Today was the last day of deer season for me. (The county I live in has a late Archery season but sadly I have nowhere to hunt.) What a day the season ender was for me, from elation to feeling like a complete idiot. I apologize in advance that I have only a single image to post. Please read through to the end and you will understand why.
Last night we (wife daughter and me) went to a friend’s house for a new years eve party. I was planning to be there till 9 or 10 but the wife obviously wanted to stay till midnight. I protested, said I needed to get some sleep because January 1st is the last day of deer season. I finally told her at 10:15, “I am going home, you can go with me now or get someone to bring you home when you are ready to come home.
So, at around 12:15 I finally get to leave and head home.
I’m in the bed by 1am, asleep by maybe 1:30am. The clock went off at 5am and I almost did not get up to go, but I did. Showered, loaded up and headed to a WMA with a late 1 week archery season that ended today.
It was cool and drizzling off and on for much of the morning. Calm winds but nothing was moving. Was kinda weird. No squirrels, no deer, not even any birds. Needless to say I was not feeling very optimistic. Then at around 10:30 I hear a bunch of noise behind me, I slowly turn and a doe is running full tilt behind me. I did not think she was even going to slow down but suddenly she slams on the brakes right behind a small Birch tree still loaded with leaves. She stands there for the next 15-20 minutes stomping but never blows or snorts. I can see parts of her but no way to take a shot. She finally turned and started walking back the way she came but is extremely jumpy and nervous. Wind was blowing across my face so no way she smelled me, not sure what had her so jumpy. I had my bow up and was saying to myself, "pick a spot and aim low". Shot was not meant to be, she disappeared back the way she came.
I started to climb down but I figured since she never sounded the alarm then maybe something else would come by. The wind was supposed to start picking up after lunch so I figured I would stay till the wind got rough and then call it a season. I sent the wife a text and said I was going to stay a bit later than normal as I usually leave the woods around 11-11:30. I had just put my phone back in my backpack when movement caught my eye. It was another doe traveling the same path as the previous doe but this one was coming from the direction the other deer was originally heading. This deer was not alarmed at all so I crossed my fingers. She walked into an opening, I was already at full draw and picked a spot near the bottom of her chest, waited till her front offside leg was moving forward and released. I don't remember seeing the flight of the arrow. The doe jumped forward, took several trotting steps and stopped. Seriously??? I missed???? Impossible!!!!!! I eased another arrow out of my quiver and knocked it hoping for another shot. She was walking away from me now, slowly. No white flag, no blowing, basically no reaction at all. I am totally frustrated with myself, ready to pull my hair out, then something looked funny. I thought I saw her wobble a bit, then she tried to run forward but made it just a few yards and went down nose first. She tried to keep moving but just kind of rolled and kicked a few times. She was down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was full tilt River Dancing in my stand!!! I couldn't believe it.
So I lowered my stuff down and walked over to where she was when I shot. Took my phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture. Could not find my arrow right away so I walked over to my doe and still could not believe it. I touched her with my bow to make sure she was done. I cleaned her up a bit and moved her into a nice pose and took a couple pics of her with my John Schulz. At this point I just sat down and stared at her for a few minutes and reflected on the day and the season. A few minutes later I walked back to the spot where I had shot her, finally found my arrow buried in the leaves and dirt and then I paced the distance back to my tree. 23 yards.
I sent Buddy Bell an email with a teaser pic, (the only one I have now)
then threw my phone in my backpack. I took off my Asbell pullover as I was already getting warm, rolled it up and crammed it in my backpack and I took my climber off the tree and got it ready to pack out. I hung my backpack on my stand, threw the stand on my back, grabbed my bow and quiver and headed over to the doe. I strapped the doe to my safety rope and started dragging her to my truck.
Now to get down to my truck I have to go down a 15' straight drop from the woods down to the road so when I get there I leave the doe and take my stand, bow and other gear down first. I went back, got the deer down to the truck and by this time I am super heated, the thermals I needed at 7am were killing me. I stripped my thermals off and then started loading up. Put my bow and quiver in the cab, throw my stand in the back drag the doe into the back and headed to a local processor. Had a nice chat with the processor, was dying to tell the story to someone. He weighed her, 127 pounds, I told him I would gut her (he charges $10). My 145 grain STOS took out the heart, almost centering it. After telling the owner how I wanted her processed I hit the road.
So, I get home and take my bow and quiver inside and head down to the basement. Put my bow up and head to my PC to send Buddy another email. Reached into my pants pocket for my phone and remembered I had put it in my pack.............where is my backpack???? I went back to my truck and no backpack. I had left it on the side of the road!!!!!!!!! My backpack, phone, binoculars, wool pullover are all in the backpack sitting where my truck was parked. I yell to my wife that I have to go back to the WMA and tell her why.
I get back to where I was parked about 2 hours after I left. Backpack is gone. I guess someone saw it, and decided to keep it! $100 backpack, iPhone 4 that will cost me $400+ to replace, Nikon Monarch 10x binoc $300 (just bought this year, first quality pair of binocs I ever owned) and my new Asbell Wool pullover all gone! I went to AT&T but unless someone brings the phone in there isn't anything they can do so I have to buy a new phone. So, only the one picture and I am out close to $1000 bucks. Mad at myself for being in too big of a hurry, feel like a such a moron. However despite it all I am still on a high. The items can be replaced, the experience of today will never be replaced! Honestly, what bothers me most is I have no pics, but today is permanently etched into my memory. In close to 30 years of deer hunting I have never felt a thrill like today. I can't wait for September to get here!
I have to tell everyone what a great guy Buddy Bell is! I doubt he has any idea how much he helped me. (Even though I have told him) He has given me advice and words of encouragement when I was frustrated. Helped me choose my first longbow, not by telling me what I needed or wanted but by asking me questions that helped me figure out what I wanted to try and then answering all of my questions. Sure wish he lived closer, just the kind of hunting partner I have never been able to find.
Thank you Buddy from the bottom of my heart! I can't wait to shake your hand one day soon!
Also, thanks to everyone else at Trad Gang for all the answered questions, great advice and how to guides. And thanks for letting me share my success story!
Happy New Year everyone!
Topic: Zero hour success - 1st Trad kill (Read 1203 times)
