Dang It!

[ASH556]

You may recall from my other thread that I lost the property I've been hunting for the last 15 years. I found out the week bow season started. It's been an uphill grind trying to figure out the new place I got access to, but hey, access is access and it's closer to the house so I'm not complaining. I started 2 things this year I've never done before:

1. Corn + Minerals
2. A Trail Camera

This has helped me get on deer pretty quick. I've only had the opportunity for 4 sits, but 2 of the 4 I've seen deer within 20 yds. Saturday evening I had this funky little narrow but tall 8pt come in behind me and got to within 18yds. I was standing with my bow in my hand, clipped onto the string. I'd started to draw but he slowed and turned so I let down and waited. I had on full camo including a head cover with just my eyes showing. I needed him to take 2 additional steps to have a nice broadside shot. He must've caught my silhouette because we locked eyes and the staredown began. Unfortunately I blinked and that's when he took off about 20 yds, stopped, looked around, and eased off. He didn't blow, which I guess is a good sign, but man, so frustrating.

Encouraging to see deer, let alone a buck on a new property like this, but also frustrating not to be able to seal the deal. With a gun I'dve shot him before having to wait for that opening and would have the meat in the cooler now.

So now I'm fighting this internal battle of take a gun and get it done or keep with the bow. I like bowhunting much more and would prefer to shoot a doe with a bow over a booner with a gun. That said, I don't want to zero either.

How do some of you all manage this balance/frustration of gun vs bow?

 

[krizia829]

If your mind is already set to shooting one with the bow, try again. If you see that this buck is a regular in the area and there's no pressure, give it a day or two and sit there again.

Me personally, I don't care what I use to shoot deer. The point is to take him and have meat for the freezer and a nice rack to display for memories. I honestly only use a bow during archery but once rifle season opens, the bow goes back to its case until next year. I have a love/hate relationship with archery. I've had too much bad luck with it lol

Good luck, I hope you can get him!

 

[antharper]

If You’d rather kill a doe with your bow instead of a booner with your gun I think you already answered your question , good luck !

 

[Jim Thompson]

You may recall from my other thread that I lost the property I've been hunting for the last 15 years. I found out the week bow season started. It's been an uphill grind trying to figure out the new place I got access to, but hey, access is access and it's closer to the house so I'm not complaining. I started 2 things this year I've never done before:

1. Corn + Minerals
2. A Trail Camera

This has helped me get on deer pretty quick. I've only had the opportunity for 4 sits, but 2 of the 4 I've seen deer within 20 yds. Saturday evening I had this funky little narrow but tall 8pt come in behind me and got to within 18yds. I was standing with my bow in my hand, clipped onto the string. I'd started to draw but he slowed and turned so I let down and waited. I had on full camo including a head cover with just my eyes showing. I needed him to take 2 additional steps to have a nice broadside shot. He must've caught my silhouette because we locked eyes and the staredown began. Unfortunately I blinked and that's when he took off about 20 yds, stopped, looked around, and eased off. He didn't blow, which I guess is a good sign, but man, so frustrating.

Encouraging to see deer, let alone a buck on a new property like this, but also frustrating not to be able to seal the deal. With a gun I'dve shot him before having to wait for that opening and would have the meat in the cooler now.

So now I'm fighting this internal battle of take a gun and get it done or keep with the bow. I like bowhunting much more and would prefer to shoot a doe with a bow over a booner with a gun. That said, I don't want to zero either.

How do some of you all manage this balance/frustration of gun vs bow?

As much as I love my bow, every once in a while I get a wild hair and break out the smoke pole and shoot a doe.

Do it and put one in the freezer and then take the bow back out with the same intentions afterwards.

Here's the last 2 late november smoke pole does.

 

[Ihunt]

Stick to the bow. At first, it will be very frustrating when one gets past. Especially when it’s a whopper. Now when that happens, I just tip my hat to them. They win most of the time and I’m ok with that.

 

[chrislibby88]

Carry both to the stand with you haha.

 

[SCL]

I took both. I've got my bow in case I see a healthy fat doe, I got my rifle in the event a buck shows up. My hunting blind is on my property and backs up to a 150 untouched acres. Only real issue is its really thick and dense, I've lost sight of deer 3 yards in.