Friday saw a major drop in temps for NC and luckily I was able to get out and hunt that evening. I found a white oak that was dropping and got climbed in and set. I had low expectations as I've had very little time to scout this year. I sat maybe an hour enjoying the evening and hear the sound of footsteps... Immediately I see a spike coming and I relaxed as I knew I wasn't shooting that particular deer. As I watched, I hear a second set of steps and see a small basket rack buck emerge and that got my adrenaline up. That is my barometer to shoot or not - regardless of size, if I get "that" feeling...I'm shooting.
He fed into 12 yards, I drew, focused on a single hair, and made the exact shot I was intending to. This is the first deer I've ever shot with a bow where I did not break a rib on either side. This particular deer took three big bounds (unalarmed) at the sound of the shot and then slowly walked out to about 40 yd from my tree stand. He stood there for 10 or 15 seconds, then fell over stone dead.
My equipment is a wapiti recurve that I bought some years back in horrible shape as a project bow. I completely stripped the bow, repaired the limbs and the tips, did a refinish with the cloth copperhead skins, and put it back together. It's now 55 at 28, and shoots like a dream. I had woodsman heads on this particular setup.
This is a great start to a season for me... Coincidentally it's also the first deer I've ever killed in the month of September. For the first 20 plus years of My bow hunting life our season didn't come in until mid October (WV), and I've just never had luck these last 10 seasons in September.
Good luck to everyone this season.
Topic: Great start to the season. (Read 1917 times)
