Thanks Ray, and Trad Gang!!
It is an honor to have my picture up top, I really appreciate it!
It had to be the best camping/hunting week of my life! Just me and my wife, our little camp trailer, and a whole week off work to chase velvet clad bucks around the aspens with my longbow, it just doesn't get any better.
Blue, cloudless skies all week, crisp cool mornings, and warm sunny days made for the perfect backdrop.
I started the week by missing a buck of similar size at less than 25 yards! It had just rained and and so my father and I were able to stalk up close, had a perfect broadside shot and shot right over!!
I was so bummed out, and boy did my dad get an earful that evening, as I was really down on myself. You would have thought I had hit and lost one!
Throughout the week, I chased buck after buck after buck, blowing stalk after stalk after stalk. The brush was very thick this year and made stilling hunting a bear. I tried a few stands and water holes to no avail.
I then missed a nice 2 point IN CAMP as my wife watched over my shoulder! Then I felt even worse as she is always telling me "I hope I am with you when you get one"...
Well Sat. rolled around a day before we are to leave, and that morning I told myself I had to give it all I had! At that point if I went home empty handed it still would have been the best week of hunting/camping ever! I saw loads of nice bucks, lots of elk,(whish I had a tag) and the most beautiful weather/country and company I could ask for!
Well about 9 am that Sat morn, I still hunted over this samll rise to a sage/aspen bench, sun to my back. A few yrds out that buck jumped from his bed, not knowing what had spooked him. He took a few bonds straight away and then turned up hill and looked back. I nealt down and knocked an arrrow. He was staring into the sun and could not see where I was. I focusd in on a spot and really beared down on the shot.
He must of got nervous as he started to leave as the arrow left he bow, and I hit him just a bit back. I gave him some time, (approx an hour)and picked up the trail.
Blood was good but faded about 100 yds out.
I continued in circles from that point looking for more blood. About 80 yds from the last blood, he jumped from his bed and you could tell he was almost done. He lazily walked off a small hill to an aspen pocket. I gave a little more time, knocked an arrow and eased in for a second shot. As I crested the hill I could see him bedded down again, but he looked expired.
I waited him out, snuck(a real hunting word) in for a closer look and finished him with a second arrow.
Boy was I a happy man, first deer with traditional gear, and it happened to be a decent buck in the velvet!!! Something about a velvet Muley really gets me going!! I was shooting a 58" Shrew Samarai 53@28 GT 3555 with 150 grn adapters and 150 grn Razorcaps.
Sorry for the long post, but hard to keep good memories bottled up! And again thanks for the gesture guys!!
Jake
Topic: Jacob's Mulie up top (Read 1022 times)
