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Post by losthunter on Jan 8, 2018 9:47:38 GMT -4
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Post by skeeter on Jan 8, 2018 14:55:22 GMT -4
Nice article Rodger.
Hey it happens to us all. In 2011 I lost a real nice 450+lb bear. I drew back after watching him come in for the 3rd time in two days. When I started to draw he was good but then whipped around with his back to me. I shoulda let down but I was sitting and the shoulder was screaming. I figured - drive it right through him. I did but was a bit forward. I think I was in front of the heart area. Then it began to rain. and it rained barrels through the night. We went in next day in raincoats. We scoured everywhere - 3 guys - 6 hrs later I called it off for the sake of the other 2 guys. Never had a blood trail - nothing! I dismissed the shoulder and just figured I made a bad decision and a bad shot! 2013 I went through another smaller meat bear and nothing. 2016 I went through another monster, easily well over 500. I struggled to get the bow back - again sitting down to my left. 6 hours and 2 miles later we found a bed with 2 huge dropping beside it. He actually stood and crapped twice. So I finally decided to abandon my bow. phuk it! I'm done! put a fork in me! My shoulder injuries have finally got me to give in. I can't draw and hold anymore. This year I got myself a hickory creek vertical mini crossbow. What a sweet, compact, deadly rig. I already know how to hunt. Now I have a deadly piece of equipment. I shot my bear this fall and also took 2 does for meat. I goes where I want and when I want!
Rodger - any hunter worth his salt will experience losing animals. The lesson to learn is make changes to lessen it happening again. Some like me are stubborn.
anyway nice article - chin up! |
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Post by losthunter on Jan 9, 2018 6:45:37 GMT -4
Nice article Rodger.
Hey it happens to us all. In 2011 I lost a real nice 450+lb bear. I drew back after watching him come in for the 3rd time in two days. When I started to draw he was good but then whipped around with his back to me. I shoulda let down but I was sitting and the shoulder was screaming. I figured - drive it right through him. I did but was a bit forward. I think I was in front of the heart area. Then it began to rain. and it rained barrels through the night. We went in next day in raincoats. We scoured everywhere - 3 guys - 6 hrs later I called it off for the sake of the other 2 guys. Never had a blood trail - nothing! I dismissed the shoulder and just figured I made a bad decision and a bad shot! 2013 I went through another smaller meat bear and nothing. 2016 I went through another monster, easily well over 500. I struggled to get the bow back - again sitting down to my left. 6 hours and 2 miles later we found a bed with 2 huge dropping beside it. He actually stood and crapped twice. So I finally decided to abandon my bow. phuk it! I'm done! put a fork in me! My shoulder injuries have finally got me to give in. I can't draw and hold anymore. This year I got myself a hickory creek vertical mini crossbow. What a sweet, compact, deadly rig. I already know how to hunt. Now I have a deadly piece of equipment. I shot my bear this fall and also took 2 does for meat. I goes where I want and when I want!
Rodger - any hunter worth his salt will experience losing animals. The lesson to learn is make changes to lessen it happening again. Some like me are stubborn.
anyway nice article - chin up! When I get to the point I cant draw the bow....I dunno what I will do.....I'll likely switch to something....just not sure what. But thats a ways away yet....I hope |
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Post by tuketu on Jan 9, 2018 17:09:59 GMT -4
At one time or another we have lost an animal ... it's happened to me more than once . I'm not proud of it, and will do all I can to keep it from happening again. Will it?.. perhaps ... but I certainly hope not. As much as I carry the burden of wounding an animal to heart , it won't stop me from hunting. I only hope that it makes me a better hunter to mitigate the chances of it happening again.
Little story ...
The first season I got my new longbow I hunted with it. Was I ready to ... no but I just couldn't resist . Sure I had practiced but I knew I wasn't ready to hunt with it. I didn't have the skill nor the confidence at that point with the bow to be hunting. My fate was soon to be realized , when on stand I had the opportunity at my first Longbow bear. I talked myself thru the shot . I drew back, anchored and released the arrow. At that instant I threw my bow arm out of the way to watch my arrow fly ... Classic rookie mistake. Sure enough my arrow went right where my bow arm was pointed. There was no need to consider tracking the bear. In total disgust I packed up my gear, climbed down from the tree, collected my arrow and never hunted again that season. A closer inspection of my arrow showed nothing but a greasy film on my arrow .
Every year I am reminded of that fateful day as the trail camera never lies. A repeat visitor will not let me forget.
Look at the patch high on the right rump. Three feet to the right I might have had myself a nice bear.
On the upside, the next spring as soon as soon as the snow left I began practicing religiously. By the end of summer I was shooting tight groups with confidence. When the moment of truth came that fall I made a perfect shot. I can still remember texting Roger from the stand ... "OMG I just made a perfect shot" !
Fast forward to last fall. Knowing that I had been a bit lacked in my practice with the longbow I opted to hunt with the crossbow ( lesson learned). Opporunities this year were non existent with one exception. A nice bear comes in but never gives me the shot I want . The only possibility was a slightly quartering to shot at about 20 yards. Now at 20 yards with the Excalibur Micro 335 xbow it's a gimme, but it wasn't a shot I was happy with taking. I waited pateintly for a broadside shot that never came. So so close ... I had tension on the trigger just waiting. In the end I let it walk away . I sometimes question whether I should have taken the shot but deep down I know I did the right thing . That was my one and only opportunity to take a bear this past season. I may not have meat in the freezer but I walk with my head held high knowing I have become a better hunter.
Sometimes being a "better hunter" is not about what you bring home ... but why you didn't!
tuk
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