A Victorious moment with the Bow

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jaydee2trad
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Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2020 12:28 pm

A Victorious moment with the Bow

#1 Post by jaydee2trad »

About 14 years ago, I did something that I had thought that I would never be able to do again. After all of my strokes etc, I couldn't do a thing and really thought that I would end up dying on the couch. But after 3 years of walking (22 miles a day after one year) and then working out slowly in a fitness rehab center, I had lost 156 lbs and was actually physically in devent shape. I still couldn't talk or remember anything and was afraid of everything but at least I looked better and felt better. I began to practice with the bow again and slowly began to gain some ground back. It was super challenging for me but I had nothing else to do or could do. Then finally I found out that I could still hang a treestand and began trying to hunt again. It was in late October and I was on a ridge top in a management area. I had rattled at 7:15 am, twice and then sat quiet for forty minutes and just watched and listened. I had found years ago that some bucks would take their sweet time coming in to you, up to 45 minutes. So at 7:40 I rattled twice more and again sat and waited. At 8:10 I rattled again and went back to my waiting. I had a single trail running the top of this very narrow ridge with a thick mess on all sides. I was about 15 yards off to the side up a big pine that had plenty of cover from a smaller pin oak. At 8:25, I noticed what I first thought was a squirrel working in the taller thick stuff like they do. Then I realized that it was a decent buck and it was about to go walking by me at about 12 yards or so. I got my bow ready and drew as it stepped thru my small opening and released. It seemed like instantly the buck was swapping ends but busting thru the thick underbrush as it headed downhill on the other side. And just that quickly I heard what I was sure was it crashing then quiet. I was elated but unsure of my shot because I knew that it had hit a little farther back than I liked. After about 15 hard minutes, I climbed down and went to check my bloody arrow. The blood trail was crazy and from what I could tell, I had smacked the liver really good. Sure enough, it had died less than thirty yards in a thick mess of saw briars. It was a very nice 9 point and it was totally awesome. I sat down and stared at it for a minute as I thanked God for being able to once again rattle in a buck. We take for granted that we will be able to hunt again or do the things that we did so easily but they can be taken from you in a heartbeat. A botched foot operation a couple years later left me crippled even more so and then I messed up my shoulders in bad falls. So, once again I am "challenged" but I am working on it as best as I can. For me, at that moment, my decent 9 point was as good as any Boone and Crockett buck. Jerry

Captainkirk
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Re: A Victorious moment with the Bow

#2 Post by Captainkirk »

I know it sounds trite, but when I say any deer harvested is a trophy, I mean it. I've shot button bucks and does and the eating is great! The whole "trophy buck" deal is a total turn-off to me, personally. I hunt for venison, not a big rack.
Congrats on not only harvesting a nice deer, but even more in mastering your challenges and getting off the couch. That's a better reward than any trophy head mount in my book!
Aim small, miss small!

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