# My first bow season comes to an end.



## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Well between elk and deer hunting, Ive spent 43 evenings and 5 mornings on the mountainside this year. I've seen things I've never seen before and learned more about myself and hunting than most of my previous years hunting combined. My respect for not only those who choose to hunt this way but the animals I've hunted have grown tenfold. 

I've often said I needed to find a half blind, half deaf, mentally challenged buck in order to fill my tag. Well last night I finally found him, or should I say he found me. 

I went up to the spot I had been seeing multiple trophy class animals over the last week or so. No matter what I did, I was never able to put myself in the right place at the right time. I sat in my usual spot and watched multiple 3's and 4's chase doe around when I finally decided I was going to try and close the distance on a big 4x4 who was being challenged by a nice 3x3. They were a good 500 yards away near the top of the opposing ridge so it wasn't going to be easy. I spent the next 45 min to hour working my way down the ridge I was on and over to the area I had seen them, careful to keep the wind in my favor as much as possible. Once I reached the area where I had seen them of course they were nowhere to be found.

I sat down under a tree, took off my pack, and began to wonder yet again if this was ever going to happen for me. Frustrated tired and sweaty I started glassing the ridge I had just been sitting on when wouldn't you know it, multiple bucks were starting to work their way down to where I had previously been sitting. I watched as the nice mahogany antlered 3x3 worked a doe right down to within 40 yards of where I had been sitting only an hour before. As for the beautiful big 4x4, he and his girlfriend had gone up a different little canyon and were held up pretty tight in some oak brush. 
I figured I had maybe an hour and a half of light left so as I cursed under my breath I headed back to where my night started, convinced I could close the distance on the 3x3. Well it almost worked, I was able to get to within 81 yards of him before his lust for the little lady he was with was pushed aside by his will to survive and together they bolted off. All I could do was laugh as I watched them run up the ridge I had just walked down. Seemed to be the story of my season, never in the right place at the right time.

I returned to the location where my night had began, took off my pack and settled in for the last 30-45 min of daylight. Almost immediately, I was able to pick out a few bucks working along the top of the ridge I had just come from as well as the ridge above me. I chuckled and just admired them from a distance which seemed to be all I was ever going to be able to do. Just before dark I decided to get up and head out due to being cold, sweaty and frustrated. As I had done many nights before, I shouldered my pack grabbed my bow and decided I would walk to the southern edge of the little ridge I was on and see if by chance something was over there. As I worked to where I could see over I was greeted by the stares of a big doe not 50 yards off and right behind her another very nice mahogany antlered 3x3. I froze in my tracks but it was to late, they had me pegged. We stood there for what seemed to be hours staring at one another before finally she worked her way east of me widening the gap to around 70 yards. I was out in the open, 30 yards from the closest cover of any kind frozen in my tracks. Finally they settled down a little and I tried my best to square up without being seen. My movement caught the bucks eyes and he bolted up the hillside. It seemed my night was over. 

As I stood there motionless but squared up on the doe who had elected to stay out in the clearing with me, I realized the buck was on his way back out of the trees to meet up with his little girlfriend. I was shocked and amazed, perhaps my luck was going to change. He knew I was there, I mean how could he not, I'm 6'3 240lbs standing in the middle of a clearing where the tallest vegetation comes to my ankles lol. We where once again locked in a staring contest when all of a sudden he started to walk straight at me! closing the distance to about 60 yards but facing me straight on. I couldn't figure out where his sudden burst of courage was coming from until just then, I heard a twig snap over my right shoulder. As slowly as I could I turned my head to the right to see the buck I had been waiting for, half blind, half deaf and a little mentally challenged walking up on me not 20 ft away! He was locked onto this bigger buck and the doe but as soon as I started to turn he caught my movement and momentarily locked onto me. Now 12 yards he got nervous enough to turn and run downhill straight away from me but stopped once he felt safe. His attention turned back to the bigger buck who still knew I was there but had closed the distance to within 51 yards of me still facing me straight on. The little buck was stopped broadside sharply downhill 41 yards from me. It was decision time....Wait and see if I can get a shot on the bigger buck who already knew I was there or take what I was being given and be content with it. As I said in the beginning, 43 days in the field made the decision pretty easy. I drew my bow and settled the 40 yard pin low on his brisket and let it fly. I watched as this little guy took two bounds and maybe ten steps before falling over backwards not 20 yards from where he originally stood. I couldn't believe it! I was done!! I had actually killed something with a bow! I called Bowdacious and told him to come give me a hand, not because I needed it, but because I wanted somebody to share that moment with and I felt it was fitting that the guy who convinced me to give bow hunting a try be the one. 

After calling Bowdacious, I waited another 15-20 min just to make sure he didn't get back up and then I headed down to where he was. It seems that all the hours of practice had paid off, perfect double lug shot right behind the shoulder with a 4 blade 100gr muzzy. 

He may not be the buck I was hoping for, but I understand now why people say, "Any animal with a bow is a trophy". I've never worked harder in my entire life to fill a tag so to me, he truly is a trophy.


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## bds (Sep 20, 2007)

Awesome!!!!!


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## goforbroke (Jan 4, 2009)

Sweet. Love the story. Makes me happy to be a bowhunter. Too many times I worry about the inches, instead of enjoying the hunt and the harvest!!


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Well done! I'm glad to have been a part of it!


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## Bowhunter50 (Oct 14, 2014)

Congrats! You're definitely right any animal with a bow is a trophy!


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Did you cape him?


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I love the story! And what a very nice buck! Congrats!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Nambaster said:


> Did you cape him?


Hes a trophy, but not that good of a trophy lol


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

cool story. thanks for sharing. and congratulations!


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## Bow hunter mojo (Oct 12, 2013)

I feel that I can really relate to your story. Congrats. That is a great accomplishment.


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## Mr.CheddarNut (Jan 16, 2013)

Congradulations. That is way cool!

Cheddar


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## creature22 (Jul 25, 2011)

Congrats. Glad to see you get one with a bow


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Nice to see the successes.


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