TEmbry

TG78's post got me thinking....they were discussing pulling back in hunting situations vs shooting at a target in the summer.

So who has missed a shot opp due to not being able to get the bow back? Share your stories. Was it due to weird position, angle, temperature, buck fever...what caused you to not get the shot off?

My only time was the first year I went bowhunting. I got my first bow for christmas when I was 14. I practiced for hours every day for two weeks until I was sufficient to hit the woods, with a 20 yard max range. Some may look down on that, but whatever, I knewI was good, so long as I stayed within 20 yards. Anyway, my first hunt was the last weekend of season, mid january. It was cold, and I was determined to stick it out. I decided that I would take any buck that came by that weekend. Sure enough, the second morning a little 4 or6 pointer came by, cant remember which now, and I got so torn up I couldnt pull back the bow. My knees were shakin, my arms were tremblin...my body was stiff and tense from the cold....heck the bow was only set at 55 lbs. I pulled and pulled, but only managed a few inches before my arm gave out. I even tried the whole aim for the sky to pull back gig, still not happenin. Eventually the little buck spotted me practically dancing in my treestand, snorted, and ran off. Pretty funny looking back but I was angry at the time. Embarassed more than anything.

Looking back I am glad I didn't get a shot at that deer. It may sound weird, but I want my first buck to be special to me...and a small buck doesn't do it for me anymore. Even then the buck was below my hunting standards, but I made the exception since I was bowhunting. I want my first buck to be special, a rack I will be able to look at 20 years from now and still be proud as heck of it. Nothing record breaking or even that big for that matter, just a solid respectable buck. So going into my 18th birthday this season, I am still patiently waiting.


So tell on yourself guys, who found themselves unable to draw their bow in crunch time before?

skin_dog1

I've always worried about it, but even after hunting in extreme conditions, never had this happen. Well, actually, never not been able to muscle it back, but in OH last year I wasn't able to draw on a nice 3 y/o 140 10 pointer due to limbs. My hunting buddy had hung the stand and left several large limbs to the right of the stand and this buck presented a beautiful broadside shot on the right side of the tree. Unable to draw, I just watched!

I draw 63 lbs and have drawn it in all sorts of situations and positions but have not yet had a time when I couldn't get it back.

MeanV2

I've heard of that happening to guys but personally never had it happen to me.

Dan

joshw020

I've been in that spot many of times, but for a different embarassing reason. When I first started bow hunting seriously (which wasonly 4 years ago), I had never been in a tree stand. I was scared crapless of heights! lol. . .So I hunted strictly fromman-made ground blinds,or I used whatever mother nature provided as cover. I was able to get unbelievably close to deer but whenever I went to draw, it completely back-fired [8D]. I probably blew ita dozen times beforeI finally forced myself to climb into a 12' ladder stand (which isn't all that high, but man Ikept a death grip on that shooting rail! lol) It took a few trips to get comfortable that season,but nowI own 7 ladder stands between 15-20', 2 hang ons and I got my first climber last season . Not many problems drawing these days.I also want to point out that I nailed the first rack that walked by me that year (from my 12' stand) and I have no regrets. He was only a 5 pointer but Iknow I will look back and relive that first (bow)buck and grin ear to ear when I relive that hunt. I appreciate it for the experience mostly,but it also helped me reduce my own self-imposed pressuretoget a buckwith archery tackle.

wis_bow_huntr

In 2006 when I shot my 8 pointer (most know the one) when he was in range, I drew back and got only to 3/4 draw, I thought there was a problem with my bow, I let down pulled again, what the heck, 3/4 draw..Look up and realized my draw was directly under a broken limb, I had to crouch down, lean and twist andalmost sit on the platform of my stand, talk about a wierd position, i bet i looked pretty strange to all the critters in the woods. well I was able to get a good clean shot, the buck only went 40-50 yards and dropped dead. After I collected my thoughts i just sat and collected my thoughts and remembered, I have to break that limb off. SNAP. No more limb....

Born 2 Bow Hunt

Yes the extreme cold weather can make it difficult if not impossible to pull back heavy poundage after setting in the cold for a period of time.

Over the years I have reduced my huntiong poundage from 78 to 60 lbs. or less.

Once while archery hunting in IL during sub zero tempentures I got bored and stood up to pull my bow back and discovered I could not pull it back no matter how hard I tried (65#) even though I could shoot a 100 rounds back in the Summer.

Now I check how my pull during cold mornings and evening as the season goes on to determine if I need to a reduction in weight and sight changes. On cold days I often wonder how many archery hunter are setting in the woods with those heavy pound set ups not knowing they will have a very difficult time at the moment of truth.

early in

One time almost 4 years ago, I was hunting in Alberta and had rattled a wide 8pt to my location. It was real cold that day with some snow on the ground, and I had been sitting for about 3 hours. When this buck got to within range, almost too close, I went to draw my bow and couldn't get it all the way back! I eased off and tried again, but he caughta bit ofmovement and trotted off a few yards, stopped, looked back in my direction, snorted and just walked away in the direction he had come from. I was pissed!
I learned a valuable that day in Alberta. When you have to sit for long periods in very cold weather, you have to take practice draws every hour or so to keep your muscles loose, and warmed up because they get stiff.. It's also a good idea to lower your poundage a little when hunting extreme cold. At least I'm a believer in doingthese two things.

Schultzy

Been there done that one!! I don't know how many times its happened but its happened enough. I can't pull my recurve back and hold the entire draw weight and wait for my deer to get to its opening like you wheely bow guys do. I have to draw when the deer is pretty much right there where I need him to be to do the shooting and at times a person gets busted drawing or you can't draw because there looking in your direction. Most of the times they were does and fawns but on 2 different occasions they were 130" bucks that I would of shot. Its frustrating but thats hunting!!

That cold weather is a pain Jeff!! So far I haven't had that happen yet but I've had very close calls where I was almost not able to get it back. To much clothing and cold muscles make it a pain to pull a bow back!! Just ask Jeff!!

rybohunter

I’ve never had a situation where I couldn’t get the bow back on a deer. There was one time when the though crossed my mind. I had drawn and was holding on a deer for as long as I possibly could and never got the shot. I had to let up. Less than a minute later the deer finally gave me a shot. I was a little worried I may not get it back, but it came back fine, and I killed the deer.

I shoot #70.

BobCo19-65

I actually have not had that experience but I do know that it does happen. If it is real cold, I draw my bow back very often (probably too much in many people's opinion). I more then likely have given myself away doing so, but I figure if I can not draw the bow back, then what is the point of having something in close. I think that we trad guys may actually have a slight advantage in this aspect though. Especially since our bows gradually reach peak weight at the end of the draw cycle.