brotherjack
09-05-2005, 10:46 PM
So, after being jumped for smelling bad twice already this bow season, I go down to wal-mart and pickup some of this scent-killer stuff, and a bottle of buck lure. Maybe a waste of money, but for less than $20, I figure worth a try.
Late this afternoon, I spray myself and my gear down with this scent-killer, hang up a strip of old sock with buck lure slathered on it, and sit down in my most comfortable folding chair (with footrest even!) behind a nice little natural ground blind. Got my crossbow in my lap, and I'm ready. Bring on the deer.
Hours go by. No deer.
About the time the sun has gone over the mountains, I'm scanning the field, and just at the edge of the treeline, I spy a monster white-tail buck! I am pretty useless for judging antler size, but I got a buck that grossed 150-something last year, and this guy was in that league. I don't care about antler size really, but big is always a bonus. After a few minutes, big boy comes on out, with 7 or 8 smaller bucks in tow. All but the little spiker in the crowd were big enough for me!
I stuff my heart back down my chest, and grit my teeth and hang on as they slowly approach. The big guy stopped and went around behind a stand of trees about 50 yards to my left, about the same time I hear rustling in the trees behind me. I try not to panic as the doe walks through the breeze blowing gently across me. I suppose the scent-killer did something good, because she passed 15 yards away and didn't spook.
I grit my teeth and hold out for a buck (even though it's either sex archery). The spiker walks to about 18 yards out. On the off chance that I don't get any other shots, I dial the sight on my crossbow to 20 yards and wait. Sure enough, a goregous 4 pointer comes in nice and close, and starts drinking from a puddle.
About this time, I hear 2 bucks start sparing about 18 yards to my right, and see movement in the trees indicating more coming out. I figure the little 4 point is big enough for me, and ever so slowly raise the crossbow. Safety off. Wait for him to move that leg forward while standing perfect broadside... how could this be any better for my first buck with a bow, I don't know. Part of me wants to hold out for the big guy, but honestly, I'm a meat hunter, and a healthy 4 point is gonna taste better than an old guy anyway.
Line up the dot on his side, leg in perfect spot, pull the trigger. Deer scatter everywhere, and I start kicking myself, because I still had the scope set for 20 yards (totally forgot to dial it back in) and the 4 point was probably 12 yards away. He runs off with the arrow sticking in one side and out the other, about 4 inches higher than I intended it to. I think it's still low enough to clip the top of the lungs, since it wasn't high enough to cut the spine, though I worry that it did clip the spine since at that yardage, I would have expected a full passthrough. Nothing to do but grit my teeth and wait. I get shaky as the adrenalin starts to wear off. Re-load crossbow just because.
15 minutes later, a nice little 3 point comes walking to within 25 yards. 2 white-tail limit for archery season in my part of region 4, and I got tags in my pocket, this could be a good night! I try to get lined up, but he turns his butt my way before I do, and grazes his way out of range without giving me a shot. Oh well.
30 minutes after that, another 3 point comes in to about 8 yards. Adrenalin like a freight train. Tripple-check that scope set for 10 yards, and line up on him. Wait... wait... wait for him to hit perfect broadside... wait for the leg to move forward.... squeeze the trigger... hard.... oh, man, am I ever a world class looser! Safety on the crossbow still on. Deer saw me move, and high tails it.
So, another 15 minutes or so go by, and by this time shooting light is pretty much gone. I pack up and get out the flashlight. I'm not planning a deep woods search, but there's a good enough chance I got both lungs I wanna have a peek in case he's just inside the treeline. Long story short, blood trail starts about 60 yards from point of impact, but too faint to follow in the dark, so I had to come home with no deer. But, there is a blood trail (which I marked), so I'm confident that tomorrow I'll have my first archery buck in the truck in short order.
I am a blessed man, no doubt. And all you more experienced bow/x-bow hunters can make fun of me now, I know it was pretty much amateur night (and hey, I admit I am an amateur - but I'm learning!). But man, oh man, what a night!
BTW- the scent stuff on both counts has made a believer out of me!
Late this afternoon, I spray myself and my gear down with this scent-killer, hang up a strip of old sock with buck lure slathered on it, and sit down in my most comfortable folding chair (with footrest even!) behind a nice little natural ground blind. Got my crossbow in my lap, and I'm ready. Bring on the deer.
Hours go by. No deer.
About the time the sun has gone over the mountains, I'm scanning the field, and just at the edge of the treeline, I spy a monster white-tail buck! I am pretty useless for judging antler size, but I got a buck that grossed 150-something last year, and this guy was in that league. I don't care about antler size really, but big is always a bonus. After a few minutes, big boy comes on out, with 7 or 8 smaller bucks in tow. All but the little spiker in the crowd were big enough for me!
I stuff my heart back down my chest, and grit my teeth and hang on as they slowly approach. The big guy stopped and went around behind a stand of trees about 50 yards to my left, about the same time I hear rustling in the trees behind me. I try not to panic as the doe walks through the breeze blowing gently across me. I suppose the scent-killer did something good, because she passed 15 yards away and didn't spook.
I grit my teeth and hold out for a buck (even though it's either sex archery). The spiker walks to about 18 yards out. On the off chance that I don't get any other shots, I dial the sight on my crossbow to 20 yards and wait. Sure enough, a goregous 4 pointer comes in nice and close, and starts drinking from a puddle.
About this time, I hear 2 bucks start sparing about 18 yards to my right, and see movement in the trees indicating more coming out. I figure the little 4 point is big enough for me, and ever so slowly raise the crossbow. Safety off. Wait for him to move that leg forward while standing perfect broadside... how could this be any better for my first buck with a bow, I don't know. Part of me wants to hold out for the big guy, but honestly, I'm a meat hunter, and a healthy 4 point is gonna taste better than an old guy anyway.
Line up the dot on his side, leg in perfect spot, pull the trigger. Deer scatter everywhere, and I start kicking myself, because I still had the scope set for 20 yards (totally forgot to dial it back in) and the 4 point was probably 12 yards away. He runs off with the arrow sticking in one side and out the other, about 4 inches higher than I intended it to. I think it's still low enough to clip the top of the lungs, since it wasn't high enough to cut the spine, though I worry that it did clip the spine since at that yardage, I would have expected a full passthrough. Nothing to do but grit my teeth and wait. I get shaky as the adrenalin starts to wear off. Re-load crossbow just because.
15 minutes later, a nice little 3 point comes walking to within 25 yards. 2 white-tail limit for archery season in my part of region 4, and I got tags in my pocket, this could be a good night! I try to get lined up, but he turns his butt my way before I do, and grazes his way out of range without giving me a shot. Oh well.
30 minutes after that, another 3 point comes in to about 8 yards. Adrenalin like a freight train. Tripple-check that scope set for 10 yards, and line up on him. Wait... wait... wait for him to hit perfect broadside... wait for the leg to move forward.... squeeze the trigger... hard.... oh, man, am I ever a world class looser! Safety on the crossbow still on. Deer saw me move, and high tails it.
So, another 15 minutes or so go by, and by this time shooting light is pretty much gone. I pack up and get out the flashlight. I'm not planning a deep woods search, but there's a good enough chance I got both lungs I wanna have a peek in case he's just inside the treeline. Long story short, blood trail starts about 60 yards from point of impact, but too faint to follow in the dark, so I had to come home with no deer. But, there is a blood trail (which I marked), so I'm confident that tomorrow I'll have my first archery buck in the truck in short order.
I am a blessed man, no doubt. And all you more experienced bow/x-bow hunters can make fun of me now, I know it was pretty much amateur night (and hey, I admit I am an amateur - but I'm learning!). But man, oh man, what a night!
BTW- the scent stuff on both counts has made a believer out of me!