through. He stood there for a brief moment and his head started to wobble. He laid down and expired well with in sight.
My first reaction was overjoyed. I did it! Then I took a second to thank the deer for what he gave me and to the big guy upstairs. I climbed out of my stand and checked my deer. He was certainly dead. I then walked back to the trucks. This walk was different though, it was that walk of accomplishment. This was the walk of success. I was the first back and climbed in my truck and turned the heat on. Thats when it hit me. A flood of emotions. I am not an extremely emotional person but this was overwhelming. I cried, not for sadness, but shear joy. I called my wife and told her that i did it. She knows how hard I have worked and was extremely excited. I shed another tear in the dark truck. I did it.
When everyone returned form their hunts I found out my brother had also gotten a deer with his Hawkins and the modern guys didn't connect at all. Score two for trad bow and guns!
After picking my trophy up I retrieved my arrow. 18 paces to the tree is where it stood. I guess all my practice paid off.
It was not the biggest deer ever taken nor is it the first with trad gear. But it is my trophy. I will always remember that hunt and those emotions. It is hopefully the first of many.
The bow is the pass around bow from a few years back called Hope. 48# at 28in. Broadhead was a bear razorback sharpened with the KME sharpening kit. Thank you to Terry Green for placing that bow in my hands. She sure is a sweet shooting bow.
Thank you for reading
Topic: First Trad Deer (Read 4383 times)
