When a nice close shot becomes ...too close?
 

Had my closest encounter behind the recurve tonight (searching for my first archery harvest)....

Stood in a spot I knew was usually actioned packed leading up to last light. Had great cover leaning up against a tree for close to 90 minutes, and finally I heard some cracks in the distance. Then some more. Then movement. Before I knew it, there were 5 mulley does meandering their way in my direction - this was it, I would be eating tenderloin in a couple hours!

The heart starts pounding as they get closer - a light wind in my face and I’m convinced that I’ll at least be getting a crack at something any minute now.

They keep coming in and still have no idea I’m there (30 yards now) and my heart begins to sink - they’re getting way too close, and literally are coming at me dead-on. I had expected them to walk parallel to me on a trail...nope. You’d have thought there was a trail of apples leading to my position.

By now they were so close that I had to start making a move to raise my bow. One of them is now looking at me, flicking her ears...I knew I had maybe 5 seconds. Got about .5 inches into a draw and they took off haha. In hindsight I should have had my bow up before they got that close.

Has this ever happened to anyone else??

Had they quartered and turned down that trail it was a 15 yard layup - but no, they had to beeline from 200 yards right to within 18 yards directly in front of me.

What’s a guy to do? Ah the highs and the lows...

Thanks for listening to a rattled bow hunter haha

J

If you ever get the chance try giving them a loud mew or a sharp whistle as they're starting to leave. Often they'll stop and look back for a second giving you another chance.

BW

Yeah 5 yards last year. Waited in a wash for mulies to cross and head up a coulee. Too many started pouring through so I never had a chance to draw and hold. When a couple were at 5 I decided to try anyways - same result as you - bow up but they all blew out at 2" of draw.

The drawing motion is what busts the majority of archers. This is the major difference between archery gear and x-bows. It's a huge difference.

LC

They will bust you every time...if you move. Wait em out, chances are they would veer off and you can kill the last one. Done that a couple times.

I had a decent buck decide to make his own trail through thick brush, 5 steps from my shooting lane. He sounded like a buffalo going through there, got downwind, and stared into the field trying to find me for 20 min. Eventually just walked away. They do crazy things sometimes.

If you bowhunt long enough this will happen lots of times. Some day you'll be able to poke a deer by hand with your arrow, don't poke too hard those things are sharp! Two years ago I shot a nice buck at about 10 feet after I let him get a bit further away :)mat first he was too close and I wasn't sure if the arrow would clear the bow. When you're hunting with a recurve keep it vertical with an arrow on the string all the time be ready all the time. I kind of hide behind the bow when I shoot, straw it straight back and release. Compounds have a huge advantage in being able to draw and hold for long periods of time, recurves have the advantage that you'll really know what you've accomplished when you get your animal.

A reminder to practice at ten yards, five yards and even less.

Almost no one does.

Do "you" know where to aim at 15 feet?

That's also,good advise.

Yup I practice from 2 yards to 10 often. It makes a difference knowing what's what.

LC

Quite a rush getting that close isnt it ? Took my whitetail doe this year from a ground set while sitting in the open on a couple trails . She was head on at 4 steps . When she turned to look back at the ones following her I drew and shot straight thru the chest full length , right to the nock . She went down within sight at 30 yds . Now I have a problem , Im set up in the bull pasture and 11 of them come to investigate the crash . Im not scared of any one of them but know that the smell of blood can change things real quick . A cell phone call to my dad at the house brings him in the truck on a rescue mission , while I keep the bulls at a distance . As we leave they find the spot and pandimonium breaks out as they proceed to beller and grind the blood soaked patch of blood into a mud pit .. wouldnt have been much left if I had left her to get the truck on my own .. As for which pin I used ? All of em ..lol.