I have worked for two years trying to tag a white tailed deer with a long bow and I have learned more about whitetails than in 10 years of rifle hunting. Last night it came together. A lot of things went right and a few went wrong but in the end I was able to get my early season whitetail buck! My first with traditional equipment!
I located a low stand at the corner of a harvested pea field just off the field, on the low side of a gentle ridge. This is where a number of deer come around the corner of the wide open ground, stick to cover and head out to a new alfalfa field. This stand is generally no good in the afternoons as the winds blow to the NE into the bedding areas that the deer are leaving on their way to food. But last night I thought I would check it out since I got busted out in my evening spot the night before. When I arrived at around 4pm and parked I was surprised to find the wind blowing roughly west and south. Perfect! These whitetails would not have the wind in their faces as they came out of the timber and towards the food. I was excited as I climbed into my stand but things were dead for an hour. Then it happened, I spotted a small doe and watched as she slowly moved up slope through the tall grass 60 yards away. Then after her a little 3 point buck. They disappeared behind several pines for a half an hour. Then it happened. The little buck emerged from behind a pine tree and began working his way towards my stand. He stayed on course and I had to settle my heart beat. Wait for it… zap. But to my dismay, the buck collapsed and struggled. I had missed my mark (heart/lungs) and broken his back. Fortunately, by the time it was over he lay dead at the bottom of the ravine just to the south of my stand just as night began to fall.
As it happened in calling home to let folks know I would be late, my oldest son was just home after work and wanted to help me out - and boy did I welcome it. He drove out met me and we drug the buck up and out of the ravine. Lot of work and I was very grateful for my son’s help since this little 3 point didn’t feel small at all going straight up hill. I couldn’t have been happier. I used a JD Berry Argos bow – 48@28 and a GT traditional shaft/50 grain insert and a Magnus two blade head at 125 grains.
I included a couple of photos of deer from the game cam and the pines just to let you in on the type of country we hunt here in this part of E. Washington. Lots of open pine forests.
Some last thoughts on this experience:
•Life is sacred and hunting and spending time with nature using traditional tools puts me in touch with this! I have a lot of gratitude that I get to be a part of it.
•I must improve my shooting under pressure!!! I was lucky not to lose this deer.
•I worked hard to understand WT deer behavior, the wind and terrain. It worked!
•Whitetail deer are absolutely awesome critters for which I have a huge respect.
•Many thanks to JD Berry for helping me in shooting, for creating such great hunting bows, and last thanks for the loaner tree stand that I used to shoot this deer.
Season is over early for me so I guess fall turkeys are now my focus! Thanks!
Topic: First Longbow Whitetail! (Read 1329 times)
