Success Stories

[BANS]

Send pics if possible, stories and actual measred weights of deer shot with a bow to Phil Nelson as we annually (if folks remember to do this) present trophies for the largest Nova Scotia bowhunted deer and bear.

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[huntwisely]

Congrats to Roger Lewis (BEA) on his 4 pointer with a recurve !!

[BEA]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------The canoe cut through the calm, still water effortlessly and silently. The only noise was the crunch as is slid into the little beach where I leave the vessel behind and climb the steep hill to my carefully hung tree stand.

Thankfully, I don’t bust any of the numerous whitetail does that inhibit this little ridge between the lakes on my way to the stand in the predawn darkness. It’s cold this morning, maybe the coldest morning yet of this 2009 big game season in Nova Scotia. I am am comforted by the wise words of trapper and kpr……don’t worry bea…any day now one of these does will have a buck shadowing her. I silently hope they are correct!

Up the tree about 15 minutes before shooting light - perfect! With dawn come hope for another day - another hunt-another buck. I didn’t have to wait long for some action.

A small doe gracefully picks her way my way. She is a new one I think….no fawns in tow! She feeds quickly but cautiously at my tiny offering of apples. One minutes shes’s there…then she's gone like a whisp of smoke disappearing into the semi lit forest.

Mere minutes trickle by…and I see my 3 faithful companions of this perch, ghosting through rapidly lightening trees. They come. They go. They come. And so it goes for the better part of an hour. They are relaxed, as am I…..but suddenly…I see the doe pick up her head, point her large ears forward….and stare….a couple head bobs later and she leaves . The fawns stay….but they are no longer relaxed….before long, they too leave via the same trail their momma left.

Again, I think back to what trapper and kpr told me they have seen. The bucks are getting a little rutty….not hard, but rutty nonetheless.

So my hunters heart quickens it’s pace. My eyes strain for a glimpse of horn. But, no matter haw hard I strain….I can see no buck deer.

After a bit, I straighten out my back and lean further into the tree. Something digs me. It is only then I remember that I brought a grunt call.

I waited another half hour with neary a mouse stirring so I decided to give a little grunt. I promised myself I would only blow it once…and if a buck was around….I would let him hunt me.

Perhaps 10 minutes tick by painfully slow, and then I hear it…a barley audible grunt, and footfalls heading my way!

I see movement, grip my recurve like it’s the holy grail, and wait. I can see the deer, but it’s head is behind a tree…..

Finally, it steps forward and indeed, it’s a little 4 point. At precisely the right moment the buck looks back down the hill.

I draw. The limbs bend. I pick a spot. I double check and literally pray for a good smooth release and let the string slip.

THWACK! The 550 grain cedar arrow hit with authority. The buck does one of those rodeo horse jumps where they buck and kick their back legs high in the air. The buck runs, but I can see my arrow buried deeply in the sweet spot. But yet, still he runs - 20-30-40-50 yards-across the brook like a spirited race horse!! But on the other side he checks up…stands for mere seconds and topples over.

I begin to breath again….I climb down and go collect my trophy. A smile creeps across my face. No whooping high 5’s. No backslapping congratulations. This was a deer that had to be a solitary venture…for words and reasons I am not skilled enough to put to paper.

I am pleased and content .

Maybe it was the wind whispering through the tall spruce but I can almost swear I heard my Dad offer a heartfelt "Good shot, you done good" like he had so many times in the past.

Perhaps it was just the wind playing tricks on a 49 year old "boy" with a heavy heart. Bur, coming down off the hilltop I just know I am not alone on this ridge on this beautiful October morning…..

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since john was kind enough to include me on the bans site, thought i'd offer up the story and a few clip i made along the way for my hunting forum.

it's a crazy journey, from a guy who was obsessed with hunting since well, like forever, who then lost his two best hunting buds ( dad and brother), to almost giving up hunting. and then one fine fall morning i woke and decidd that i needed to get back into the woods asap....it had been too long already.

this happened about 2 weeks before the start of bow season...so i tried to capture my trip back....

ps- i may have the clips loaded backwars ie the first one last and vica versa...sorry but i think if you go to the actual thread (as opposed to the 10 most rexcent posta) they will be in order....

[biggame]

Great to see you back in action Roger! I liked watching your progress with the videos. As for the shoulder, glad to see it held up. If you had just waited another week a few years ago, we'd have drug it out for you and you could have saved yourself a few years worth of agony! Congrats on the buck bud!

[monsterbuck]

Great video's and great story Roger !! Still gets the heart pumping eh ?