Bwana
11-20-2018, 11:43 AM
Opening weekend of deer season I was at my folks' place partaking in our deer hunting traditions even though I only had a bow tag. First afternoon in the stand I had a chance at a doe and fawn but wasn't really ready to end the season so quickly. Thanks to a coyote chasing them off I didn't have much time to test my resolve. Then right towards evening a little buck came in to 17 yards. I pulled back, anchored, made sure everything looked right, and loosed the arrow. That's when things went bad as instead of a silent sendoff of the arrow there was a LOUD exploding sound. I learned two things:
1) just because you have a clear sight picture, know that the arrow sits lower than the sight
2) when buying windows for a deer blind, realize that some work better for shooting a rifle from rather than a bow
10352
Second afternoon another doe comes strutting in a lollygags around a bit too long and I just HAD to see if my new bow would kill deer as well as it had a bear. She only lasted about 10 seconds after the shot and fell within sight.
10353
Fastforward to last weekend. My daughter and I both had whitetail doe tags for an area SW of where we live and Dad drove here in a blizzard on Friday just so he could go hunting with his granddaughter. Long story short, my daughter had her deer by 7:30 AM after having to make a neck shot because the doe was trying to hide behind a tree. (Sorry about the blood but it was 9 below zero so I didn't attempt to wash it off like I should have...my bad)
10354
Her and Grandpa
10355
I left the two of them to field-dress the doe and a half hour later I was able to fill my tag as well. As it lay:
10356
My youngest boy still has a buck tag but given he is a two hour drive from college to my parents place, his college studies, and his job, not sure if he will get another chance to hunt or not. Dad has a gratis tag but he has already talked about possible trying to fill his tag with a muzzleloader when that season opens, so not sure if he will shoot one or not.
Time for me to get the dog out after some pheasants and to start calling coyotes. Hunting season is just TOO short!
1) just because you have a clear sight picture, know that the arrow sits lower than the sight
2) when buying windows for a deer blind, realize that some work better for shooting a rifle from rather than a bow
10352
Second afternoon another doe comes strutting in a lollygags around a bit too long and I just HAD to see if my new bow would kill deer as well as it had a bear. She only lasted about 10 seconds after the shot and fell within sight.
10353
Fastforward to last weekend. My daughter and I both had whitetail doe tags for an area SW of where we live and Dad drove here in a blizzard on Friday just so he could go hunting with his granddaughter. Long story short, my daughter had her deer by 7:30 AM after having to make a neck shot because the doe was trying to hide behind a tree. (Sorry about the blood but it was 9 below zero so I didn't attempt to wash it off like I should have...my bad)
10354
Her and Grandpa
10355
I left the two of them to field-dress the doe and a half hour later I was able to fill my tag as well. As it lay:
10356
My youngest boy still has a buck tag but given he is a two hour drive from college to my parents place, his college studies, and his job, not sure if he will get another chance to hunt or not. Dad has a gratis tag but he has already talked about possible trying to fill his tag with a muzzleloader when that season opens, so not sure if he will shoot one or not.
Time for me to get the dog out after some pheasants and to start calling coyotes. Hunting season is just TOO short!