I am failing as a traditional archery ambassador
I have been itching to write a success story and post some fine LDPs, but it just hasn’t happened thus far, so I figured I would post a season recap of my frustrations thus far.
I got on a new lease this year north of Pearsall. It is a new lease for the group so it stands to reason this season will be spent learning how to hunt the new terrain and getting to know each other. We are managing the place for 6.5yr old 150â€+ and therefore have very rigid management criteria. Needless to say a lot of money is being invested and we are all very serious about our hunting.
When I was interviewing to join the lease and I do mean interviewing, I was nearly rejected when the lease manager found out that I shoot a recurve. It was only after much discussion and supplying substantial shooting credentials I was accepted. As you can imagine I felt ample pressure to perform to confirm the confidence that was granted in me.
Since joining I have encountered some friction from other members regarding my choice of equipment. I have since found out the leases the members came from, while bowhunting only, did not allow traditional archery equipment. Therefore I have taken every opportunity to shoot when they are out practicing in order to prove my abilities and feel I have done so adequitly.
However the cards have not been dealt my way in the only place in really matters this year, hunting. I started off just fine, but it has gone downhill since.
Back in June I shot a 50lb pig. Double lung, went 30yds, 5minutes later I was headed to camp to skin him. Unfortunately no one else was around. From June until September all of my spare time was spent working and no other shot opportunities where presented.
In October I shot a 100lb sow, 15yds slightly (very slightly) quartering too me. I had the lease manager come out to warm up his tracking dog. After 45min in the dark it was evident to me that the dog had lost the trail, so I slipped back to the start of the trail and followed the blood. An hour latter I recovered the sow 200 yards from the spot of the shot. The arrow had entered just above the knuckle, but had only caught one lung and the liver prior to exiting midway back in the rib cage. Though the shot was decent, I caught some flak because, “a compound would have knocked her down in 30yds.â€
In early November I shot a 100lb boar, 12yds quartering away. I hit him dead in the knuckle and the arrow abruptly stopped. He left with my arrow and was never recovered. Due to the lack of blood I feel that the arrow never entered the chest cavity.
The following weekend I shot a doe, 17yds quartering away. My windage was dead on, but I was 4-5â€s high and hit shoulder blade. She snapped my arrow off at the insert on the first tree she passed. Though I feel strongly that she survived, I was disappointed.
The next weekend I had a 6.5-7.45yr old six point (cull) come in. Though this deer would not be considered a “trophy†I wanted him more than any deer I have ever seen while hunting. He is just an extremely unique deer. Anyhow, he gave me the exact same shot the doe had the previous weekend (he could have been standing in her tracks). The shot felt good but I hit him a few inches behind the elbow and very low. After an hour wait I started the trail. Two hours and ~250yds latter I could find no more blood. I went back and got the lease manager and his dog and we jumped the deer twice over the next two hours. Not only was I disappointed that I had not recovered such a magnificent animal, I had to deal with being the first member to shot a buck this season and then to not recover it and with a recurve at that. I was upset to say the least.
God miraculously answered my prayers and the following weekend, my six point came back. I passed several opportunities at 20yds waiting for a closer shot that never presented itself, but was content with seeing the deer again. The arrow had entered very low just a few inches behind the knuckle just as I had thought, but due to the elevation of my stand had exited so low that I could not see the exit hole on the opposing side of the deer. He was healthy, but now the guys had even less confidence in my equipment.
Since that encounter I have devoted all my time at the lease to finishing what I started and harvesting that deer. I have now seen him three times since shooting him, but have been unable to get an acceptable shot opportunity.
This past weekend I shot a 30lb boar at 25yds perfectly broadside. The arrow struck dead on the knuckle and stopped abruptly. The pig whirled and ran down the road for 30yds prior to entering the brush, so I had ample opportunity to confirm the arrow’s location. I tracked the pig for 150-200yds with minimal blood on the ground, but substantial wipes on vegetation. The pig went through several extremely tight spots that you would think would have snapped off the arrow, but never did. And once again the animal went unrecovered and once again the recurve guy wounded another animal.
To say the least I am frustrated. The “hunters†on videos/tv take horrible shots, make marginal hits and watch their animals fall. The compound shooters on the lease have been lining up multiple pigs in one shot, shooting does in the neck, taking long shots and have recovered everything thus far. I feel my shots have been ethical and well within my ability and none of my shots have missed its mark by more than a few inches if at all, but even so I just can’t seem to get it done this year.
Because of my troubles, I have left my new bow at home and gone with my old faithful bow which I shoot well and have harvested multiple animals with. I am so frustrated that if the situation were any different I would break down and finish out the season with a compound. Don’t get me wrong, I have complete confidence in my abilities and know my equipment is effective; I just can’t catch a break.
Sorry about venting with the long post, but I have worked so hard to get on a lease of this caliber and feel that I am representing not only myself, but other traditional archery as well.
I got on a new lease this year north of Pearsall. It is a new lease for the group so it stands to reason this season will be spent learning how to hunt the new terrain and getting to know each other. We are managing the place for 6.5yr old 150â€+ and therefore have very rigid management criteria. Needless to say a lot of money is being invested and we are all very serious about our hunting.
When I was interviewing to join the lease and I do mean interviewing, I was nearly rejected when the lease manager found out that I shoot a recurve. It was only after much discussion and supplying substantial shooting credentials I was accepted. As you can imagine I felt ample pressure to perform to confirm the confidence that was granted in me.
Since joining I have encountered some friction from other members regarding my choice of equipment. I have since found out the leases the members came from, while bowhunting only, did not allow traditional archery equipment. Therefore I have taken every opportunity to shoot when they are out practicing in order to prove my abilities and feel I have done so adequitly.
However the cards have not been dealt my way in the only place in really matters this year, hunting. I started off just fine, but it has gone downhill since.
Back in June I shot a 50lb pig. Double lung, went 30yds, 5minutes later I was headed to camp to skin him. Unfortunately no one else was around. From June until September all of my spare time was spent working and no other shot opportunities where presented.
In October I shot a 100lb sow, 15yds slightly (very slightly) quartering too me. I had the lease manager come out to warm up his tracking dog. After 45min in the dark it was evident to me that the dog had lost the trail, so I slipped back to the start of the trail and followed the blood. An hour latter I recovered the sow 200 yards from the spot of the shot. The arrow had entered just above the knuckle, but had only caught one lung and the liver prior to exiting midway back in the rib cage. Though the shot was decent, I caught some flak because, “a compound would have knocked her down in 30yds.â€
In early November I shot a 100lb boar, 12yds quartering away. I hit him dead in the knuckle and the arrow abruptly stopped. He left with my arrow and was never recovered. Due to the lack of blood I feel that the arrow never entered the chest cavity.
The following weekend I shot a doe, 17yds quartering away. My windage was dead on, but I was 4-5â€s high and hit shoulder blade. She snapped my arrow off at the insert on the first tree she passed. Though I feel strongly that she survived, I was disappointed.
The next weekend I had a 6.5-7.45yr old six point (cull) come in. Though this deer would not be considered a “trophy†I wanted him more than any deer I have ever seen while hunting. He is just an extremely unique deer. Anyhow, he gave me the exact same shot the doe had the previous weekend (he could have been standing in her tracks). The shot felt good but I hit him a few inches behind the elbow and very low. After an hour wait I started the trail. Two hours and ~250yds latter I could find no more blood. I went back and got the lease manager and his dog and we jumped the deer twice over the next two hours. Not only was I disappointed that I had not recovered such a magnificent animal, I had to deal with being the first member to shot a buck this season and then to not recover it and with a recurve at that. I was upset to say the least.
God miraculously answered my prayers and the following weekend, my six point came back. I passed several opportunities at 20yds waiting for a closer shot that never presented itself, but was content with seeing the deer again. The arrow had entered very low just a few inches behind the knuckle just as I had thought, but due to the elevation of my stand had exited so low that I could not see the exit hole on the opposing side of the deer. He was healthy, but now the guys had even less confidence in my equipment.
Since that encounter I have devoted all my time at the lease to finishing what I started and harvesting that deer. I have now seen him three times since shooting him, but have been unable to get an acceptable shot opportunity.
This past weekend I shot a 30lb boar at 25yds perfectly broadside. The arrow struck dead on the knuckle and stopped abruptly. The pig whirled and ran down the road for 30yds prior to entering the brush, so I had ample opportunity to confirm the arrow’s location. I tracked the pig for 150-200yds with minimal blood on the ground, but substantial wipes on vegetation. The pig went through several extremely tight spots that you would think would have snapped off the arrow, but never did. And once again the animal went unrecovered and once again the recurve guy wounded another animal.
To say the least I am frustrated. The “hunters†on videos/tv take horrible shots, make marginal hits and watch their animals fall. The compound shooters on the lease have been lining up multiple pigs in one shot, shooting does in the neck, taking long shots and have recovered everything thus far. I feel my shots have been ethical and well within my ability and none of my shots have missed its mark by more than a few inches if at all, but even so I just can’t seem to get it done this year.
Because of my troubles, I have left my new bow at home and gone with my old faithful bow which I shoot well and have harvested multiple animals with. I am so frustrated that if the situation were any different I would break down and finish out the season with a compound. Don’t get me wrong, I have complete confidence in my abilities and know my equipment is effective; I just can’t catch a break.
Sorry about venting with the long post, but I have worked so hard to get on a lease of this caliber and feel that I am representing not only myself, but other traditional archery as well.
Comment