Unread postby seeds » Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:23 am
I was my first year back bowhunting since about 1980. The couple years I bowhunted back then were worthless - experience-wise - for today.
First,thanks again to a Beast member for helping with my shooting,and then turning me on to this site....When "friends" didn't have time to help,Browning 3 took the time...I had gotten the feeling from some that they were trying to discourage me - "there's already too many bowhunters" - then a total stranger meets me at the range to help me. Thanks again.
I scouted a lot well before the season,and I practiced almost every day during July and August - enough to become competent with my 35 year old bow at short range...Then I bought a PSE Brute and became a little more competent at a little longer ranges.
But between poor scent control and poor stand site selection,I essentially "wasted" the first month of the season....Except that learning becomes "knowing" and "habit" when the learning hurts....Since I hunted probably 5 nights and 2 mornings per week,that "wasted" month hurt.
I eventually arrowed a mature buck on public land in a "corridor" downwind from a bedding site. Other bowhunters had hunted the vicinity but made (imo,now) poor stand choices. "My" area had been left alone,I picked it deliberately,and I had confidence in it...I hate to say it,but my lack of knowledge led to the loss of the animal. A quartering TO shot at 17yds. One lung,and I probably pushed the buck too soon,but the arrow went exactly where I aimed.....The light breeze was rising but I was afraid if I allowed him to approach any closer he'd bust me....That all makes it worse - had I waited another minute,I'd have had a perfect broadside shot at about 10yds....MIlkweed was rising like little hot air balloons,he wouldn't have scented me.
And had I not pushed him..well,he ran towards my canoe and laid down about 100' from it. That would'a been so sweet....
First I thought he fell into the river,and I spent a ton of time searching in 2' to 3' water. I stayed out 'til 11pm that night and was back in the woods at 5am - PLUS the 1/2 hour paddle and 20 minute drive each way... I picked up the blood trail 75yds from were it'd stopped near the river and trailed him into the oaks,where it again got sparse. Red blood,red leaves,approaching storm... I searched in a grid pattern the first couple hours of the thunderstorm,then finally gave up.....afterwards,I spoke with a number of guys. One guy said he loses almost half the animals he shoots. ("I can't remember all the deer I shot that I never found")...If that was the way it goes,well,I almost hung it up. I don't want to EVER lose another animal. It really sucks.
But with talking to more guys,and reading stuff online,I realized that most guys don't lose a big percentage of the deer they shoot. It might be common and "no big deal" for some guys to lose an animal,but for others it's rare,and hurts.
So I got back on the horse,and three days later I arrowed a doe from that same tree. Both lungs,it didn't run far....I can't say I was proud of that deer ("first deer's always a trophy",I was told... BS) - especially in light of the buck...But if it weren't for that doe,I don't know if I'd be so pumped for the sport. I was ready to give it up.
Then the rut started,and everything I'd learned up to that point went out the window. Lots more hours sittin',lots more hours without seeing deer...I DID pass on a couple more shots (does) that weren't sure things,and got busted while at full draw once. Also,it took two clean misses to discover my anchor point changes with the addition of more clothes.
So after years and years and years of saying to myself that I was going to get back into bowhunting,I finally did. I learned a ton,and - more important - I learned what I yet need to learn.
One other regret: My Lund never got wet between 9/1 and 12/15. There's no walleye filets in the freezer. The plus side to that is every one caught since then has been eaten fresh. They're so much better that way.
