Well, yesterday was a little bittersweet. The bow hunt started on September 1st and I hadn't been out yet. All summer I practiced with my bow, well maybe not all summer, but I spent a little more time this year practicing with my bow, and got to where I could have pretty good placement at decent distances. Well yesterday I went out hunting for the first night. I had been watching a few bucks and noting the time that they came into the pasture. I had noticed one buck in particular. He was coming in fairly late but it seemed like clockwork that he would show at a certain place at a certain time. So I hunkered down in an irrigation ditch and waited. I would say that I waited for about 3 hours. Right at the time that I expected a buck appeared. It was late. I could see antlers and a very large body. So I began to stock. As I stocked up the irrigation ditch. I figured that if I could get within 50 yards I could make a competent shot. So when I got to the position that I guessed was 50 yards (I don't use a rangefinder) I slowly appeared, drew my bow, steadied on the 50 yard pin, and pulled the release. The arrow flew through the air as fast as a 70lb draw Matthews Switchback could throw it, and wham! a direct hit in the vitals. The buck kind of jumped but didn't know what was going on, walked about 25 yards and laid down. I waited for about 45 minutes and walked towards him, he jumped up, so I decided to let him bleed it out. I went home, and went to bed. I tossed and turned until 1:00Am got up and drove to the location that I had seen him last. He had gone and jumped into a ditch. Not feeling like getting wet I decided to get him in the morning. This morning I went to the ditch and there he was. Then the disappointment set in. He wasn't the buck that I thought I shot. Not the one that I had been watching. A different buck. Not near as big, but a good buck to shoot. He was old and had weaker horns for an older buck. I guess a good management buck. But crap. I really wanted to get a bigger buck. He would be alright for probably the average hunt, but who cares I live on a fricken premier hunting ranch. It was sweet because it was my first "official" buck shot with a bow and the shot placement was excellent. Right through the vitals at 50 yards. I think the shot was noteworthy. But the bitter part came when I looked at this small management buck. This is a picture of the buck. I know that I am opening myself up to a little ridicule by posting this picture but I deserve it. I guess the lesson learned was: No matter how sure you are that you are on the right path you better double check, its easy to be deceived and its easy to deceive yourself.
I guess I still have my Utah hunt, but crap, if you have ever seen the bucks on my place you would be fricken disappointed in me. I've let down myself. The Sweet thing is: If this is my biggest problem in life then maybe life isn't that bad.
I would like to give a shout out to my sponsors:
Matthews Bows, for giving me a bow that when in my hands is deadly accurate, and for costing enough that my kid will have to go to a junior college.
Easton Carbon Arrows that have a good composite layout but have crappy fletching that falls off.
Dave Riddle for re-fletching the arrow at the balance points with good glue. (fletching did not come off after traveling through the buck)
G4 broadheads for providing me with field point accuracy. Though the price should include gold plating.
Prairie Ghost Camo (even though they look like pj's.) (which I am not wearing in the picture)
My Mom and Dad (for superior hunting genetics)
My Wife and The Holy Ghost (for making me feel guilty enough that I didn't just leave that little buck in the ditch and going for a bigger one.)
My brothers, who even though this buck is bigger than anything that they will kill will give me an infinite amount of crap.
My wife again who is totally turned on by my hunting skills.
My little boy Zach that has helped me to be true to myself.
Jesus, for all of it.
6 comments:
Hmmmmm, bittersweet indeed. Also, I love the gratitude that you show in thanking all of your loved ones that made it possible...they must be so proud.
Congratulations! I will say, it is unique with one side polished off and the other still in velvet. However, I agree with you. What where you thinking? Of all the monsters that call the "ranch" home and you drop this guy. None the less, I'd still be proud, you made one heck of a shot and he really isn't that bad for a first time archery buck. 10 times bigger than anything I've killed with a bow.
miandmiksmom-Yes I believe my parents are proud. When asked if I am their son they don't say anything they just nod slightly and look away. I think it is because they are afraid that they would break into tears.
Caspercowgirl-I don't know what I was thinking, maybe the stalk got me thinking crazy things. If you look at my face in the picture, I am not smiling. One thing that did suprise me was how long it took for that thing to die. If you look at the photo you can see where the entrance wound was, the exit was closer to the shoulder it was a good shot. I probably could have moved it a little closer to the shoulder, but it took quite a while for the buck die. I wonder if the Montech one-piece broad heads had dulled up enough to not slice and just puncture. I think the arrow speed was enough to push a baseball through the buck. The exit wound was tiny. I don't like the slow dying, and I don't like the small bucks. He was old though. and had a lot of fat.
Mom said, "Your parents are proud and I don't remember ever just nodding slightly and looking away, or breaking into tears over you... Well, maybe just once when you and Tony were seniors. I love ya."
Hey prunie, First of all, that entry wound looks very simular to the entry hole of a 300 ultra mag. Secondly, yea he probably was shot at 50 yards but with a $1400 scope... My $70 Tasco antelope could do that and I would not even have to be on a "private game reserve" He was probably caught in the fence. Any way, for not being proud there sure are a lot of pictures posted... Thirdly, all of your brothers understand how hard you are trying get respect by killing apple fed pets... It's ok, i'm sure there will be a spike with milk rings around his mouth you can make a spectacular hind quarter shot when you come to Utah this hunt. Isn't that why you shoot that cannon anyway, so when you make a poor shot outside he vitals the shock will kill it anyway?
Mother-I love you.
Anonymous-I only know of one angry cheese cutter that owns a $70.00 Tasco, and if I may correct you I believe the Tasco was $45.00, and I believe if you had a $1400.00 scope similiar to mine you would be able to shoot deer similiar to mine. If that was shot with my Ultra-Mag, you could throw a basketball through the entry wound.
Furthermore, I have personally watched you shoot deer, and on numerous occasions I have seen you blast hind quarters and miss easy shots. But hey it is hard to concentrate when you are looking at a 8 inch forkie through your tasco scope.
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