Well here goes, boys....
The wind was blowing wrong this afternoon for my #1 stand. I kept thinking of the northeast part of the place for a good late afternoon hunt. I literally could sense deer 'were' there in the woods picking up water oak acorns. So I grabbed up my Mission (set for 70 lbs.) and eased into the area on a stalk.
I'm really a quiet stalker due to my slow-down from this disability, and I didn't make a sound. At the place where I sensed the deer would be...I looked really close, and there stood a young doe, broadside and unaware. She never knew I was there from 21 steps away. I drew back my bow and it was too thick...limbs, vines, more limbs...so I let down. I side stepped and a little hole appeared...a fair shooting lane. I drew back, put the 20 yard pin just behind her shoulder and pulled the release. I didn't even know when the arrow released until the sound startled me.
The doe lunged forward, went 15 feet and stopped. I watched for a sign of her being hit but couldn't note anything. It was really thick. The doe fast walked up the hillside and stopped 50 yards away, but again, no sign of a hit. My heart sank. There were 2 more does 25 yards away and they bolted as I moved to look for sign.
We looked for blood and my arrow and didn't find either. A close inspection revealed my Muzzy nicked a little finger-size sweetgum sapling and must have deflected my shot. I remember hearing the arrow hit something and then ground...in the leaves. I really thought the shot was good...had good confidence in my shot and thought I'd hit that doe.
I lost one of my only 3 Muzzy broadheads and arrows. Now I'm down to 2 hunting arrows and 1 field tip. (uhhh!)
This was the first deer I've shot at with a bow. It was so exciting and I learned a lot:
1) wait for a deer to move for a better shot if you can...if they aren't spooky...which mine wasn't
2) don't shoot in really heavy brush...it isn't worth a wounded deer or a miss
3) stalking whitetail does on their own ground is hard to do...but a very rewarding way
4) to me, missing with an arrow hurts much worse than with a rifle
5) losing expensive arrows really bites lol !
I'll be back after them tomorrow. That was the most fun and I thank the Good Lord for the opportunity just to be able to hunt !
PS: my oldest son was with me and I think we have another archer/deer hunter in our midst. In fact I know it !
