Those of you who know me well have heard me say over and over again that I "suck" at bowhunting!!! Well, I do but I try anyway. My claim to fame is fishing. I would rather fish than hunt any day but catch and release doesn't fill the freezer.
Over the Christmas holidays, I had a few days to spend with my dad on his ranch in Mason County. It was only my second chance to hunt all year and I wanted to take at least 3 does. Unfortunately, I had an uncontrolable cough from being ill for at least 2 weeks prior. I had four hunts to take 3 deer and it wasn't going to be easy.
Hunt #1 - 10 deer at 15 yards, breathing good until I decide to shoot. COUGH!!! COUGH!!! Deer laugh and run for the hills. 15 minutes later, deer come back, heavy breathing begins, COUGH!!! GAG!!! Deer run down the hill this time as they are tired from running and laughing.
Hunt #2 - See Hunt #1.
Hunt #3 - This time I take a rifle and my bow in the blind as I am falling further behind on my goal of 3 deer. Feeling somewhat tipsy from all the cough medicine, I settle into my chair. It's 3:44 pm and I hear what must be the short bus for deer pull up at the feeder. 2 does feeding happily and unsuspecting into bow range. I begin to breathe heavy and suspect more coughing. My sight-pin settles behind the shoulder.........no coughing...... and a good release.......I have 1 deer down!!!! It's only 4:00. I have plenty of time for more action. WRONG!!!!!!!!! The doe left such a heavy blood trail that the deer avoided the area for the rest of the hunt. I should have moved to my other stand down the hill. DUH!!! "I suck"!!!
Hunt #4 - Again with rifle in one hand and bow in the other I trudge up the hill. The weather is perfect..........for more failure!!! I can hear deer snickering as I settle into my seat. I think of the Bambi story and hope he steps out so that I can double lung that little b*%#@. Suddenly, there are shadows and lots of corn crunching. I am almost certain that I can see Bambi but it is too dark for the shot. Patiently, I wait until...........COUGH!!! GAG!!!! PHLEM!!!! SNOT!!! The last thing I saw was Bambi and his mother in serious conversation about stepping into the meadow without her permission.
So, you might ask, "why not use the smoke-pole"? Because even though I "suck" at bowhunting, there is still no greater thrill for me than being that close to frickin' Bambi and his smartalic friends.
Entrance to dads!!
Dad's house!
Always a good sign!
Bambi's cousin Lulu! HA!!!
Over the Christmas holidays, I had a few days to spend with my dad on his ranch in Mason County. It was only my second chance to hunt all year and I wanted to take at least 3 does. Unfortunately, I had an uncontrolable cough from being ill for at least 2 weeks prior. I had four hunts to take 3 deer and it wasn't going to be easy.
Hunt #1 - 10 deer at 15 yards, breathing good until I decide to shoot. COUGH!!! COUGH!!! Deer laugh and run for the hills. 15 minutes later, deer come back, heavy breathing begins, COUGH!!! GAG!!! Deer run down the hill this time as they are tired from running and laughing.
Hunt #2 - See Hunt #1.
Hunt #3 - This time I take a rifle and my bow in the blind as I am falling further behind on my goal of 3 deer. Feeling somewhat tipsy from all the cough medicine, I settle into my chair. It's 3:44 pm and I hear what must be the short bus for deer pull up at the feeder. 2 does feeding happily and unsuspecting into bow range. I begin to breathe heavy and suspect more coughing. My sight-pin settles behind the shoulder.........no coughing...... and a good release.......I have 1 deer down!!!! It's only 4:00. I have plenty of time for more action. WRONG!!!!!!!!! The doe left such a heavy blood trail that the deer avoided the area for the rest of the hunt. I should have moved to my other stand down the hill. DUH!!! "I suck"!!!
Hunt #4 - Again with rifle in one hand and bow in the other I trudge up the hill. The weather is perfect..........for more failure!!! I can hear deer snickering as I settle into my seat. I think of the Bambi story and hope he steps out so that I can double lung that little b*%#@. Suddenly, there are shadows and lots of corn crunching. I am almost certain that I can see Bambi but it is too dark for the shot. Patiently, I wait until...........COUGH!!! GAG!!!! PHLEM!!!! SNOT!!! The last thing I saw was Bambi and his mother in serious conversation about stepping into the meadow without her permission.
So, you might ask, "why not use the smoke-pole"? Because even though I "suck" at bowhunting, there is still no greater thrill for me than being that close to frickin' Bambi and his smartalic friends.
Entrance to dads!!
Dad's house!
Always a good sign!
Bambi's cousin Lulu! HA!!!
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