I've only been bow hunting for 5 years. The successes I have had include two spikes, 2 doe, and a few hogs. Nothing spectacular, but enough to confirm that I love it and it's worth the time and effort that goes along with it.
In this time I have seen lots of deer from yearling spikes to young 8pts with good potential. However, I have never had an encounter with a mature shooter...until an hour ago.
My set up is at the convergence of 3 trails. One coming from the creek that is behind me, one from a thicket to my left, and one from a field to my right. At 7:30 this morning I peek to my left a catch movement. I immediately see antlers and know this is the deer I have been seeing on camera. He is a mature shooter 8pt with good mass.
My heart starts pounding and the adrenalin starts flowing as I see he is on a trail that will him 20 yds broadside.
Well for whatever reason he veered left and stayed in the thicket about 50 yds away. He just hung around eating acorns and piddling. A few times he turned as if he was going to make his way closer, but he never did. I sent up a prayer for a little divine intervention, but as the Priest in "Rudy" said, "praying is what we do in our time. Answers come in Gods time."
So I've spent the last hour going through an array of emotions. Excited to have had such an encounter, disappointed that it didn't turn out differently, wondering if I did something wrong to spook him, curious if he will circle back, anxious to get back out here to hopefully see him again.
I am certain that one day I'll arrow a mature whitetail, today was not that day. Now my mind is a fog and every time I close my eyes I see those big white antlers moving through the brush.
Such is the life of a bow hunter.
In this time I have seen lots of deer from yearling spikes to young 8pts with good potential. However, I have never had an encounter with a mature shooter...until an hour ago.
My set up is at the convergence of 3 trails. One coming from the creek that is behind me, one from a thicket to my left, and one from a field to my right. At 7:30 this morning I peek to my left a catch movement. I immediately see antlers and know this is the deer I have been seeing on camera. He is a mature shooter 8pt with good mass.
My heart starts pounding and the adrenalin starts flowing as I see he is on a trail that will him 20 yds broadside.
Well for whatever reason he veered left and stayed in the thicket about 50 yds away. He just hung around eating acorns and piddling. A few times he turned as if he was going to make his way closer, but he never did. I sent up a prayer for a little divine intervention, but as the Priest in "Rudy" said, "praying is what we do in our time. Answers come in Gods time."
So I've spent the last hour going through an array of emotions. Excited to have had such an encounter, disappointed that it didn't turn out differently, wondering if I did something wrong to spook him, curious if he will circle back, anxious to get back out here to hopefully see him again.
I am certain that one day I'll arrow a mature whitetail, today was not that day. Now my mind is a fog and every time I close my eyes I see those big white antlers moving through the brush.
Such is the life of a bow hunter.
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