Even though I was set up to stay out for 3 days solo, I told my wife, the night before I left, that I would be home tomorrow night, and that I was gonna fill my tag in the morning. I’m not one to be cocky, but I was so determined to fill my tag that I was trying to convince myself that I KNEW that I was going to “get it done.” Up until this point, I had only been served “Failure” with a side of “Almost.” Failure and bow hunting go together like bows and arrows and I was very familiar with all of them. Another thing that comes with all of that head scratching though is education. One does not pick up a set of car keys and automatically know how to drive. The only word that comes to mind when I think of spot and stalk archery deer hunting is “Humbling.” You will be humbled whether you fill your tag or not. That is exactly what I felt when I was a mile from my truck on my first morning, spotted a lone buck, and then realized that I had forgotten my tag and licence in the truck.
The air is starting to get more and more brisk with every passing day here in AZ. Our “brisk” is probably comparable to warm fronts across the rest of the country, but it’s still nice. This time of year, I have 2 things on my mind. First, I can’t wait to spend another holiday season with family and friends. Second, I know that I will be chasing rutting mule deer and coues deer with my bow before I know it. Our Dec/Jan archery deer hunts are some of my favorite hunts of the year. It’s a beautiful time to be out in the desert. I don’t have to worry about stepping on a rattlesnake on my way to a bedded buck or a scorpion crawling up my pant leg as I sit and glass. During these hunts, I have seen some truly amazing sights through those binoculars. From watching bucks chase does all over the hills to squaring off with each other to tend to pecking order business, it’s a great time to say the least.
With Thanksgiving now in the rear view mirror, it got me thinking. So much has happened in the past 11 months that I have to be thankful for, both in the field and out. With our fast paced way of life, it’s sometimes hard to realize what’s in front of us. At least for me it is. For example, I get so amped up about everything involved in a trip, from planning it to actually being out there in the field hunting, that I forget to slow down and take in what is going on in my life at that very moment. I’m too worried about where the elk are or why this bear hasn’t hit this water source yet. Little things like, the fact that I am physically able to hike back into the areas I go. Some people aren’t so fortunate. Another that comes to mind are the things that I get to witness while out in the field. Some people will never get to see the steam like breath of a bull elk hit the cold morning air as he bugles and makes his presence known. That is a sight to behold. I’m also extremely grateful that I actually have the time to get out in the field as much as I do. I hear how some folks can only hunt 2 weeks a year, and while I would do the same if I had to, I can’t imagine only being able to hunt that amount of time. For me, it would feel like suffocation.
Anytime a new endeavor is taken on that has an ultimate goal to it, it oftentimes seems hard to imagine actually achieving that goal. At least it does for me. Things like buying a house for the first time. After my parents raised me and I spent so much time with them growing up, the thought of moving out and owning my own house seemed foreign to me. Life without Mom and Dad everyday? It was a foreign feeling, but one that would inevitably be thrown upon me. As with other things in life that might intimidate us, once we get passed them and achieve those unimaginable goals, we realize that it’s not that bad. Sometimes, I questioned why I would even let such things intimidate me to begin with.
I’ve decided to do something a bit different for this post then previous ones that went over my hunts. On this trip, I actually kept a journal while out in the field and I think it turned out pretty neat. I might end up doing this a lot more in the future, just because of the genuine point of view that it offers with the play by play perspective. This was not only my first out of state hunt, it was my first archery elk hunt, along with my first extended backpack hunt. My brother and I packed into the Colorado backcountry for a week in hopes of making some awesome memories and arrowing my first bull. We ended up doing both…..technically. Enjoy.
Finding a good hunting partner can sometimes be just as difficult, if not more difficult than hunting itself. A lot of things have to lineup between two people in order for it to work. This became all too apparent when I really got into all of this. Up until a certain point, I had always hunted with another person. As the fire grew inside of me to be out in the field though, I came to a fork in the road. Either I was going to not go out at all or I needed to go out alone. I chose the latter and throughout my adventures have really grown to love hunting on my own. Even with that being the case, I still enjoy getting out into the mountains with good friends and family. After all, that is how I ended up loving hunting as much as I do in the first place.
If you are an archer/bowhunter, then you know the feeling of watching your arrow cut through the air and land right where you want it to. It’s a soothing feeling and, for myself, has become somewhat of an addiction. Achieving the accuracy that you strive for doesn’t come free of charge though. It takes much practice and dedication in order to crush your archery goals. Some folks are just naturals and will be busting the bullseye at 60 yards in a heartbeat. Other people have to work a bit harder. Wherever you fall, I think there are a few things that we all should keep in mind while we prepare for our future hunts.
When I was a kid, I often times never even used binoculars when in the field with my dad. Nowadays, I don’t know how I survived without them! Back then, during the off chance that I had binos, I had them attached around my neck with nothing more than an old red shoelace. I hated carrying those things! The shoelace always dug into my neck and the binos danced on and off of my chest with every step I took. It seemed like more of a chore having binoculars than a luxury. Gear has come a long way since my nemesis that is that old shoelace.
As technology in the archery industry gets better and better it seems that people are shooting their bows at farther and farther distances. Traditionally, I myself use a 5-pin multi-pin sight. My pins are set up for 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 yards. There is a saying though that says practice at double the yardage that you might be shooting an animal at. So, where does that leave you when your max distance at an animal is 60 or 70 yards? I don’t know about you, but I sure as heck don’t have a 120 yard pin in my sight housing. Not literally at least. What if I told you that you could in fact get out to those distances without having a toothpick box worth of pins in your sight? Black Gold has solved this issue with their multi-pin slider sight, The Black Gold Ascent Verdict.
The most used word in archery hunting is probably the word, “ALMOST.” “I ALMOST filled my tag this evening!” “The bull walked right instead of left and I ALMOST had him!” How many times have you heard something along those lines or said it yourself? I hear it every single season and say it myself every year. I think this is why I archery hunt though. It’s the chase. The journey to the goal. Every engagement with an animal where you ALMOST are successful holds a lesson. Another tool in your toolbox and the next stepping stone to your objective. Even a failed stalk is a successful one.
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