Back in 2005, someone gave me a used bow. It had once been used in competitive archery and had since gained a layer of camouflage tape. It's sites were no longer set on bull's eyes. It was aimed to take down deer.
Well, I spent a lot of time (a LOT!!!) during the late afternoon and evenings shooting at targets. I got to a point where I knew exactly where the 'kisser ring' fit in the corner of my mouth and how to judge the distance to the target. I could send the arrow on its way as it pierced the air and hit a small target 30-40 yards away.
Finally, I got up the nerve and went hunting for deer. A friend had a 'deer blind' with an upside down 5 gallon bucket in the middle. I took up my position on that bucket and waited.
As the sun began to set, I heard some movement. I looked and saw not just one but two deer slowly heading my way. But, they didn't see me. They only saw each other. Both were bucks and apparently they felt that the territory wasn't big enough for the two of them.
In the next few minutes, I watched a scuffle. It wasn't anything serious. Horns were clicking together but both bucks seemed pretty half-hearted about the whole ordeal. After about 5 minutes or so, one meandered off and the other stay behind. He was only about 20 feet away at that point.
I knew that I couldn't take a shot sitting on the bucket. Bows aren't meant to be used sitting down. But, I knew that if I stood up to take aim, the deer would see me and run. So, I waited ... and waited.
Finally, I saw my chance. The deer was making his way toward a tree. Fortunately, he was positioned to walk on the opposite side. As he slowly walked behind the tree, that barrier blocked his view. For those few seconds, he couldn't see me!
So, I jumped to my feet and took aim. I waited for what seemed like an hour for his head to reemerge on the other side of the tree. I could feel my heart beating in my head as the bow string was tight ready to be released sending the arrow to its target. I was so nervous that I had to consciously think about which eye was supposed to line up with the string. I had shot that bow a couple hundred times before but all of a sudden, my adrenaline level shot up and I was making simple mistakes. (Honestly, I felt that in that moment I could have dropped the bow and simply tackled the deer!)
When the deer's head came from behind the tree, he immediately stood erect and jerked his head in my direction. He saw me! He let out a loud grunt and then took off. Fortunately for me (not him), his body was perpendicular to me for a split second before he started to run. That's when I released the arrow.
As he ran, I began to think: "Did I get him? Did I get a heart/lung shot or is my arrow sticking in his hind leg?" It all happened so fast and I wasn't able to tell where my arrow hit him ... or if I hit him at all.
So, I took off walking. I walked ... and walked ... and walked. About 200-250 yards away, I saw him! As I neared his lifeless body, I saw that my arrow was a perfect shot into his side. His death would have been reasonably quick.
Unfortunately, it began to dawn on me that it was now dark, I had no way of getting the deer out of the woods and had no clue how to strip it. I made a phone call on my cell phone and was able to get some very kind hearted men to pull the deer out with a 4-wheeler and strip it.
My wife struggled to eat the meat. She didn't want to eat "Bambi."
Me? I loved it! When I ate that venison, I felt like a pioneer. I felt manly. I had gone out into the woods, shot some food and brought it home to the family.
There's a reason why guys love hunting.
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