Hello all, I told myself I would post my hunt when I got my first big game animal with my longbow. A few details about myself, I've shot longbows since I was about 5, picked up hunting in my early twenties, did some whitetail hunting, then moved to Utah and started hunting out here (felt like starting from square 1). This year I'm expecting my first child, and don’t have a good rifle tag, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to get some meat in the freezer with the bow.
This year has been fun, took 2 weekend trips out for mule deer or elk, and one 5 day backpack trip for elk. No arrows launched, but a great time was had.
Then started hunting mule deer harder in a closer area I've hunted before.
Trip one I saw deer, including a decent 4x4 buck that was using a meadow area with a good number of does and smaller bucks in the area as well. I snuck in to intercept him as he was moving, but he spotted me as he came around a tree at about 30 yards. I knew I should come back as soon as possible while conditions are still good.
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Second trip, I hiked in early afternoon and moved down to the clearing with the thermals coming up. I set up just uphill of the meadow, and saw deer, but no shot opportunities. I had positioned myself a bit too high to shoot right into the meadow not wanting to spook anything by getting too close. Backed out at dark and moved up to find a camp spot. Tossed my bivy in a semi flat spot up near the trail and made a quick dinner and went to bed early.
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Next morning, packed up early and dropped down into the thicker area, and quietly approached the meadow. Unfortunately as I moved in the 4x4 buck and some does were already in the meadow. I moved very quietly to try and cut off the buck as he moved out of the meadow, but he was too far, maybe 60 yards. After the meadow was cleared out, I crossed it to get my wind out and down the canyon instead of into the meadow. Found a little group of trees with some cover, and started clearing some footing positions of leaves/sticks.
At this point I should point out that I was excited to hunt this area because of this semi-patterned buck, but in reality I had decided that I was 100% happy to shoot any buck or doe, except fawns or maybe does with fawns. To add on top of that my wife's due date was approaching rapidly and I didn't want to be in the mountains hunting when she went into labor or sitting home with a half empty freezer.
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Back on the mountain, a lone doe moved down wind towards me and crossed my shooting lane following the script, but I realized I didn’t have a chance to draw without her likely seeing me. So I held tight for my next lane. Then she proceeded to walk directly away in that lane, to get to the water hole. Holding tight, I figured she might come back the same way and I would have a shot. Sure enough, 2 minutes later shes tracing her steps back. Before she steps out past the last pine into the open I draw and hold. She moves into the open and I grunt and she stops. I release, and I hear the hit and she tears off to my left. I listen as she takes off, and I can hear some movement but then it goes quiet. I make coffee to kill some time, and then filter some fresh water. I follow tracks and good blood to the doe, about 80 yards from the shot. It wasn't a great shot, all I can say is it was an answered prayer and that the doe died quick.
Quickly got to quartering, and got everything cleaned up before noon. I split my gear and meat into two loads and broke the trip back into 3 segments where I would drop the first load and head back for the next. Realized it was a bit farther to the truck than I really appreciated.
Shot was in upper middle of image below, 20yds.
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In the end I'm very happy to be successful with my longbow, I spend many days hiking these mountains with that bow in my hand, and I love them all, but it feels good to complete the picture. Thanks for taking the time to read, if there is interest I have a couple more photos of other hunts I could post up.
Topic: UT Mule deer doe (Read 1104 times)
