This will be long, but I am not feeling good about myself right now. I am not looking for pity in any way. Rather I need to get this off my chest! First of all understand, I am an archer....I shoot all year, compete in Indoor and 3D, and have nice equipment. But being lazy and not keeping up with my equipment cost me dearly yesterday, and for the first time in 25 years I have thought about hanging up the bow and start hunting with a rifle. After countless hours in the stand, passing on a bunch of deer, preparing my stand sets in the off-season, studying game cameras, etc....I blew a shot on the 2nd biggest buck I have ever had the fortune to encounter. A 30 yard chip shot, on a fully broadside monster; a shot that I can make in my backyard 99.5% of the time. As I reflect on everything that went wrong I have drawn many conclusions. As I go over them, maybe this will help others to not duplicate these mistakes and consider their own situations. First, I didn't shoot near enough during the season insuring that my hunting bow was sharp and hitting where I needed it to. Although I was in the middle of an Indoor season, these bows are completely different disciplines! Second, I went the cheap with equipment...primarily my arrows. To save some money, I dug up some 4 year old CE Maxima 3D's, some of which had already killed animals over the last 4 years. They had been recently had inserts, removed, cut and re-inserted, all of which I know are no-no's! (my broadhead broke off at the insert, and my arrow broke in 3 pieces at impact) Third, I passed up and chose not to take any early season deer like doe's, or spikes....being more concerned with the health of the herd due to the drought. This was a major mistake as when the moment of truth was upon me....I had yet to draw any blood in preparation for the "Big Shot"! I know better than all this, but my own arrogance in my abilities caused me to make all these mistakes in preparing for that single moment! After 24 hours of reflection, I have stepped back from the cliff, vowing never to repeat those mistakes again. I will shoot my hunting equipment year round and especially during season. I will replace my hunting arrows every year, period! $70 bucks cost me the deer of a lifetime! Not good economics on my part! And last, I will commit to killing some management deer to draw some blood early, so that my first shot of the year is not on the Monster I work so hard to harvest! Needless to say, I am still very upset at not harvesting this giant buck that I only got to see 3 times in the last 2 years! I am very confident that he survived the marginal shot so that I can continue to hunt him in the years to come. However, he is much wiser now. So the chess pieces have been re-set, and its a brand new game. I won't be repeating the mistake from this year again!
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Dont be so hard on yourself. Youll get em next time. -
Sounds like you know what you have to do...
And it isn't quit
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Keep on keeping on.Comment
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Confession is good for the soul.
Man, if I'd have quit after every stupid mistake that I've made, I'd have never shot my biggest, and 2nd biggest, bucks. It sounds like you already learn from yours. Good luck.Comment
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I think you're being way to hard on yourself. Sometimes we just get some bad breaks. I've shot the exact same ics arrow for 5 yrs practice and hunting until I broke it on nilgai. Sounds like you put a lot of work in much more than most. Shake it off, regroup and get back in the saddle. Lesson learned but never, ever, ever, ever never think about hanging it up!!Comment
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How much for your stuff?...
...I kid I kid...
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You have to keep your chin up.Comment
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At the end of every year I sit and reflect on the season.
The same question comes up every year. "why do I do this to myself"?
A little introspection never hurt anyone.
Take a break and keep your chin up. I know that there was more honor in me not killing a buck than there was in dishonoring others by lying and cheating to kill a buck! The sport of bowhunting is about honor and being true to yourself, your friends and most of all to the animals that we hunt!
Don't beat yourself up...just learn from it!Comment
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thats happens to everyone not in the sense but we as bow hunters always try different things and some times it bites us in the rear....so dont let this put u down keep going forward that buck of a life time will come sooner then later buddy.Comment
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Yep, I know how you feel. Talking about it is the first step to recovery....There are a few things in life you don't go cheap on.
Ladies
Beer
Oil & Gas
Tires
Fishing Line & Hooks
Bullets & Arrows
Boots
He will be back next year!Comment
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Lighten up on yourself, the mishaps of bowhunting are what keep bringing us back. If you want the easy route, that's rifle hunting. Bowhunting is great because you don't just trick some deer into eating half a mile from you and fling a faster than light projectile at him. Bowhunting needs every facet ofnthe hunt to go exactly right to work, from equipment, to weather, stand placement, wind, etc. That's what makes it great. When you fail, as you did, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the failure, the desire to go at it again and right the wrongs is what keeps us going. I must say, this is one of the only times I have heard of someone as deeply ingrained in bowhunting as you are to consider quitting hunting over a mistake. Stick with it man.Comment
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It's called hunting for a reason. Your experience yesterday has already made you a better hunter. I think we all learn from our mistakes (whether we get away with them our not) and the next time are better prepared. I drew blood on a coon early season which was enough when it came to the moment of truth. I do try to sling a couple arras at least once a week thru the season. Chalk it up to lesson learned and good luck next season.Comment
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I think sometimes people put way to much thought into archery hunting.
It does not have to be hard, make sure arrows hit where you aim with arrows you plan to hunt with it's that simple.
Hope you get another crack at him even if it isn't until next yearComment
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