By: Bears Butt

I’m sure this is getting old to you who are actually reading this stuff. Tonight was a night like no other, well, maybe…it depends on how you look at it.

The last couple of days have been unsettled with the weather, raining, windy, cold, cloudy at least. Today was a beautiful Fall day in the mountains of Northern Utah. Highs today around 55, no wind, no chance for storm. A good day to get some last minute Fall cleanup around the house…if that is what you want to do.

As for me…Nope…I got the exciting chance to listen to Hunter and Broken Stick tell me about their Bull Elk hunt down on the San Juan mountains of Southern Utah, near Monticello. They will have to tell you about that, but I was Way Impressed to hear their tales.

I filled them in on my deer tales as are found on this website. You have already read them. So, with them as my captive audience, I filled them in on all the episodes of this seasons Extended Archery hunt so far. They have not heard or read this one…just as you haven’t…yet.

With the sun going down sooner in the evening, Weasel and I decided we needed to get our archery practice in a bit earlier than we have and get down to our sitting spots. I was on the phone to a DWR guy about some trash I think needs to be removed up on the Green Fork road and missed a few minutes of practice.

Also, I have been counseled by alot of my friends and family about why I am missing so many shots. I’ve tried to implement all of the suggestions except one, up to this point. Grandson Chase said, “Grandpa, you need to try hunting those deer without drinking any beer! That way you will be able to concentrate and kill one!”

Well, the last suggestion I was given didn’t work, so maybe this one will. I refused to have my normal beer at my normal time and went to practice. I have to say, my practice session was not my best, but it wasn’t all that bad either. My confidence wasn’t what it usually is however when the session was over. Still, it was time to head to the field for the evening hunt.

In my blind, I was lacking the warm fuzzy feeling of confidence, but still, I was ready for the action should it present itself.

I hadn’t been in my blind more than 10 minutes when suddenly there was the same buck my arrow had passed through last week! The 3X4 and he was on a mission. He walked straight to my spot and started to walk passed me. He was exactly where I had grazed him last week when I drew back to full draw and anchored. I was nearly ready to release the string when he bolted to his left, away from me and out into the meadow. I was surprised I hadn’t released the string, but I hadn’t and I let down. The buck stopped at about 20 yards and I was really tempted to take the shot, but I didn’t and he began to walk away to the West. I watched as he made his way to the other side of the meadow and skirted the edge of the pond and on to the North, then when he reached a gate over that way he started back in my direction.

About half way back to where I was, he turned and went into the swamp, right on the trail next to where Weasel had been sitting earlier this season. Had Weasel been there, he would have had a shot under 20 yards….Oh Well! He was sitting in his spot at the SE side of the meadow, near where the deer come out of the swamp.

Well, I gave up on that deer coming back to me from that direction and started to concentrate my focus on the area where he had come from. It wasn’t 5 more minutes and there came another buck! This time a small 2 point. I’ll take a small 2 point as well as a doe if it comes within range. YES! This one is going home with me!

As I watched him coming my way, my heart began to race…adrenaline? Maybe, but maybe withdrawal symptoms! Then my mind started to clamor over all the advice I had been pounded with…make sure you come to full draw…..anchor….Point of the arrow on where you want it to hit…..Aim Low….Aim to the left of where you want to hit….

As the buck continued to come my way, he stopped about 15 yards out for a bite to eat. I thought to myself, Go ahead little buck, have your last meal before I take you home and make meals out of you! I even thought about shooting between the two trees that are hiding me from his sight, after all I practice at 20 yards and this would be a slam dunk. Well, he turned and started to walk the same path as the bigger buck not 10 minutes before. This time, I’ve got him dialed in, he is going down and I’ll be having liver and onions tomorrow night for supper. I was ready. Feet anchored to the ground, a slight crouch, the push of the bow arm away and the pull of the string toward my anchor. Anchor made, string against my nose…..Arrow on the point I want to hit, NO…Aim lower….NO…Aim to the left of where you want to hit….NO!….Aim where you want to hit!….NO!….NO!!!!…NO!!!! And I collapsed and the arrow went 2 feet to the left of the deers butt! The deer stopped and turned to look at me!

OH MY HECK! He didn’t jump the string! He didn’t duck and turn like all the others, he just stopped and turned his head to look at me! WHAT?

And then he walked out into the meadow because he wasn’t sure what that bright green leafy looking thing was standing there among the brown and barren trees and dead weeds. He walked out and stopped at about 20 yards as I tried to nock another arrow. I was determined to shoot this buck. But I couldn’t get the second arrow nocked onto the string. Frustration was at a max in my mind! Shaking like a crazy man. I finally managed to get the arrow nocked and then with him standing out there about 50 yards I decided to heck with it, try to chase him over to Weasel. So out of my blind I went and out into the meadow. The buck stood there wondering what and how can that bush walk like that? What is that awful thing coming my way? He then made some moves toward heading toward Weasel’s position.

However, once all the action was over, he made it back to the safety of the swamp by going on the same trail he was on when he first came out.

I went back to my blind and sat there with my head in my hands. A perfect chance at a perfect deer. A deer that had no idea he was in danger and a hunter who was SO VERY RATTLED that he couldn’t make the shot….Never again….I WILL drink a couple of beers before I go hunting…I WILL shoot as if it were a standing target and if it ducks and turns, so be it! No more will I listen to my friends and family saying do this, do that! NO. I’m done with listening to any of that. I will practice as if it were a live animal in front of me and when the chance comes at a real live animal, I WILL do as I have practiced. If God wants the animal to live HE will make sure it ducks and swerves out of the way of the oncoming projectile. If it’s meant for me to take him home and have liver and onions, HE will make sure my arrow is on mark and the animal will be sacrificed.

I think I’ll have another beer and get ready for bed.

November 16, 2020

Bears Butt