I Hate Bowhunting

[Boyscout]

I have bowhunted since 1982 and this year has been the most frustrating since I started. This year I have been seeing a few nice bucks while on the stand and on my two trail cameras.

Saturday at about 08:10 I saw antlers above the weeds about 100 yards away and they were not heading my direction so I used my voice to do my best rendition of an Estrouos Doe Bleat and then I threw in a couple of low grunts. Didn't expect much but I got ready. Ten minutes later, he was coming right to me after he had circled a bit. I was ready when he walked into my wide open shooting lane(s) at 23 yards. He stood there for at least 30 seconds as I tried with all of my strength to pull back my 60 lb. bow; I couldn't budge it. He finally decided to move on and as he did he passed my trail camera at about 10 feet, stopped and posed for me. I think I am going to cry. Turns out I had a mild case of the stomach flu coming on. Something you don't want to have at 20+ feet in the air. I am still down two days later and he is still walking. He appears to be a very nice 7pt. Maybe with a cast bullet next weekend.
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[richhodg66]

There is no endeavor where Murphy's Law rings true than bowhunting. I haven't done much of it in years, had figured getting one inside bow range would be the hard part, but that's fairly easy. It's all the little gotchas that seem to happen at the moment of truth.

He's still out there, you'll get another crack at him.

[41mag]

I haven't been at it as long, but have had a least as much frustration from it. I don't get overly upset however since I know it all boils down to me. I have had several blown shots, as well as missing some completely. I haven't had the issue of not being able to draw yet, but I am sure it isn't that far down the list.

Feel better fast and get back out there.

[lefty o]

thats why its called hunting, not killing! lol

[Just Duke]

I have best luck tying them to a tree and waiting a day or so later until hunting season starts.

[Omega]

Don't feel bad, even with what seems more infallible equipment things can happen. Was out hunting with my ML Sunday, had a doe start up a hill away from my property so I used a bleat call to turn her around. She presented a nice broadside shot and poof, no ignition, by the time I replaced the primer she had wandered back up the hill. Using CCI 209 shotgun primers with Blackhorn and this is the second FTF with that powder. I have read not to use ML primers so I didn't even bother with those, besides they are more expensive, so I am using the regular CCIs. I may have to get some magnum primers just to get rid of this powder, just hope I can find some local; I would hate to buy 1K of them when I only need 50 or so.

[runfiverun]

at least you got the opportunity.
we are lucky to get one opportunity on a deer a year, if you muff it [shrug] you might as well put your stuff away for the year.
I have calculated that I walk between 7 and 9 miles per deer that I see [not buck, deer. about 40 miles of travel is required to see a buck on average] blow it on one and you start the whole thing over in another direction.

[Hogtamer]

I hate it too. October marked my 45th year with a recurve bow and just think of all those years wasted sitting in beautiful autumn woods; those 100 or so deer I had to drag and clean; that come-down from the huge adrenalin rush of a close encounter, good shot or bad; the hours sharpening broadheads till they will shave you; twisting up those pretty flemish strings; perfectly grilled backstrap; perfectly tuned arrows that I made myself and the smell of shaved cedar; bright feathers disappearing in a black hog's side; some deer so close you could see the wetness of their noses and know that I beat it whether I got the shot or not. Yeah, I killed with a rifle some and made some really good shots with my reloads, even some hogs with slugs I cast myself. But friend, it ain't bowhunting. God, (said prayerfully) I hate it that I still love it so much! P.S. A well placed arrow from a 50 lb. bow will shoot through that beautiful animal pictured and dull itself in the ground on the other side, and here's a pic of my last "trophy" pierced with a sharp Zwickey....
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[Just Duke]

at least you got the opportunity.


What he said.

[dragon813gt]

Crossbow, you would have been able to pull the trigger even w/ the flu ;)

The deer seem to know where my stand is. They always walk just out of range. At least you saw one. I haven't see a single deer, of any sex, since the end of September. Even when the combine came through they didn't show up. Normally the combine is the dinner bell.

[Boyscout]

The rut just fired up week before last for us here. I saw 7 deer before 10:00. Two spikes, 4 bucks and one doe. All but the spikes were out of my range: 35-45 yards. Years ago I was in a gas station on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon admiring the trophies on the wall. The owner of those trophies told me I should be grateful to live in a place like Indiana where one could hunt every year and not be at the mercy of a draw. I agree with him. We don't have the mountains or the trout streams but we do have whitetail. The buck in the photograph is a public land buck. All it cost me is gasoline, a campsite fee and other "incidental" expenses. I don't even have to buy a hunting liscence as I am the holder of the no longer available Comprehensive Lifetime Hunting liscence. Life is good.

[white eagle]

opportunity is a definite plus
been bow hunting deer since the late 70's
use to get a deer every year got cocky and ordered a recurve bow
practiced till I was good enough to hunt with it
deer came within range but I couldn't hit one switched back to a compound never saw another deer
aint that the way it goes

[mikeORB]

There are very few things I love more than archery season

[Fishman]

Man that's a tough break but a great opportunity for a story. Love the inclusion of the trail cam pic.

[hithard]

go down to 50lbs, you'll still get good clean kills, not to mention you can hold it back forever and pull it back in all sorts of weird positions.

[starmac]

Don't feel bad, even with what seems more infallible equipment things can happen. Was out hunting with my ML Sunday, had a doe start up a hill away from my property so I used a bleat call to turn her around. She presented a nice broadside shot and poof, no ignition, by the time I replaced the primer she had wandered back up the hill. Using CCI 209 shotgun primers with Blackhorn and this is the second FTF with that powder. I have read not to use ML primers so I didn't even bother with those, besides they are more expensive, so I am using the regular CCIs. I may have to get some magnum primers just to get rid of this powder, just hope I can find some local; I would hate to buy 1K of them when I only need 50 or so.

In my way of thinking a pound of powder is pretty cheap, if nothing else, the peace of mind it would bring.

[Omega]

In my way of thinking a pound of powder is pretty cheap, if nothing else, the peace of mind it would bring.
Oh I have some pyrodex, but sometimes I can be a stubborn SOB. They way I see, it's another advantage for the deer and an honest review of this powder.

[starmac]

Ha Ha, the deer appreciates your stubborness. lol

[Boyscout]

My inability to draw had nothing to do with being overbowed or buck fever but the onset the flu. I was only an hour away from the obvious symptoms when the big guy presented himself. I know what buck fever was and I usually get the symptoms after I have taken the shot or watch a deer for awhile. Early in the season, I let a small, forkhorn walk(We can only take one buck a year). I shook for 20 minutes afterwards. I have taken about 23 deer with a bow and 20 with guns of various sorts. The nights before opening of bow and gun season, I am like an eight year old boy anticipating Christmas. I guess I lied about the "I Hate Bowhunting" thing. I can think of very few things I would rather do than spend time in the woods. I would rather watch the deer and squirrels from my tree stand than the Colts from my couch.

[slohunter]

No need to feel like the Lone Ranger, I've been bow hunting since the 80's and never got a deer yet. A bad day hunting is still better than a good day at work!

[Ballistics in Scotland]

In the UK during the rut bucks roe deer can be shot, but does can't. A good friend took me once to shoot on the land of someone I had never met, and I heard deer moving around me in the last minutes of daylight. One moved up through the scrub in a disused railway cutting I was walking along, and I reasoned that I hadn't heard the fence at the top twang, and the light was too good for him to move out into the open field above unless he had to. So I froze for a good three minutes, off-balance in a mud puddle.

Eventually he came down and stood twenty feet from my rifle muzzle in a gap in the trees, plainly lit up in red by the last of the light, seemingly forever. In the scope I actually saw the texture of the hair on the vital spot. But a branch obscured whether he had antlers or not. If it had been my friend's land, or if I had paid to be there, I would have trusted to luck, and risked having to do some fast talking afterwards. But on a stranger's land that would have embarrassed me and my friend. As soon as he moved off into cover, he gave a distinctly male bark.

Still, I got to say "Administratively speaking, you lose." The antis would never understand why that was the best day's hunting I ever had.

[richhodg66]

I know it isn't the same, but I've been crossbow hunting when I can this year, first time I have been out much during the rut in a long, long time. Forgot how many more deer you see this time of year. Killed a small buck first day out, hate to tell you haw many bucks I've had meander through that would be east kills since (we can only kill one a year too).

Sure is nice being in the woods without the weather beating on you.

[white eagle]

My inability to draw had nothing to do with being overbowed or buck fever but the onset the flu. I was only an hour away from the obvious symptoms when the big guy presented himself. I know what buck fever was and I usually get the symptoms after I have taken the shot or watch a deer for awhile. Early in the season, I let a small, forkhorn walk(We can only take one buck a year). I shook for 20 minutes afterwards. I have taken about 23 deer with a bow and 20 with guns of various sorts. The nights before opening of bow and gun season, I am like an eight year old boy anticipating Christmas. I guess I lied about the "I Hate Bowhunting" thing. I can think of very few things I would rather do than spend time in the woods. I would rather watch the deer and squirrels from my tree stand than the Colts from my couch.

the sign of a true hunter
aint it a gas?

[nekshot]

Ahhh, the frustrations of bow hunting! This year the 2 bucks that met my harvest potential only gave me frontal shots even at 25 yards I could not get the angle I wanted. If I cannot make a quick clean kill I don't shoot but deal with the frustrations later. Thats why its called hunting!

[bedbugbilly]

Your "Hoosier Deer" are way more smarter than our "Michigander Deer" . . . ours don't know how to take "selfies"! :-)

Hope you get to feeling better! No fun being sick.

[Boyscout]

Just came back inside from a short session with the bow. I'm dead on. Still a little weak but I have plenty of strength and some in reserve to make it happen. I will be in my tree tomorrow night if the weather isn't too servere.

[Hogtamer]

Good on ya! Be safe up that tree and good luck. Look for that hair over the heart.

[Boyscout]

Double lung broadside to quartering away or nothing.