The hard way

[strothershwacker]

Had a great sat yesterday morning. The rain had passed by the night before leaving the leaves soft enough for me to sneak into a sweet lil' spot a buddy put me on. My hopes where to get 1 more doe for the freezer. Long story short, instead i saw 5 different bucks all out cruising. Each one of em came by at seperate times from different directions all working the ground like hounds trying to pick up a late doe. Later, when i did see a doe it was being harrassed by 2 spikes that didnt even look old nuff to breed. Close to lunch when I was getting ready to climb down a doe with 2 yearlings came scurrying by in a hurry, acting nervous. Soon as they where gone a yote came thru. It was great to see so many deer this late in the season and 1 of the bucks will be a sure nuff gooden next year if he can just make it another week or so. If ye never sat in a stand with just a stickbow, your missing out. After 30 years of deer hunting, i am learning more and more bout deer. Yea i didnt draw blood but it was one of my favorite sits of all times. Traditional archery may not be for everyone, but at this point in life I'm sure nuff enjoying it!

 

[JustUs4All]

Great hunt. Thank you for sharing it with us and congratulations. If the enjoyment of hunting came only from the kill there would be far fewer happy hunters.

 

[oldguy]

Know just what you mean strothershwaker. Had a doe under me yesterday, but couldn't get a shot. Almost, but not quite. When she left I realized how worked up I was. A doe! I'm 73 and been deer hunting over 50 years. Only third year with a bow (Big Jim's Thunderchild). Ain't nothing like it!

 

[Triple C]

Great story and I get it. This may sound like I'm coming off somewhat high brow'd but I've had the chance to attempt to kill quite a few this year at less than 10 yds and passed on every dern one of them. I don't know how to explain it but for some odd reason I'm finding it hard to pull back on a doe or young buck. I look back with a bit of regret at a few of them. I had several spikes within spitting distance and I just didn't have the urge to draw. Only had one encounter with a really nice buck that came within range of less than 12 yds but I've yet to be able to seal the deal on killing a buck of 2.5 or older with my trad bow. I get busted every time when I'm either trying to stand up or draw. Perhaps I would have got busted by the does and small bucks I passed if I had attempted to draw on them. I'm still learning this trad bow thing. It is so much more difficult that wheelie bows that I shot for years.

But...I do love it. And if I ain't in the mood to wanna shoot a doe or yearling buck I just watch em with joy and excitement. I have a guest coming down this weekend with a youngster and I know I'll put them on deer to kill with a rifle. I love shooting my bow and think to myself that the next time I'm gonna draw back on what comes. We'll see...

 

[dpoole]

If killing a deer is the only reason you hunt a trad bow is not for you.If enjoying the experience and having deer close and getting to watch them a trad bow is the way to go

 

[The Original Rooster]

Great story and I get it. This may sound like I'm coming off somewhat high brow'd but I've had the chance to attempt to kill quite a few this year at less than 10 yds and passed on every dern one of them. I don't know how to explain it but for some odd reason I'm finding it hard to pull back on a doe or young buck. I look back with a bit of regret at a few of them. I had several spikes within spitting distance and I just didn't have the urge to draw. Only had one encounter with a really nice buck that came within range of less than 12 yds but I've yet to be able to seal the deal on killing a buck of 2.5 or older with my trad bow. I get busted every time when I'm either trying to stand up or draw. Perhaps I would have got busted by the does and small bucks I passed if I had attempted to draw on them. I'm still learning this trad bow thing. It is so much more difficult that wheelie bows that I shot for years.

But...I do love it. And if I ain't in the mood to wanna shoot a doe or yearling buck I just watch em with joy and excitement. I have a guest coming down this weekend with a youngster and I know I'll put them on deer to kill with a rifle. I love shooting my bow and think to myself that the next time I'm gonna draw back on what comes. We'll see...

I completely understand where you are coming from and don't think it's high browed at all. I had several opportunities to drop bucks and does this year with a side lock muzzleloader which I've never done before but I let them walk. Never know what you might learn by observing instead of pulling the trigger or the bow string on every single one that walks by. I have a new respect for traditional bow hunters after hunting with a side lock muzzleloader exclusively.

 

[longbowdave1]

If killing a deer is the only reason you hunt a trad bow is not for you.If enjoying the experience and having deer close and getting to watch them a trad bow is the way to go

How you doing Mr Donnie? Hope things are going well for you.

 

[Triple C]

I've had the good fortune of meeting a couple of die hard trad guys on here - AL33 and dmwofskin. I've hunted with both. I absolutely love their passion and admire their drive to bowhunt. My observation of Al is that he is like a kid at Christmas every time he goes to the woods with stick and string and dmwolfskin is about the same, particularly when it comes to pigs. At 63, I'm still going wide open on the work front and plan on continuing for the foreseeable future. I just hope that I have the passion many of you guys do when I decide to hang up the work life and exchange that part of my life to chasing critters with stick n string. Watching Al pick a spot on never-before-seen land in the afternoon and killing a doe later that afternoon out of that spot is something I won't ever forget. And the enthusiasm he and dmwolfskin bring to the hunt is simply inspiring.

Pretty small fraternity in this section of the forum but hope to spend a few evenings around a campfire with many more of you in the years ahead when I can devote more time to chasing critters.

 

[splatek]

This is awesome. Great story.
Being my so new to the game, it was hard for me to listen to guys in the beginning of the season say things like "I let --it-- walk"... I just didn't get it. I was fortunate enough to take 3 does this year, basically the first three does that walked in front of my sights - two with my crossbow and one with my compound. The freezer. it is doing well.

Then later in the season, I was sitting, waiting on a pretty big 7 (6 on one side, 1 on the other) I had on cam, really wanting those antlers ... early morning a few does, about 4-5, strolled by, too far to shoot, but the experience was mesmerizing. I learned a lot just by watching them move through the forest. A portion of their body would appear, then they'd be gone, then reappear. I paid close attention to the wind to try and see if that effected their movement, sure enough it did. Then another later sit, I had three does walk within about 12-15 yards of my blind and I "let them walk"... Afterward I was thinking, "What's wrong with you man!?" But I felt good, somehow deep down about it.

The last sit I was on, I was up in the tree in my saddle. I had squirrels all around me, then they disappeared and I heard the leaves crunching to a beat different from the one the squirrels lay down. Sure enough out of the right corner two does stroll out of the thicket I was hunting and are walking straight out into a small clearing in the brush, that would've served as a great shooting lane. I watched as those two does moved quietly, browsing, looking, alert; and also watched two other does along the edge of the thicket work their magic. I didn't even pick up my bow. Later that night I texted a buddy and asked: "Am I crazy, or am I maturing as a bowhunter..." We both agreed that latter was probably the case. I am still waiting on a day like you describe where you are seeing deer after deer after deer.

Again, great story man! Few more days to get out there and slay a hoss buck, if you so choose!

 

[marshdawg]

Great story and I get it. This may sound like I'm coming off somewhat high brow'd but I've had the chance to attempt to kill quite a few this year at less than 10 yds and passed on every dern one of them. I don't know how to explain it but for some odd reason I'm finding it hard to pull back on a doe or young buck. I look back with a bit of regret at a few of them. I had several spikes within spitting distance and I just didn't have the urge to draw. Only had one encounter with a really nice buck that came within range of less than 12 yds but I've yet to be able to seal the deal on killing a buck of 2.5 or older with my trad bow. I get busted every time when I'm either trying to stand up or draw. Perhaps I would have got busted by the does and small bucks I passed if I had attempted to draw on them. I'm still learning this trad bow thing. It is so much more difficult that wheelie bows that I shot for years.

But...I do love it. And if I ain't in the mood to wanna shoot a doe or yearling buck I just watch em with joy and excitement. I have a guest coming down this weekend with a youngster and I know I'll put them on deer to kill with a rifle. I love shooting my bow and think to myself that the next time I'm gonna draw back on what comes. We'll see...

Well said. Hunting just for blood and dinner is missing the point in my opinion. It is a blessing to be able and let down on a deer and just enjoy the moment.

 

[oldfella1962]

Great story and I get it. This may sound like I'm coming off somewhat high brow'd but I've had the chance to attempt to kill quite a few this year at less than 10 yds and passed on every dern one of them. I don't know how to explain it but for some odd reason I'm finding it hard to pull back on a doe or young buck. I look back with a bit of regret at a few of them. I had several spikes within spitting distance and I just didn't have the urge to draw. Only had one encounter with a really nice buck that came within range of less than 12 yds but I've yet to be able to seal the deal on killing a buck of 2.5 or older with my trad bow. I get busted every time when I'm either trying to stand up or draw. Perhaps I would have got busted by the does and small bucks I passed if I had attempted to draw on them. I'm still learning this trad bow thing. It is so much more difficult that wheelie bows that I shot for years.

But...I do love it. And if I ain't in the mood to wanna shoot a doe or yearling buck I just watch em with joy and excitement. I have a guest coming down this weekend with a youngster and I know I'll put them on deer to kill with a rifle. I love shooting my bow and think to myself that the next time I'm gonna draw back on what comes. We'll see...

I do like just watching when they are out of range or there are so many of them you can't get away with any movement anyway - so it's a good time to learn at least! I think fawns are the most fun to watch.

 

[Barebowyer]

This is great reading, great stories, great mutual support, and what we all need more of in the hunting community as a whole. Great job guys, keep it up!