Stories Written  The Way The Hunters Lived Them

Didn't Duck Quick Enough

It is funny how things work out and what a fine line it is between success and failure -- every Bowhunter knows about this. Today was no different for me. I had gotten tired of sitting tree stands all day the last few days for whitetails -- had been seeing does and a few small bucks but nothing good. Decided to take a break and check on some mule deer I had been watching as well as one real dandy a friend had seen on his place. I did the drive around first thing in the morning and seen two 4x4 Mulie bucks where we had a tree stand set up and where I had taken my doe earlier. One was the same buck I had taken the hair off of a week ago about 2/3 of a mile away at the other end of the field. The other buck was quite a bit heavier.

They were chasing does around and the whole gang headed down into the big creek. I left and did manage to see the buck on my friend's place but he had crossed the road into "No Hunting" land with his group of does. Is a real good buck -- around 170ish? Trouble is there is no real place for a set up for the bow and even less of a chance with this recurve. I headed back to the other place and decided to move the tree stand up to the area where these deer seem to favour now. The idea being when friends John and Bryan come on Friday to hunt mulie does that their odds will be better here. I was about half done getting the stand up when a vehicle drove along the field and a fellow got out. I came out and talked to him and he said he was going to shoot "that whitetail buck" -- sure enough there was a small whitetail coming across the field almost right at us. Three shots (rifle) later and the buck was down. I helped him load it and off he went to dress it out down the field farther. I finished getting the stand in place, cleared shooting lanes and left. I came home and picked up the wife who might be called upon to push deer to me if necessary.

We got back and I got into the stand. Deer immediately starting coming out of the creek. I had does around me, several little bucks and then the "hair off of" buck came through checking out the does. I couldn't get a

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 shot because of limbs in the way. He left heading back into the creek but another buck came out and starting chasing the does. I had him at 10 yards broadside with tension on the string but decided to let him walk. He was a big 2x3. Him and the does left to head out to the alfalfa field.

I decided to get down and clear those lanes and was busy smashing and crashing when I heard deer coming up out of the creek again. I had barely gotten back into the stand. When I looked over my shoulder and here comes a doe followed by the bigger buck I had seen in the morning. She is heading my way -- must have heard something. I got turned around and the bow off the hook between looks from the doe about 10 yards to my right in the thick willows. They mess around for about 15 minutes -- came close once but just at half draw the doe spooked taking the buck with her. They kept milling around and he finally gave me a 20 yd quartering away shot. The arrow was gone and it looked good -- hair opened up at the shoulder and the arrow disappeared. The buck ran out about 10 yards, the doe ran to my right and I was giving the "Tiger Woods Pump" in the tree!! I had him -- I thought. He chased the other buck again, went grunting after the doe, and they kept doing their thing. After another few minutes of this, I thought it wasn't as good as I thought. They started to move towards the field, leaving me wondering what the heck had happened. I took out my doe bleat, gave a couple of toots towards the creek and ... back they come - the doe in the lead. She is really curious as to what is going on in this part of the bush. They mill around and then a fawn comes running over to her-- they lick noses and then the boyfriend puts the run on her youngster. The doe moves along the bush to my right and then he trots after her. At 15 yards broadside, the arrow is gone and I see it pass through behind his shoulder as he is ducking (again) ... but not quick enough this time!! He runs out about 30 yards, stops, head down ... turns around and comes part way back to the girlfriend ... turns back and goes down. She still is looking in the bush for whatever is causing all this and finally takes off with her fawn into the creek. What a hunt -- lots of ups and downs -- bad luck and then good luck. 

That's bowhunting!!

P.S. The first arrow nicked his shoulder - as he was likely ducking and turning away. I don't remember seeing that - was pretty focused on "the spot".

Written By: Brent Watson