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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 !

Great post and better luck tomorrow!!!

Good post there Mission. Keep at it.

Show me someone who's never missed and I'll show you someone who hasn't bow hunted enough yet!

I feel much better. Much obliged, fellows, for listening and the understanding and good thoughts !

I'm now hooked....on the good life....bows, arrows, deer, and the company of good friends and my family.

I have some work to do: practicing shots other than straight on target stuff....severe angles (angling/positioning the Buckmasters target will resemble the small shot alley I had w/the doe), uphill, low light, 35-40 yards as well as 20 yards...all of it. It's confidence building and skill honing time.

I guess that wasn't bad even though I missed the doe. If you think about it, this was only the 2nd day of my very first bow hunting season and I've already experienced an exciting hunt.

I didn't show much disappointment although it did hurt my 51 year old pride...for I had an impressionable hunting partner looking on: my 19 year old son. I stopped once and glimpsed around; and my son was carefully and quietly searching the leaves for sign and tracking the doe like a veteran hunter. The rest of the way back home, we stalked for more deer and I let my son strap on my (new) Tru Fire release and carry the bow. Man was I proud of him and humbled to God for making it all possible !

And there will be more to follow.

To the Good Life.....

That's no so bad. At least you didn't have to clean a deer.

My dad missed a nice 6 point this morning. He hit the exact same tree that he hit a few years ago while shooting at a doe. He has a Muzzy and a Rage broadhead on one tree. I told him to cut the tree but NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! He'll never learn!!

Thats why I don't even like to practice on the ground.Its too easy to loose arrows.From an elevated postion (treestand) the arrow is left standing up stuck in the ground.

Almost...Part 2....

Fellows.....YOU AREN't GOING TO BELIEVE THIS..(sorry for shoutin'.)

Yesterday morning, 17th, Sat., the wind was still wrong and I decided to hunt the same area where I missed the doe the morning before. The wind is in my favor there. I payed close attention to the details: non-scent soap, clean hunting clothes, spraying down with Scent-A-Way, everything. Just as day was beginning to break I picked up my kit, bow and walking cane and eased out the door to my stand with a refreshed attitude and positive thoughts.

I sat in the same general area for 45 minutes until my legs began to hurt, sitting on the wet ground, and I just had to do some stalking.

Walking silently down the acces road to the now overgrown back field, I spotted a large doe track heading toward the pine thicket on the high plateau that used to be my pasture. This is usually a good place because the deer browse the briers and vines underneath the pines in relative safety. It isn't overwhelmingly thick in brush or brambles, sparse in places and thicker in others...and I can see maybe 60 yards distant, maximum. You've probably hunted such a place before and know such a place.

I followed the doe tracks to the main trail...and to a point where the trail forks---and chose the left fork which heads to the old field's edge and the hardwoods; and a sharp decline into a hollow...where the white oak trees grow. I eased along at a snail's pace, looking very closely for a patch of white, movement, some eyes or the summertime reddish color of deer hair among the low pine limbs and background. About to move on I glanced to my left and spotted what appeared to be a fire ant hill. I stood motionless and watched this spot (35 yards away) until this 'ant hill' moved. lol Yep, it was the reddish back of a deer. It had it's head down browsing briers and didn't even know I was in the world. I had stalked her to her feeding ground....and it was 7:45.

I drew back my Mission Buckmaster and placed the 30 yard pin on her chest....but she stepped forward to get to more browse....her head still down browsing. This placed her in a real thick area and I had no shot...so I let down the bow and waited...with an adrenaline rush...remembering not to become too impatient and shoot too early. She finally moved 2 steps to a fair alley and I drew back again. I could see the deer's chest, shoulder and neck but not her legs...due to the thick stuff on the ground.

I had to shoot in an alley between 2 pine trees, really close to her; one left and one right---the right one closer to me than the left one. If I waited any longer the doe would be into a thicket just 6 steps away and I would lose my opportunity for a shot. Her kill zone was very visible. I put the pin just behind her shoulder and released the arrow...tap !...POP...POP ! All heck broke loose...

I could see this arrow sailing to it's mark...the does chest. It seemed like I was watching in slow motion as the green and yellow vanes sped along in a flat trajectory ! lol The deer jumped the string...and got, it appeared, only 6 inches high from the ground...lol ...and my arrow hit a leg-sized pine just behind her. And that was the POP I heard. My heart was pumping !

I've never seen a cat take off any faster---nor flatter to the ground ! She was gone in a flash....except that 'she" was a lone, young buck with maybe ? 7-8 points. I finally saw the deer's head as it swapped ends and left. Nothing wide or special...just a young, 140 lb. buck. (notice I never said I saw the deer's head, as it was down in the browse ?...yep, it shocked me too when I saw the little tines sticking up !)

I found my precious arrow this time ! lol Thank the Lord ! It hit the tree and bounced back, struck a limb and fell in the pine straw without any damage and a little pine bark between the inserts. I looked for blood or hair just to make sure but he was as healthy as before I released the arrow.

Ouch...miss number 2 in 2 days, for mission....

I'm able to stalk deer...heck, track'em to their feeding area without being seen or heard. It's the dang trees and saplings that have my number and block my arrows ! LOL

Man that was a fun hunt/stalk...and I'll be out again today and the next day ! My 'shooting' luck has to change sooner or later, and I'll be ready when it does ! I'v

I've learned much in these 3 days.

Hope I'm not boring y'all to tears with my posts ?...and thanks much for listening if they are or aren't ! (grin)

(btw, tree stands are impossible for me...wish I could but I can't physically climb them safely with my disability...so I have to either sit in my Easton ground blind or stalk. But the deer are beginning to browse a little in the winter wheat plot I planted. And my ground blind will come in handy there a little later in the season, hopefully.)

Cheers and good hunting to all !

mission

Tree stands are not a bow hunting requirement.
Good concealment and scent control can make a stalk hunter just as successful, and I find it much more entertaining.
I don't have the patience to sit for long hours in one place.

I stalked within 35 yards of a big doe yesterday. She was bedded down to escape the hurricane force winds.

Just as I was standing up to draw my bow, I got busted by two more does (evidently stalking ME) who were 20 yards behind me. The wind was favorable, but so strong that I couldn't hear a thing, and I had no idea they were there.

Great post man. Keep it up...your luck will change. Ain't nothing like killing one with a bow. Good luck!

Hi, Out Back, it's good tree stands are optional and stalking deer is possible.

I looked at one of the 2-man outfits in front of Walter Craig in Montgomery last month and almost bought one of the ladder types. It would be good to set up one overlooking the food plot, or a good scrape line during the rut. But I couldn't really afford it and the thought of stumbling off the ladder one morning scared me out of the thought. Keep up the stalks and peg one of those
fat does !

I just bought a new set of RealTree Hardwoods AP...pants, shirt, and a balaclava and cap...no scent proof high boots as they were really expensive. Maybe next year.

Hi Outfitter1. I can't wait until I walk up to a nice, fat doe (or non-typical 12 pt.buck, drop tine buck)...that I've taken w/a Muzzy 4 blade 100 gr. I can sense it will be special...just like you said ! I'll keep up the hunting as you suggested and eventually a doe shall fall to one of my swift, tree/tree limb clipping arrows from ol' Mission bow Thanks for posting and the kind words, Outfitter1. The best of luck, success and safe hunting to you, too !

Do y'all ever shoot (canted style) while seated on the ground, or do you always try to stand up to draw and shoot ? My Mission is 31" axle to axle and I've practiced shooting (canted/tilted) while seated...but don't know if this makes an archer less accurate ?? Thanks.