This is my first trad only season and it's been full of ups and downs. I am used to hunting with the compound and usually take 20-30 deer a season. I have taken 3 deer with trad gear over the last 3 years. I realized that those deer meant more to me than all the does and big bucks I have shot over the years with my compound. I also knew going into this season that it was going to be humbling and I hoped i had the strength to not reach for the compound. i made it through all of turkey season and managed to take 3 long beards!
Deer season started out great with a 3pointer on opening weekend. From there it's been rough. Hunting almost everyday and even passing some really nice bucks, looking for does or a big boy. I finally had a few chances on does and didn't settle down and pick a spot........missing. I did manage to settle on one doe, but she took a step as I released. I hit her back but she was quartering away and the Snuffer did it's job. she fell within 30yds. I was still second guessing myself though as the shot wasn't that great.
Then the dry spell set in and I couldn't get a deer into 20yds. 10 daysin a row of morning and evening sits and no chances at anything. not to mention how many morning sits before work( I work afternoons) I was feeling discouraged. I was very tempted to grab my compound, but i didn't. I decided to take the next deer that would offer me a shot and just have fun with it.
Saturday morning was calling for heavy rain and 25mph winds. I braved the weather and left the house at 4:45am. Sitting in my stand in the pre-dawn darkeness with wind rocking my tree like it was on a spring and a steady drizzle coming down, with my longbow in hand.......I began to question my sanity. As dawn started to break the wind died and the rain turned to a mist. I heard something over my shoulder and could see a dark blob with lighter antlers on it's head moving about in a thicket. It was still too early and dark to shoot but things were looking promising. As daylight finally reached to forest floor I could still hear him in the brush. I hit the "Can" call 3 times and he came running in to 8yds or so. Offering me a slight quartering away shot. The only problem was my stand was 25' high, but i felt confident as I reached my anchor and picked a spot.
The arrow disapeared exactly where i was looking and the buck took 3 short bounds and stopped and looking back. I couldn't believe what i was seeing. I know I hit him..........didn't I? I nocked a second arrow and the buck began to sway, staggered a few yds, fell and rolled down the hill! He was down not 30yds from the stand and 20yds from the shot!
I started shaking so hard that i had to sit down and stay that way for quite some time. I knew this was the reason i stuck it out with my longbow, the feeling that can only be achieved through so much time and hard work, a harvest with traditional gear.
He sure isn't the biggest buck in the woods or even the biggest buck to walk past my stand, but he was amazing and he was going home with me.
I still have a lot of tags and plenty of season left, but this has already been my best season ever. To top it off the shot was perfect taking out 1 lung and the heart. I used a Woodsman Broadhead and it passed through so fast the buck never knew he was hit.
This is my tree with the deer and cart in the backround
where he fell
Entrance
Exit
Topic: First Trad season and another deer down! (Read 2743 times)
