I bought my first bow in December of 2014. I bought a left handed Mission. I shoot left handed, but the only problem is, my left eye is very blurry. I am 20/20 in my right, but have to wear a contact in my left. More on that later.
The same year (2014) our company got on a lease in Del Rio. I couldn't make it out there that year, so I did not harvest a deer. I practiced shooting my bow all through 2015, and was really excited to shoot a deer with a bow. Not just any deer, but my first deer ever.
As the 2015 season started, no luck. On December 28, 2015, I shot my first deer ever, with a rifle. A management 8, and I couldn't be more proud.
The season ended, no bow kill for me.
I have some buddies who invited me to join a lease in London, TX for the 2016 season. I learned a lot. I bought my first feeder in July, picked out a spot on the property, and started feeding. Just before opening weekend I put out my pop up blind and was ready to go!
Opening weekend I got skunked. The next trip to London, I got skunked again. Hoping to get my first bow kill, I headed back to the company lease in Del Rio. While I was there, I couldn't help but think about my spot back in London. Obviously the deer aren't as big (body and horn mass) in London as they are in South TX, but there was some pride in that spot I had picked out and fed all summer by myself.
The last evening in Del Rio something strange happened. It was getting dark when a mature doe walked into bow range. I thought this was it. I drew back my bow and I couldn't see her clearly. I let down, and I could see her perfect with my right eye. But my left was too blurry. Now I am mad at myself.
I came home and went to WHA and bought a right handed Elite. I practiced shooting right handed for 2 weeks before I headed to London. I got to London on a Friday afternoon and headed to my blind. Got skunked. A few of my buddies spent that night trying to convince me to move to a rifle blind and at least get some meat in the cooler. But the pride factor kicked in. I wanted to hunt "my spot."
Saturday morning I could hear deer eating at my feeder before it went off. I was getting super excited. There were 2 doe and a buck. When the feeder went off they all spooked, but came back about 2 minutes later. This time, there were 4 doe and 2 bucks.
For some reason, I was crazy calm. The bigger buck walked in and turned broadside at 20 yards. I had a lot of confidence shooting right handed even though it was new to me. I knew the yardage and he standing perfect, quartered away just a hair. I was ready to take a shot. I drew back, aimed for the opposite shoulder, and the last thing I remember thinking, was "please Lord, let this arrow go where I think it's going to go." I eased back on the trigger and let her fly. The buck jumped into the air and took off.
I started freaking out!! I tried to text my dad and brother but I could barely type on my phone. My legs were shaking like crazy. I waited 10 minutes then walked to my arrow that was covered in blood. I went back to my blind and waited another 10 minutes. I sat here thinking about the past year or so, and how this all came together. I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my binoculars and started to go track him. I got to where I shot him, no blood. Walked around a little bit, and couldn't find blood anywhere. I started looking through my binoculars and then all of a sudden, there he was. About 30 yards from where I shot him. There wasn't any blood that I could find except for one big spot about 3 feet from where he finally fell.
I walked up to him and honestly, I had a lump in my throat. All the practice, patients, work, there was a lot of emotion that built up there for a second. Finally!!! I'm a bowhunter!
He may not be a trophy by some standards, but I got him euro mounted, saved the arrow, and I will never forget that morning!
The same year (2014) our company got on a lease in Del Rio. I couldn't make it out there that year, so I did not harvest a deer. I practiced shooting my bow all through 2015, and was really excited to shoot a deer with a bow. Not just any deer, but my first deer ever.
As the 2015 season started, no luck. On December 28, 2015, I shot my first deer ever, with a rifle. A management 8, and I couldn't be more proud.
The season ended, no bow kill for me.
I have some buddies who invited me to join a lease in London, TX for the 2016 season. I learned a lot. I bought my first feeder in July, picked out a spot on the property, and started feeding. Just before opening weekend I put out my pop up blind and was ready to go!
Opening weekend I got skunked. The next trip to London, I got skunked again. Hoping to get my first bow kill, I headed back to the company lease in Del Rio. While I was there, I couldn't help but think about my spot back in London. Obviously the deer aren't as big (body and horn mass) in London as they are in South TX, but there was some pride in that spot I had picked out and fed all summer by myself.
The last evening in Del Rio something strange happened. It was getting dark when a mature doe walked into bow range. I thought this was it. I drew back my bow and I couldn't see her clearly. I let down, and I could see her perfect with my right eye. But my left was too blurry. Now I am mad at myself.
I came home and went to WHA and bought a right handed Elite. I practiced shooting right handed for 2 weeks before I headed to London. I got to London on a Friday afternoon and headed to my blind. Got skunked. A few of my buddies spent that night trying to convince me to move to a rifle blind and at least get some meat in the cooler. But the pride factor kicked in. I wanted to hunt "my spot."
Saturday morning I could hear deer eating at my feeder before it went off. I was getting super excited. There were 2 doe and a buck. When the feeder went off they all spooked, but came back about 2 minutes later. This time, there were 4 doe and 2 bucks.
For some reason, I was crazy calm. The bigger buck walked in and turned broadside at 20 yards. I had a lot of confidence shooting right handed even though it was new to me. I knew the yardage and he standing perfect, quartered away just a hair. I was ready to take a shot. I drew back, aimed for the opposite shoulder, and the last thing I remember thinking, was "please Lord, let this arrow go where I think it's going to go." I eased back on the trigger and let her fly. The buck jumped into the air and took off.
I started freaking out!! I tried to text my dad and brother but I could barely type on my phone. My legs were shaking like crazy. I waited 10 minutes then walked to my arrow that was covered in blood. I went back to my blind and waited another 10 minutes. I sat here thinking about the past year or so, and how this all came together. I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my binoculars and started to go track him. I got to where I shot him, no blood. Walked around a little bit, and couldn't find blood anywhere. I started looking through my binoculars and then all of a sudden, there he was. About 30 yards from where I shot him. There wasn't any blood that I could find except for one big spot about 3 feet from where he finally fell.
I walked up to him and honestly, I had a lump in my throat. All the practice, patients, work, there was a lot of emotion that built up there for a second. Finally!!! I'm a bowhunter!
He may not be a trophy by some standards, but I got him euro mounted, saved the arrow, and I will never forget that morning!
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