Airborne1
11-30-2007, 06:48 PM
I have been an avid shooter since age 5 and have hunted since the legal PA age of 12. I have always used firearms for everything from groundhogs to caribou. This past year I helped out a very good friend that was deployed to Iraq and in return he gave me a new hoyt bow fully outfitted ready to go. I have always shot archery but never hunted with a bow. I got the bow set up for me last May and practiced darn near every day up until oct 1st. I had scouted several great spots here on Ft. Riley and had some good stands. Opening morning had a little fork buck walk right under my stand. I let him walk. The next afternoon I took a nice doe at 8 yards on the ground! Double lung. This was the first deer I had ever taken with a bow. I hunted hard up until last week with my bow, saw six different buck from my stand. It came to a point when I started naming my buck. I never had shot with my bow but everyone of them came with in 30 yards of me. All I could think about was man if I had my whelen or my contender there would be dead buck.
One morning during pre-rut I was rattleing and in came a little five point that I named Larry. He was quarting away from me at 30 yards, I decided that I was going to take him. As I drew on him and lined up my sights I found that there was a problem I had no shot. I nice branch decided to be in the way. I waited until he looked away and lowered my bow and watched him walk up the ridge over my left shoulder. I was watching Larry when I heard something walking right under my stand. I waited until the "sound" had moved away from me and looked over my right shoulder and there was the biggest buck I had ever seen in the wild. 6x6 with very very high tines and the rack was wider then his butt. I grunted and he paid no attention to it. What an animal!
Even though I didn't take a buck this year I still feel like it was a great season seeing all the deer that I did. I put the bow away and am getting my contender ready for coyotes this winter with my daughter. If you all have the chance to try out hunting with a bow please do it. You have more season to hunt and I promise you will see more deer. I hope you all had great seasons.
One morning during pre-rut I was rattleing and in came a little five point that I named Larry. He was quarting away from me at 30 yards, I decided that I was going to take him. As I drew on him and lined up my sights I found that there was a problem I had no shot. I nice branch decided to be in the way. I waited until he looked away and lowered my bow and watched him walk up the ridge over my left shoulder. I was watching Larry when I heard something walking right under my stand. I waited until the "sound" had moved away from me and looked over my right shoulder and there was the biggest buck I had ever seen in the wild. 6x6 with very very high tines and the rack was wider then his butt. I grunted and he paid no attention to it. What an animal!
Even though I didn't take a buck this year I still feel like it was a great season seeing all the deer that I did. I put the bow away and am getting my contender ready for coyotes this winter with my daughter. If you all have the chance to try out hunting with a bow please do it. You have more season to hunt and I promise you will see more deer. I hope you all had great seasons.