I still had an awesome time today hunting

[Cottonwood]

Well its almost as if they knew its bucks only now, and this morning I happen to catch movement off to the left of my blind moving my way. So when I saw they were does, I grabbed the video camera and shot them that way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz-p9JVLMOE

After seeing them, and not finding any bucks in tow on their trail I decided to move out away from the blind. I got to the edge of the meadow, and low and behold out moving towards the fence were 3 bucks of real nice size. The were headed to a spot where they been jumping the fence onto the property, so now I got them patterned, and will be setting up in a thicket to ambush one of them on another day.

It was still an awesome hunt, because it was spent doing what I love to do with my bow.

[All Hawks Kill]

They know when the season is in and when it is not.  On my game cam this year I had pictures of deer during the light of day and at regular times all the way up till 3 days before the season.  After the season started I have pictures of only 3 deer in the light of day and none of them at any times you can pattern.  They are much smarter than a lot of folks give them credit for being.

In all the years I've been hunting there have been a lot where I haven't taken anything.  Having the opprotunity to be out in nature and the thrill of the hunt is far and away enough to keep me coming back year after year.  When I am able to take an animal then that is just the cherry on top of the fudge sundae!!!

Good luck, it ain't over just yet. 

[Cottonwood]

Yesterday after I came back to my uncles house after hunting to have coffee, we were discussing what I saw. He said, why didn't you just shoot the first big doe that you saw? I told him that its bucks only... he responded with so, shoot what you see no one will ever know.

I told him, I'm not a poacher like him, and just don't wack'em stack'em like he would. He would of course use the Ruger .338 WM to do the job and call it good not caring about the quality of the hunt or anything else.

I told him look, my quest is like those that choose to climb Mt Everest. Sure they could get to the top with the use of a helecopter, but would have to stop along the way to aclimate to the elevation, but would get there the questest way possible to say they got to the top. I told him, for me I would rather take the long journey and experience the climb and enjoy everything along the way.

He looked at me made, because I called him a wack'em stack'em poacher. I told him your way is not my way, as I'm not a head or neck shooter either. All he could say is, "why do you waist your time?"

I told him, my time is not waisted, but every moment experienced is treasured. Every arrow launched no matter if I made a connection or not, is remembered and most of all ITS NOT ABOUT KILLING!

Even though I was so close to the does, my heart still pounded in my chest, and then what a bonus seeing the 3 bucks, even at a distance.

Yep, it was a good bowhunt!