Intro: Hill Country's Miss Hope and Faith....(roster added on page 2)

[threeunder]

Bud,
Thanks.  I'm shooting 30" AD Trads with 100gr insert and 200 gr heads with my #60 @ 28" Recurve so think I should be able to come close to what you're shooting.
Thanks, also, for the head's up on the high knocking point.
Getting really anxious for December.
Ken

[Bud B.]

[David Mitchell]

C'mon, Bud.  You have to tell the whole story here and it looks like it will be a good one!  

[Blaino]

[Bud B.]

Faith arrived in NC on Tuesday. I was out back shooting when the postal carrier came driving up. I quickly unpacked her and strung her up. I had prepared some 2216s and bought some 2219s from a fellow tradganger to try out on this year’s beefier recurve (poundage-wise, mind you), and the 2219s arrived with Faith.

After several attempts to get a good tune I thought I’d give my GT Trad 55/75s a try. With a little a nock adjustment with the new double string nocks I had tied I was able to get prompt and pleasing results. Then the broadhead tune came in, and that settled in nicely too.

I shot Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Friday came and I had to work, but I did manage to get in a five minute or so session before leaving. My last two shots at 12 yards were within about one to two inches of where I was looking. I stopped and let those two shots burn in my mind and left for work.

The NC deer opener was today, Saturday the 8th at 30 minutes before official sunrise. I had checked the sunrise table online and it was reported to be at 0656am EDT. That meant an 0626am buzzer opener. I had hoped to get in my stand before 0545am, but road construction delayed that by 15 minutes. I still managed to get settled and the Thermacell rolling by 0600.

Acorns were dropping all around. The humidity was so thick I could feel the moisture as I inhaled with each breath. Rain looked imminent.  The new moon fuzzed the misty morning. I still heard acorns dropping, but thought I heard rustling of leaves as well, even in the damp carpet that underplayed the canopy. My heart began racing a bit, thinking of what I hoped would be the cause of these sounds I was hearing.

As daylight began to slowly take over through the cloud cover I noticed an image coming down the trail that I had used to get to my stand. I had sprayed vanilla flavoring on my boots; an idea taken from my TradGang readings. I think the vanilla worked. The image appeared to be a doe walking ever so cautiously but still with determination in her step. She went past to my right at about eight yards but I still could not pick a spot as she closed the distance. As light still became brighter I hoped for the best and that she’d stay nearby. A second sound of rustling then came from behind me. She was not alone.

[jcar315]

[4runr]

   

[threeunder]

           

Oh yeah!  Can't wait for the details!!!!

Out with it Bud! The suspense is killing me.

I'm tuned in, but it looks like congrats are  in order.

Bisch

[Bud B.]

I looked down and to my right and I caught the nose of a deer sniffing around.  It was about five feet to my right side and back about five feet. I was 12 feet above it in my homemade treated wood ladder stand. I froze. I thought I’d surely get busted and off to the races they’d go. After what seemed like 30 minutes, which was really like one minute, the nose backed up. I lost sight of it but could hear its close steps. My heart was now thumping like a message drum. I knew it was going to give me away. I could actually hear it beating audibly. I tried breathing to calm down. In my attempts to control my breathing I saw movement of the first deer. It was heading away from me and I had no shot. If I moved I feared the one behind me would see me and end my hopes. The lead deer went about ten more feet away from me and stopped.

The area where I was hunting was on my father’s land. He owns only 12 acres and is surrounded by occupied country homes. A woman began talking to her kids from a home about 200 yards way. The sound carried like she was closer than that. She sounded only 50 yards or so away. The lead deer had heard her clearly and also appeared to be confused and alarmed. These deer are used to nearby humans, but are just as wary as open forest deer when they feel danger is near. This deer was obviously concerned. After a few minutes, maybe 7 or so, it turned and began walking back up the trail it had come down. This was bringing it back towards me and would present a 7-8 yard shot if it stayed the course. It did.

By this time the daylight had brightened things up enough that as it came back I could see it was a young buck still in velvet. He walked along the same footsteps in which he arrived and unbelievably stopped broadside and looked back away from me towards the direction of the woman. This was my time to draw. But I thought about the second deer and hesitated.

[threeunder]

 
Yes! Yes! Yes!
 

[Bud B.]

What happened next I really can’t say exactly. I remembered thinking that if I could just get the bow back I could get a release before I got busted. Then the buck turned back towards the trail ahead and I thought I had lost my opportunity. As soon as I thought this he reached down to scratch his front leg with his nose, or vice versa, but I drew and released. I remember the draw, but not the release. I remember arching my back to straight, while still seated, but nothing of the arrow flight or where it hit. I remember looking hard at the lower chest near the heart, but not if he dropped or not upon my release. The next thing I can consciously remember was the sound of hair being cut and him exploding away from the hit. He crashed through the woods with authority. I heard him run towards the road and hoping I’d hear a crash before he got that far. I heard a soft crash, but then it all got silent again.  The second deer was still just behind my stand when I shot. It ran in the opposite direction of the hit deer, but did so as silently as it could.

I left the stand and went back to the house. I waited for 30 minutes and returned to find the blood soaked arrow behind where the buck had stood. Needless to say I was stoked! I knew I’d find blood immediately, but was soon jarred into reality by no blood trail. I knew the way he’d run, so I headed in that direction. I soon found blood, about 20 yards from the hit, but not the copious amounts I had envisioned.


 

[Bud B.]

The blood trail was sparse. I soon gave up trying to look for specks, but did see some here and there. Some had bubbles, which were encouraging. I focused on heading towards the area where I had heard that final soft crash. After about a 40 yard walk I found him.  I walked up to him and touched his mouth area. He was already stiff. He died a relatively swift and humane death thanks to the Magnus two blade and the sharpening skills I’ve read about over and over on this site until I finally figured out how to get’em shaving sharp. I got his lung tips and a touch of liver. Most of his blood was internal and into his lungs. The hit was high and angled down and back. Not exactly where I had intended, but with equal results.

     

     

As I was dragging him out I stopped to retrieve some dropped gear. I turned back and saw this. I thought it was a pretty cool sight with the sunrise glowing through the wooded plot so I snapped a shot.

     


Thank you Terry Green for the opportunity to have Faith in September, this site, and for what you and your helpers do for St. Jude.

Thank you Hill Country / Kenny Yoder for a magnificent bow!


And thank you Lord for a successful opening day with Faith!

[T-D]

You are the man! Great job Bud!

[threeunder]

Oh yeah!  Velvet buck mojo for Faith!  Way to go Bud!  Congrats on a great hunt with great story and pictures.

[Bud B.]

Thanks guys!  

Chinook started it.

She IS a shooter!

[longbowben]

         Congrats

[T-D]

Thanks for stopping by today so I could shoot her myself. Faith is definitely a shooter and packs a punch too! I really really like her. I know she will get several more opportunities to harvest more game.

Congrats, Bud!

Now go get another one!

Bisch

[David Mitchell]

Bud,