With tears in my eyes I write you this story…..:-(….
This morning we awoke to a fresh 2 inches of white snow. The first of the Fall in the valley, at least where I live. It was a very beautiful site and especially beautiful since I knew the temps were going to warm up and melt it off, so I didn’t have to shovel or plow it.
We went about our business as usual and did some grocery shopping. Unloaded and I had time to prepare tonights supper of oven baked chicken. If you would like the recipe, I will certainly give it to you. I don’t believe it’s in my favorite recipe portion of this blog.
Anyway, once done with that it was about 3:30 and time to get ready for this evenings hunt. Since it was so dang cold outside I had to put on extra layers. Which I did gladly. Donning my balaclava and beany, double good on a cold evening. I headed up to Weasels for some practice before we headed to the blind. The practice was good. We finished with 12 in the kill zone and then headed for the field.
When we got there we had about an hour and a few minutes until the season ended for the day. There was a 2 inch layer of snow on the untramped fields and none where animals the animals scurried. The sunny areas were also barren of snow, but everything was wet. Including the stools we have left in our hiding spots.
A very cool breeze was blowing from the West/North/West, which is unusal for this spot of ours. My scent was heading directly into the swamp where we suspect the deer to hide during the day. As I sat in my blind, I thought I heard the blowing of a doe with a scent of my presence. I texted Weasel as such.
As the evening progressed and as is my usual blind practice, I stood from my seated position and readied myself for a standing shot, should something come along. My focus was far to my left and out 100 yards or so. The deer have been coming from that direction more than they have not this season.
The ground and leaves laying thickly on the ground are very wet now and don’t make any noise when you step on them. So not surprising, as I walked into my blind I was quiet as a mouse. I know the deer will be even more quiet. I must rely on my sight rather than my ears. Which by the way are useless under my double layer of beanie and balaclava.
So, scanning the area from my left to my right, slowly, just in case…you know. Suddenly, as I turn my head slowly to my right, there stands a smallish two point buck! Right on the trail that leads into where I’m standing! OH MY HECK! His attention suddenly goes to the ground where my foot prints are in the snow. He sniffs and studies what he is seeing and smelling. With his head down and some weeds growing tall between him and me, I turn my feet slowly and quietly to get a more 90 degree angle to him.
I accomplished this without any concern on his part. As he studied the smells, I readied myself for the raise and draw of the bow in my hand. There is a tree in front of him and if he chooses to go in that direction I will have a chance to raise the bow and draw before he comes out into view from the other side.
I am calm….well as calm as you can be being 12 or so yards from the animal you wish to put in your freezer. He steps forward, I raise the bow and draw to full draw and anchor. I am calm…I settle the point of the arrow on his vitals and let the arrow go!
THWACK! I hear the arrow hit the animal! And the lighted nock is bouncing near the bucks left hip. He bounds away to his right. The arrow falls to the ground! WHAT?
The buck runs toward Weasel’s position in the meadow then turns and trots off as if nothing has happened. He disappears into the swamp to the east.
A recap of what happened rewinds and replays in my mind. At the release of the string, the buck ducks and turns to his right! The arrow is on a direct path toward the bucks vitals! Well it was before he ducked. The point of the arrow smacks something hard on the buck and sticks for a time as it bounds off and away from me and then falls from the buck and lays on the ground.
My mind races and my first words to myself are: WTF! I think you know what that means! I can’t believe this is just another time I messed up!
So, after examining the arrow and the evidence of hitting it, I have concluded my aim was right on the money, but with the buck ducking and turning to its right, my arrow, which was heading right for the kill zone, suddenly was on a perfect trajectory to hit the animal at the base of the antler on the left side of its head. The bouncing lighted nock at the left hip of the animal the evidence that the arrow was not deep into any part of the animal as it ran off. The evidence on the broadhead of a little bit of fat, some hair and watery looking moisture, the loud noise I heard when it hit the animal. It sounds like a “near” field goal.
Where is Tim with his 500 fps bow and feather light arrow when you need it? Why can’t my 45 pound recurve send my 600 gr. arrow to the deer at 12 yards quicker than he can duck it going 150 fps?
Will I give up? NO! Will I give up on my heavy arrows and high FOC? NO! Will I give up on a 45 lb. bow that is the most poundage I can draw and hold for 5 seconds at full draw? NO! Will I fill my tag this year? That will remain to be seen. I will not give up until the last second of the last day of the season.
November 11, 2020
Happy Veterans Day everyone!
Bears Butt
You two are hunters !!