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First archery buck hunt


HuntEmDown505

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Hey all, got my first archery buck recently, and hopefully my first muzzleloader coming up soon! The hunt was really interesting with a lot of ups and downs.

The day before, I had hunted the same spot and noticed that nothing had eaten any of the corn I put out. No kidding, the kernels were totally unmoved for 3 days. I sat all evening and saw a spike and a small doe with a button with her.

The next day I come back and the corn was picked at slightly, but I'm thinking I burned this spot. I sat at about 5:45. Just before first light, a buck I named, "Lucky" (we will cover that later) cruised by in the fading darkness, not stopping for anything at about 35 yards. I shook my head and continued to sit until about 6:45 I hear a stomp over my right shoulder. Now this is coming from the exact spot that the biggest buck on the property comes through about that time 2 or 3 times a year, and I'm thinking, oh crap its gonna be him that busts me.

I sit still as I can, and I dont even feel the cold anymore. 10 minutes later, a stomp and a snort, followed by the crunching of a deer running away. The whole area knows now.

Cursing under my breath, I start thinking negative thoughts, and about Lucky, the one that got away. Two weeks before, while hunting the same area, I packed it in at about 1030 to get ready for work. I climbed down and had my seat, bow and pack in my hands. I step forward to a small clearing to get situated and there he is, broadside at 30 yards. A beautiful, fat 9 just staring at me. I place my items on the ground slowly and start to nock an arrow. He stays put. I draw and crouch slightly to avoid a crabapple branch. He stays put. I send it! It goes right over his back, and he saunters into the cattails.

Why am I telling this story? Well guess who shows up 30 minutes after the stomp and snort? Lucky. He's at 45 yards following a small divot in the hill. For a while he looks at the corn, but doesn't bite. I'm trying to control my breathing and I'm totally focused on him. He takes a loop around a fat oak tree and starts to come down a path that ends at my left. I have a window about 3 feet by 4 feet coming up. I draw and hold it as he picks up the pace. He gets to the window and I let out my pathetic bleat. He stops and quarters slightly as I let one fly....

Right over his back again.

He runs off into the woods as I sit there in disbelief. I'm normally a good shot, I tell myself. What the hell is going on?! The woods are silent and cold for the next hour and I think that's it. I blew it. Beginning to seriously doubt my skills, I propped my bow up on my leg and reached for my phone to check the time. 

That's when I see movement about 5 yards to my left. It's a dark mass and I had no idea it was there until it was right on me. A small 6! And he's got no idea I'm there. He starts walking straight for the corn as I draw at a weird angle so I can follow him. When he gets out from the maple branches, I bleat at him and he stops just long enough for my arrow to stick him a bit high, but right on the money.

The blood pooled up on his fur almost immediately as he ran off towards the hillside, but I never heard a crash. As it turns out, he doubled back on me, and ran about 60 yards in total. The JakHammer had gotten one lung and a piece of the other. Never did find the arrow.

All in all, a ton of action, disappointment and lessons, with a big reward at the end! Big thanks to my buddy who is probably reading this and taught me everything I needed to get the job done.

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29 minutes ago, not on the rug said:

Congrats!  

Are you using a range finder?   

Yep! I know my ranges pretty well in that spot. It was definitely my nerves both times. Plus I noticed when I'm fatigued or in a hurry to shoot, I drop my elbow and my shots go high. Pure buck fever I just need to control better.

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56 minutes ago, HuntEmDown505 said:

Yep! I know my ranges pretty well in that spot. It was definitely my nerves both times. Plus I noticed when I'm fatigued or in a hurry to shoot, I drop my elbow and my shots go high. Pure buck fever I just need to control better.

Learn how to do some deep breathing exercises and get your emotions under control.  In deer hunting, and in life, remember that you are always in control of your emotions.  Do the breathing exercises and then go through your shot sequence, exactly the way you practiced it in your back yard.  

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