brucester
28-07-08, 07:49 PM
I've been a late starter to Bowhunting at 38yo and was introduced to the idea of hunting by a bloke who's been a mad deer hunter for most of his life. The idea of owning a gun seemed a little daunting so I decided to buy a bow. I had a recurve as a kid and my brother and I used to try hunting rabbits and birds with some minor success.
Since taking to the bow over Xmas 2007 I have spent a lot of time reading, practicing, asking questions, searching for somewhere to hunt and looking for game. I've been on a guided hunt, I've got my R licence and travelled to NSW walked the odd state forest and I've got to say that I've had a blast not firing a single arrow for most of those walks. That primal experience of going hunting, searching for the game and putting in a good stalk is bloody great I gotta say:D.
Recently I was introduced to a fella who has been kind enough to let me hunt on his land and I believe I have made a good mate there. He's a keen hunter himself and used to do a little bowhunting as well. The game I'm most keen on is deer and I have been measuring my success by my ability to get closer and closer to my prize. I had to contain my excitment when my new found buddy suggested I chase a few deer at his place. I spent three days away last week and on the last day he had some business to do and I took myself off for a solo adventure before heading back home to the city.
I pulled up at the gate, put my camo on, got my gear and started to head off. I noticed the wind swirling all over the place so I grabbed my little spray bottle of tea tree, eucalyptus oil and water and gave myself a spray all over. I met another old deer hunter and he swore by the mix as scent cover so I figured I had nothing to lose. I'm not sure how tempted I'd be to hunt without the wind in my favour but toilets right around the country would have been jealous at the very least;).
As I was doing my best brown ninja stealth manouvres through the bush I noticed a couple of Fallow does bedded on the side of a hill. I checked the wind and moved on a little. I put myself behind the line of sight of a couple of trees and the stalk was on. The old heart started pumping. I cat crawled 60m through the grass in case they stood and busted me. I made it to about 40m from where they were bedded, I put myself in behind an Iron Bark but couldn't get a clear shot. So I waited to see what would happen in the hope they would stand and feed in my direction and guess what?..........they did.
They stood and started moving slowly feeding as they went. At about 25m they were in a great spot and I being the scented brown ninja was invisible. I drew and put my 2nd pin on the biggest doe. By this time the adrenalin was in full swing. I touched off the shot. She fell straight over without knowing what happened. As that happened the 2nd one stood and even took a step forward for little look. She hadn't seen me and I nearly put another arrow on the string but figured fate and lady luck had smiled on me and I didn't need to try and take two.
I recently went to a 2 day hunter education course and they showed us how to skin and butcher deer. Now I know some of you country boys and old hands would be having a giggle at that but as a city boy I had to get it from somewhere. The fella who did the skinning and butchering demo left nothing much on the frame at all so I figured I'd give it a go myself. After a 2 1/2 hour first time attempt of skinning and butchering I walked away with a heap of venison, a nice skin and a real sense of achievement. :D
As you can see I didn't leave much, I left my bow and the skin for a second trip. I don't use a pack prefering a vest so I put it in a big plastic bag and carried it back to the car. I reckon maybe 25kg of meat at a rough guess, of course there were some bones in it but I've gotta say I've been one very happy camper this last few days.:cool:
Thanks for reading
bruce
Since taking to the bow over Xmas 2007 I have spent a lot of time reading, practicing, asking questions, searching for somewhere to hunt and looking for game. I've been on a guided hunt, I've got my R licence and travelled to NSW walked the odd state forest and I've got to say that I've had a blast not firing a single arrow for most of those walks. That primal experience of going hunting, searching for the game and putting in a good stalk is bloody great I gotta say:D.
Recently I was introduced to a fella who has been kind enough to let me hunt on his land and I believe I have made a good mate there. He's a keen hunter himself and used to do a little bowhunting as well. The game I'm most keen on is deer and I have been measuring my success by my ability to get closer and closer to my prize. I had to contain my excitment when my new found buddy suggested I chase a few deer at his place. I spent three days away last week and on the last day he had some business to do and I took myself off for a solo adventure before heading back home to the city.
I pulled up at the gate, put my camo on, got my gear and started to head off. I noticed the wind swirling all over the place so I grabbed my little spray bottle of tea tree, eucalyptus oil and water and gave myself a spray all over. I met another old deer hunter and he swore by the mix as scent cover so I figured I had nothing to lose. I'm not sure how tempted I'd be to hunt without the wind in my favour but toilets right around the country would have been jealous at the very least;).
As I was doing my best brown ninja stealth manouvres through the bush I noticed a couple of Fallow does bedded on the side of a hill. I checked the wind and moved on a little. I put myself behind the line of sight of a couple of trees and the stalk was on. The old heart started pumping. I cat crawled 60m through the grass in case they stood and busted me. I made it to about 40m from where they were bedded, I put myself in behind an Iron Bark but couldn't get a clear shot. So I waited to see what would happen in the hope they would stand and feed in my direction and guess what?..........they did.
They stood and started moving slowly feeding as they went. At about 25m they were in a great spot and I being the scented brown ninja was invisible. I drew and put my 2nd pin on the biggest doe. By this time the adrenalin was in full swing. I touched off the shot. She fell straight over without knowing what happened. As that happened the 2nd one stood and even took a step forward for little look. She hadn't seen me and I nearly put another arrow on the string but figured fate and lady luck had smiled on me and I didn't need to try and take two.
I recently went to a 2 day hunter education course and they showed us how to skin and butcher deer. Now I know some of you country boys and old hands would be having a giggle at that but as a city boy I had to get it from somewhere. The fella who did the skinning and butchering demo left nothing much on the frame at all so I figured I'd give it a go myself. After a 2 1/2 hour first time attempt of skinning and butchering I walked away with a heap of venison, a nice skin and a real sense of achievement. :D
As you can see I didn't leave much, I left my bow and the skin for a second trip. I don't use a pack prefering a vest so I put it in a big plastic bag and carried it back to the car. I reckon maybe 25kg of meat at a rough guess, of course there were some bones in it but I've gotta say I've been one very happy camper this last few days.:cool:
Thanks for reading
bruce