Pick a spot you friggin idiot..........................!!!

[mtnwrunner]

So, I got into a really larger herd of elk the other night---about 300 head. Lots of bulls but I was going to take whatever wandered my way. Wind was absolutely perfect and they were all feeding above me but kind of coming in my direction. I finally hear brush and twigs breaking and all of a sudden there is a cow coming and she is about 35 yards out but quartering towards me. She steps out of the aspens and kind of sees me but checks me out and figures I am just another weird shape on the hill. She feeds right by me at 20 yards. She raises her head and starts nibbling on an aspen tree. I cannot tell you how perfect this setup is. She never sees me draw and I draw my longbow and let her fly. I shoot right underneath her heart. CRAP!!! She just stands there but moved off a little and I adjust and shoot over her back. Again, she is just standing there and she sees me but she has no idea of what is going on. She moves off a little bit more and so I shoot again. ONCE AGAIN, I shoot under her. I just shake my head in disgust. She moves out to about 40 yards and starts feeding back up the hill to the rest of the herd which are all talking and bugling and just wandering to the nearby alfalfa fields for their nightly feeding. Its one of those hunting moments that only comes along every once in awhile. In hindsight, I failed to pick a spot---yeah, like I've never done THAT before. I had her in the frying pan already and how can you miss a broadside shot at 20 yards?? I've been shooting traditional since 1980 and man, it is a love/hate relationship. Damn, damn, damn....................

Randy

 

[realunlucky]

Randy sounds like a great day to hunting! Its those moments that make success all that much sweeter

 

[Ironman8]

"OVER-aiming" maybe?

I don't bow hunt (yet), but I know I do this with a firearm plenty.

 

[Shrek]

That is crazy but when it goes south you rarely recover in time. You may blow your next chance but I bet it won't be from not picking your aim point ! Good hunting.

 

[larryschwartz]

Isn't it nice to know that even after all those years you can still get so pumped up that you get a case of buck/bull fever!

 

[mtnwrunner]

Isn't it nice to know that even after all those years you can still get so pumped up that you get a case of buck/bull fever!

You know, I was calm as heck. I really think that I just had her tenderloins in the gravy and fried onions.............
All I REALLY know is that I have 3, count em, 3 dull broadheads.


Randy

 

[rudyc]

It's easy to say now "aim small -- miss small" I don't know how many times I have shot at a rabbit or grouse only to miss by a fraction of an inch and then the same day miss an entire deer. My wife says I should pin a bunny to the side of a deer when shooting at one.
Kinda neat to get more than one shot at a critter though.

 

[JDeanP]

That's why any game taken while shooting instinctively is a trophy. If I get to the point that I never miss...I'm not sure there'd be any fun in hitting my mark.

 

[mtnwrunner]

Well, one of my buddies was with me that night just across the ravine. We got into them again last night and I called a bull into him and he missed it at 25 yards (recurve)........I believe my comment was something to the effect of "ya ain't laughing now are ya?"

Randy

 

[Sam Millard]

So easy to do! When I used to archery hunt, I had to tape a piece of paper to the upper limb to remind me to pick a spot!

 

[G Posik]

It is easy to sometime forget everything you practice for the other 364 days of the year. Like you said when you shoot a stick and string love/hate!

Glenn

 

[gobbler1662]

mtnwrunner, I am just envious that you got a shot. This is my first year going trad after years with a compound.i wasn't event fortunate enough to drWback on an elk. So man I am pumped that you got to shoot.

 

[beachbunny]

I've missed them when I've "got em in the frying pan" also. I just have to stop thinking about the pan and everything works out.

 

[6mm Remington]

That's a great story! Your excitement is just infectious and the thrill of being that close to so many elk had to be incredible! Never got one but man that had to be fun.

 

[rodney.black]

like others said, if we just killed something every single time we drew back and it was that easy, it would probably lose much of the thrill of actually connecting with a traditional set up. For me, the challenge is a major part of the joy and I have learned to enjoy my missed opportunities by telling myself that I am one step closer to connecting with the next animal I see. And a day spent in amongst an elk heard is way better than any day in the office!

 

[Hawker]

Mntwrunner.
This can be fixed! Last year I missed 17 deer with my longbow. This year I shot 7 and I can tell my sight picture on each deer. Check out Iron Mind by Joel Turner. Its game changer. If u want u can call me. (616) 899-2632.

 

[Coveyleader]

You missed 17 deer clean? Or missed counts the one's you hit?

 

[Hawker]

Missed clean with both compound and longbow. I shot one int the guts and found it the next day. I'm not so sure that some of those deer weren't jumping the string. The deer in Michigan very edgy. I have two deer on film ducking about 18 inches and 15 yards with my recurve. Neither of those deer new I was there either. I've whitetail hunted in few other states and those deer seemed a lot more calm.

 

[Hawker]

After a little research I figured out that I get target panic on animals. Not on targets or in tournaments. Just animals.

 

[sneaky]

I would say I've never been guilty of not picking a spot....but who am I kidding? that's part of the allure of shooting trad gear though, when you do connect it's that much sweeter.