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My first bow was a Fred Bear Whitetail compound. It had two pulley type wheels that part of the cable had to be strung up on during each hunt. I had hunted with that bow for several years and had not taken anything with it. One day my four brothers and a friend went to the top of a mountain to bow hunt. We all spread out along the road about 100 yards apart and walked in to find spots to sit. One of the boys jumped a little spike buck and it came running my way. I drew back and waited and it ran right to me and stopped less than ten yards away. I put the top pin on him and loosed the arrow. It hit the deer and then bounced off and hit me in the leg! The deer ran off and I was dumbfounded. First thing I thought was I had forgot to string up the bow onto the pulleys. I checked that and I had. What in the world was going on? I looked at the arrow. Only one blade had some hair and a small smidgen of blood on it. Finally I saw a tiny limb that was stuck out between the deer and I. It was so small I hardly saw it, but I figured out what happened. The arrow hit it then struck the deer sideways, and bounced off. Talk about being aggravated!
Another time I was coming down a ridge and a spike buck was standing in my path just looking at me about 20 yards away. I still had not taken a deer with archery tackle. Instead of stopping to draw the bow, I took a couple more steps drawing the bow as I did and brought the peep sight up to my eye. I stopped to take aim and the buck just stood there. I tried to look through the peep and couldn't see anything. I pulled my head back to focus on it and there was WATER IN MY PEEP SIGHT! AND IT HADN'T EVEN BEEN RAINING! The buck was still standing there so I tried to blow the water out. When I did my breath went across that peep sight and made the dangdest whistle you ever heard! That deer took off and I was left wondering how in the world I could be so unlucky.
Still trying for my first bow kill I was perched atop a big rock in the forest. A spike buck came by chasing a little bitty doe. They ran around the rock several times, the buck grunting as they went. I was drawn back trying to get on one of them but they were too fast. Finally they tore up the mountain. A minute later a huge ten point buck came out right below me to check out what all the commotion had been about. He was broadside at 30 yards, so I drew back unnoticed, but saw there was a limb hanging down about half way between him and me. I thought, 'should I shoot over the limb or under it?' I decided to stoop down and shoot under it. I loosed the arrow and it smacked the limb dead center. Mr. Big trotted off and I felt like a big dummy again.
A friend and I went into Jefferson National Forest to bow hunt. There was a gated logging road that ran for about a mile through the woods, part of which had been clear cut here and there. We sneaked along that road all the way to the end without seeing a deer. As we stood there talking a six pointer and two does popped over a little rise heading our way fast. We both drew back and they stopped about 60 yards away. Both of us wanted that six pointer bad, and we held until our arms got tired and let off. They had not seen us, and they started our way again at a trot. We drew back again and they stopped at about 50 yards. Again we held until we no longer could and let off. They started our way again at a walk and we drew back again, but they slowed to a creep. We had to let off once more. This time we waited hoping we could draw when they were within range. We were eyeing each other, each of us wanting to get the first shot. I had just a little tension on my bow string, ready to beat my buddy to the draw. Just as they got within range the string suddenly slipped through my fingers and "BOINK!" My arrow flipped out about ten yards and stuck in the ground. The deer stopped and looked right at us. I looked out of the corner of my eye and my friend was frozen fast, his face red as a beet but I could see hope still written all over his face that he would be the one to get the buck. This all happened in just a second or two, and for some reason I got tickled. I held the laughter in but I was shaking with mirth. Finally I could hold it no longer and busted out laughing. I fell to my knees and roared with laughter.
Of course the deer ran off. My buddy was so mad I thought he was going to shoot me. All was lost because of a little slip of the string.
It is the little things that get you.
