Got it done yesterday with the bow!
Drove around for a few hours just trying to find some because the rancher had moved his cattle to a different pasture and drove all over the place with his 4 wheeler I'm sure scattering herds all over the place.
Was driving back up out of a valley when I spotted this buck about 100 yards off the road. I stopped my truck to just sit there and watch him and rather than run off he continues grazing. I get out of my truck and grab my bow (for some reason this action usually is what it takes to send them running). Nothing. Matter of fact, he scratches his head and beds down. I take a few steps towards him to see what he'll do and he just lays there. I range him at about 70 yards, too far for me but close enough to hope to close the distance. I keep walking slowly toward him every time he looks away, and eventually get to 41 yards when he stands up. Again, I'm thinking OK no way will he let me draw my bow in the wide open and not do anything. Yet he does!
I settle the 40 yard pin right behind the shoulder and let it fly, I've shot enough this summer to know instantly if something goes wrong and I felt I pulled the shot, I see him mule kick and take off, and notice the blood spot too far back and high. I'm already thinking liver shot and this is going to be a long night. When he doesn't run over the next rise I know he's just over the edge in the little bowl and maybe I can get another arrow in him. I creep up and he's standing there a bit wobbly. He beds down and I sneak in to 20 yards and put another arrow in him through the top of the chest. I hear him start sucking wind as if he's lung shot so I walk back to my truck to get my pack and things. As I walk back over the hill, he jumps up and starts running away...you've got to be kidding! He stops at 30 yards and I put my last arrow in him and sit down to wait for the end.
I'm not terribly proud of the turn of events but being a novice bowhunter it is all a bit of a learning curve. From what I could my first shot did hit liver, and my second and third shots were all through the lungs. Maybe not quite the most romantic of stalks, but I put an epic stalk on a doe a few days ago and missed her at 51 yards so this is maybe some redemption. I told myself I wouldn't do another euro mount on an antelope unless I shot one bigger than the one on the wall already, but I decided to keep this one. First bow kill and he's got cool little nubs on the back of his horns which I think are kind of neat.
Lessons learned:
1: You'll never know if you can't put a stalk on something until you try.
2: Things take a lot longer to die when shot with a bow, perhaps due to the energy? Give that good shot the time it takes to get the job done.
3: Never leave your weapon until you lay hands on the animal.
4: Don't go wrist deep in the guts until all the broad heads are accounted for.
Drove around for a few hours just trying to find some because the rancher had moved his cattle to a different pasture and drove all over the place with his 4 wheeler I'm sure scattering herds all over the place.
Was driving back up out of a valley when I spotted this buck about 100 yards off the road. I stopped my truck to just sit there and watch him and rather than run off he continues grazing. I get out of my truck and grab my bow (for some reason this action usually is what it takes to send them running). Nothing. Matter of fact, he scratches his head and beds down. I take a few steps towards him to see what he'll do and he just lays there. I range him at about 70 yards, too far for me but close enough to hope to close the distance. I keep walking slowly toward him every time he looks away, and eventually get to 41 yards when he stands up. Again, I'm thinking OK no way will he let me draw my bow in the wide open and not do anything. Yet he does!
I settle the 40 yard pin right behind the shoulder and let it fly, I've shot enough this summer to know instantly if something goes wrong and I felt I pulled the shot, I see him mule kick and take off, and notice the blood spot too far back and high. I'm already thinking liver shot and this is going to be a long night. When he doesn't run over the next rise I know he's just over the edge in the little bowl and maybe I can get another arrow in him. I creep up and he's standing there a bit wobbly. He beds down and I sneak in to 20 yards and put another arrow in him through the top of the chest. I hear him start sucking wind as if he's lung shot so I walk back to my truck to get my pack and things. As I walk back over the hill, he jumps up and starts running away...you've got to be kidding! He stops at 30 yards and I put my last arrow in him and sit down to wait for the end.
I'm not terribly proud of the turn of events but being a novice bowhunter it is all a bit of a learning curve. From what I could my first shot did hit liver, and my second and third shots were all through the lungs. Maybe not quite the most romantic of stalks, but I put an epic stalk on a doe a few days ago and missed her at 51 yards so this is maybe some redemption. I told myself I wouldn't do another euro mount on an antelope unless I shot one bigger than the one on the wall already, but I decided to keep this one. First bow kill and he's got cool little nubs on the back of his horns which I think are kind of neat.
Lessons learned:
1: You'll never know if you can't put a stalk on something until you try.
2: Things take a lot longer to die when shot with a bow, perhaps due to the energy? Give that good shot the time it takes to get the job done.
3: Never leave your weapon until you lay hands on the animal.
4: Don't go wrist deep in the guts until all the broad heads are accounted for.
Welcome to it!!
