24 years in the making
My bowhunting career started approximately 24 years ago at the ripe age of 12. We had a deer lease in SanSaba and it was the 1st lease I hunted on that allowed bow hunting. On a spur of the moment decision my dad sent me and his friends son to Brownwood to get myself a bow. Back in them days the only place that we knew of to get anything hunting related was Rainbow beer store, that also sold guns,ammo and a little archery equipment. We picked up a PSE bow that was a little to big for me but should grow into it in a year or so. I didn't get the luxury of sights or a quiver, and my dad just gave a few of his arrows. I practiced nonstop with that bow till my fingers almost bleed. He never told me so but I think he was a little mad at me cause they had "state of the art" at that time equipment and I was out shooting them. When deer season rolled around I felt like I was good enough to make a shot out to about 20 yards so my dad let me hunt. On opening morning I had 1 deer come in and I drew back but never released an arrow because I wasn't sure if it was a legal deer. After he trotted off I saw an arrow sticking in him high in the back. About 45 minutes later my dad came easing along looking for his deer. He chewed on me a little for not sticking another arrow in him, but I felt like I did the right thing since I never had a good broadside or quartering away shot. My dad for the most part gave up bow hunting that year, as I did too since we got off that lease and moved to non archery lease in Menard.
After hunting in Menard for a few years I finally talked the lease manager into letting me bow hunt and I would keep it on the down low so nobody else knew about it. I never had a chance at a deer while hunting there but I did shoot a turkey and a few squirrels down by the river. We then moved from that lease to another on the other side of Menard and that land owner was not having anything to do with bow hunters so my bow hunting career ended there. I still shot a little at home and would try stalking grackles and such in our pond but for the most part completely stopped hunting and shooting my bow.
After I got married and bought a house in town my brother in law got pretty heavy into archery and was always trying to convince to start bow hunting again. I never really gave it much thought because I figured there weren't any ranchers that would allow bowhunting. Then he started going to the Texas Shootout and tried to get me to go, but work was really busy at that time and I couldn't afford not to be working. Finally in 1994 I gave in and went and bought me a Hoyt Raptor with an overdraw and all the other bells and whistles of that era. About this same time frame I started hunting my uncles place in Encinal, and pretty much had free reign to do whatever I wanted down there. I was dead set on killing some hogs with my bow and got very proficient out to 100 yards. I would never have taking a shot that far but practiced 3-5 times a week at all distances, but more at 60-100 yards just to make 20-30 yard shots seem like a chip shot. Never killed a hog or a deer down there but as before got a couple turkeys and had a coyote run off with an arrow 1 time. As all good things this one came to an end when my uncle needed money and he sold his place. I was once again out of a place to hunt with a gun or a bow, for a year anyway.
In 1996 we didn't have a lease but in 1997 we started hunting in Brownwood. The first year we hunted there we only shot does and spikes as a way to help insure there were nice bucks for the following years. the second year we hunted I got permission to bow hunt and that's when I finally got my first deer, a 122 pound doe. Then the following weekend I shot another doe and a spike. I hunted most every weekend during deer season with a bow, but never got a chance at a decent buck. In 2006 I shot a 120ish 8 point but my hit wasn't a good one and the buck wandered off. Got Jeff aka Cotton to come out with his tracking dogs, but we never could find the buck. Never connected on a deer in 2007, but got a doe and a small 8 point in 2008. Opening weekend of 2009 gun season was the 1st time I got to sit in a blind so I left my rifles at home so I wouldn't get tempted by them. Saturday morning I had nothing come in but a squirrel. That evening a small spike came in but he got a pass from since his horns were only about 3 inches long. Second weekend of gun season I was back in my tripod not really expecting to see much, but about 7:00 am a small yearling 8 point came in and preceded to eat all my corn. After about 30 minutes saw a good buck coming in from the neighbors property so I got ready in case he was a good shooter. As he came in I verified he was a 4.5 year old 8 point and got ready for a shot when I noticed another deer coming in too. As he came around the brush I could tell he had a bigger body but smaller horns. He was going to be my target since he looked to be 3.5 and had no brow tines, he needed to be taken out so he wouldn't spread his inferior genes. I waited for the bigger 8 to turn away from me while the 6 had his head turned at the same time so they wouldn't see me draw back. Got about half drew when the 6 noticed movement and snapped his head up looking all around. About 20 seconds at half draw which felt like an eternity he finally looked back down and started eating again. I got to full draw and he turned straight towards me milling around. As he turned to my left he took 4 steps and got broadside to me at 18 yards I picked a spot in the crease of his shoulder and squeezed the trigger on my release. He ducked down a few inches but the arrow made good contact into both lungs as he ran off. Watched him run about 50 yards while the blood poured out of the hole, then he slowed to a walk and laid down in sight. SUCCESS!!!! I have finally arrowed a deer I was proud of and was mature enough to harvest. I waited on stand for 20 minutes while texting all my friends and didn't ever knock another arrow which turned out to be a mistake since a spike came in about 15 later with 8 inch horns that we are wanting to get out of the herd. Oh well I had my deer down and was happy as could be with him.
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