The subtle breeze gently lifts a 4" piece of yellow Dacron B-50 attached to the end of my bow, assuring me that I have set up on the best side of the trail confluence to ensure I don't get winded. Satsifaction that I have at least got that much figured out warms my spirit. It has been an interesting journey in learning and studying all that I could in order to even qualify for a fairshot at being able to outwit one of these wiley creatures. As the symphony of the forest begins with the rustle of leaves and the chatter of battling squirrels I remember how I began this journey about a year and a half ago. I have made a few friends along the way but have pretty much walked this path on my own since I had ignited in me a yearning to get back to some ancient connection with my grandfathers. A yearning that I had not before known existed. It seems in my life I have always chosen the path that is steepest. I have no previous background in self bowery or deer hunting and yet hear I sit in an improvised ground blind in a creek bottom forrest. With self bow in hand as I release myself to the solitude of stillness.
Thus begins the ambush.
The overcast sky amidst the diminishing light casts a steel grayness that makes everything seem varying shades of gray. I hear her before I see her. Sh sh sh.. sh sh.... Sh sh sh sh sh sh........ BM BMP BMP BMP BMP BMP BMP BMP........ Whats that I wonder? I soon realize thats my heart and its instinctively accelerated. "So I guess its true what I have heard" I tell myself. Frozen for but a moment I slowley turn my head to the right and look between the V of two of the trees I have my blind between. Shes a nice sized doe and shes just moseying along about 35yds to my right. I need to shift around and get into firing postion but I'm not wanting to make any noise. She noses down and grabs another acorn and as she does I sit back on my right heel and slowly swing my left leg out and then slowly lean forward on the right knee and I am in position. She never saw me. Munch munch munch. "Your too tense" I tell myself. "Relax". I close my eyes and inhale deeply, silently and slowley. You can make this shot, relax your hands.Once again I am still. Through softley squinted eyes I can see that she has stopped quarting to me about 20yds and 1/3 of the sight picture is blocked by a 6" osage with a few verticle suckers. "Might have to harvest those later for heavy Buffalo arrows" I tell myself. If she will only give me a broadside or a quarterng away shes mine. But she just keeps munching the acorns and moseying just out of my comfort zone for at least 8-10 minutes. I am on point the whole time, waiting for the right shot picture and she has not winded me or spotted any movement. Then she turns and it looks as if she is going to move right to left and give me what I have patiently waited for. All of a sudden...sh shshshshshssh and here comes a smaller doe right up the trail with a 4-6 pointer hot on her trail. "Well, maybe I can get a moving shot on one of these" " Nah, might not be a kill shot and I will have a tough time tacking in the dark". Considering its my first time a kill oportunity I opt to wait for a more sure thing.
Its cold, I'm stoked and I'm shakin like a dog poopin peach seeds.You'd have thought I had the flu. The rush was intense. "Bear down" " get calm, theres still plenty of light. You might get a shot on another one." After a tight full body bare down type of squeeze and a couple huge, silent gasps of cold evening air....alll is silent. Except for the Bm bm bm bm bm. Yeah thats me again. Closed eyes again. Enjoying the symphony of the forrest around me. SH SH SH SH SH Sh. Eyes open. There you are. I've been wondering when you would get here. Looks like a pretty ncie bodied 6-8 pointer about 40yds out, coming..head down and a fast walk. I say 6-8 because I only glanced at the rack to determine the sex. I did'nt stop to count the points because I was looking for the kill zone. I have heard that looking at the horns will cause your shot to not fly true and I figure this guy deserves to go down as cleanly as possible. Besides, I sure do'nt want to lose my first kill because I did'nt stay focused. Bm Bm Bm. Yeah, thats me again. I come up to half draw and wait for him to turn broadside. He turns at about 25yds and I rise up another few inches and go to full. draw. He jumps 5ydsback and turns and is facing the other way, looking at me but not moving. Tail is up, ears are up and he is staring right at me. " Should I take it? Should I take it? I hear the realase go quietly ...thumm. The arrow stikes the ground below behind the right front leg. He jumps again and is now 35-40yds out. After staring and sniffing for a while still not sure of what he saw, he lowers his tail and just starts moseying on through the brush at a leisurely pace. SH SH SH. SH
The hunt continues.......I hope your enjoying it cuz I sure am. Danny
