My first bowkill (Hunts Bowhunting Ranch)
Sorry for the long story but this was first bow kill so I'm pretty excited about it.
I woke up early Friday morning to make my way north to Hunts Bowhunting Ranch. I decided to get a later start than I originally wanted to because of the bad weather that had moved in Thursday evening. The drive from Houston to Avery was going well till I hit Henderson and snow really started coming down pretty good so it slowed my pace. However, as the day progressed and sun melted everything off I was able to pick the pace back up. I got to Hunts around 3 o'clock Friday. Got settled in and Rickey drove me around the place showing me around. Got in the blind Friday evening hoping some animals would come in. Unfortunately only a few fallow ventured over because the feeder never went off. But that's OK "stuff" happens. Evidently squirrels had been up there and got it jammed up. Rickey and his son got it all fixed up.
Got up Saturday morning and dang it was cold (28 degrees.) We discussed where I was going to hunt that morning based on where we had last seen the rams. Got there, got settled in and just tried to stay warm. Man a 30 degree metal chair can do a number on your tush. The animals came just as expected but it was the wrong species. I was covered up in Fallow and they would not let the rams anywhere near so I just watched. If they did come close I could never get a clean shot. I was worried about a pass though and wounding another animal. There were so many animal around the feeder I could just never get a shot I was comfortable with. For the most part the rams just kept their distance. Well after sitting in 30 degrees for a while I decided to head back up to the bunkhouse and get something to eat and warm up a little.
After taking a little nap I decided to go outside and look around a little. The rams had moved up into the pasture behind the owner’s house and were milling about and some lying down. Rickey had said that because I was the only hunter there that I could walk around and stalk if I wanted to. Well, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I had noticed some of the rams had strayed off from the main group while feeding and I thought, “If I could sneak up on one and get him isolated from the others I might have a shot at one.” I went back up and got my gear ready. There was no way I could approach them straight on across an open pasture and the wind wasn't in my favor so I was going to have to try and sneak around the whole 15 acre pasture. I proceeded down a fence line as far away from the rams as I could but they were watching pretty intently. I got to the back of the pasture and there is a creek that runs along the bottom that provides some cover. I was going to use this creek and the trees to cross the field to get to the other side where I would have the sun behind me and the wind in my face. I made it about two thirds of the way when I spooked up some axis that were feeding in the field behind me. I was more exposed to them because I was trying to keep as many trees between me and the rams as possible. Luckily they didn't give me away.
When I got to the other side I was going to have to go up another fence to get to where I wanted to make my approach. There were trees along this fence and they were casting a pretty nice shadow so as long as I stayed tight to the fence I was able to move fairly undetected. However, as I started to make my way along this tree line to where the rams were there were these water buffalo that kept snorting and staring at me. I was so afraid they were going to give my position away.
I was back in this corner with the neighbor’s property and there was about 20 yards of a low fence to my right with some tall grass growing up around it. The main group of rams was about 80 yards out in front of me. The wind was in my face and I was tucked back in the shadows of the trees behind me because the sun was at my back. I began to creep along the fence easing closer to the rams. I got about halfway down when some of the rams noticed me and began to walk off. I noticed two Texas Dalls had wandered over to the fence eating and they hadn't noticed me because they were around the corner and I still had good cover between me and them. As the main group of rams started to walk off to my left (they were still about 60 yards out) the two that were around corner looked up and started to move to join the rest of the group. I thought this is my chance if one walks out in front of me I'll take him. Sure enough one ram walked out from behind the corner. I was shaking so bad I hesitated on the shot. Then pop the arrow took off on its magical flight. The ram just kept walking and I could see my arrow stuck in the ground. I though "crap" did I miss him because I was shaking. I had tried to slow my breath and steady my shot. I walked out and retrieved my arrow and it was covered in blood so I knew I had hit him it was just a clean pass through. I looked up and I could the see the ram falling behind the rest of the herd so I knew he was hurting. I decide to let him go lay down I would go back up to the house and get Rickey and we would come back later and get him. After getting Rickey and waiting a little while we headed down to the creek where we had last seen the rams go. There he was but he was still holding his head up. As I approached he got up and started to walk off. Rickey told me to put another one in him so I drew back and let another one fly. Great shot claimed Rickey as the ram went about twenty feet into some trees and lied down propping his head up. We waited awhile just to be sure but Rickey thought for sure he would be dead shortly because he said it was a well place shot. Having not seen the ram move for some time we decide it was safe to venture over. Once again, as we drew close the ram got up and this time he took off running across the creek into another field on the other side. Rickey was flabbergasted. He said he had never seen a ram take of running like that after two well placed shots. We knew where he had been hit because we could see the blood. This was just one tough booger. Admittedly, I feel the first shot was too far back and low. I think Rickey was just being nice to me. We could see the ram on the other side of the trees so I crept through and was able to walk up right on the ram so I knew he was hurting and if we would have left him he would have eventually died. Rickey told me if I could get close go ahead and put another in him and try and put him down. I let a third arrow fly this time hitting the mark perfectly because the ram jumped up, took two or three strides, and crashed head first into the ground. I feel bad that it took three shots to put him down. I always try to make clean, quick, ethical kills (all rifle up to this point), but this was one tough dude. I have no problems hunting with feeders and blinds but I have to confess there is something really satisfying about stalking an animal.
Well sorry for the long story I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did living the hunt. I can now officially call myself a bowhunter.
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