HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post

12-09-2005 | 07:25 AM

#16

MassBowhunter

Fork Horn

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 220

Likes: 0

From: Taunton MA USA

RE: break the law

Quote:

ORIGINAL: aldo88

I mean what supposed it was a couple of hunters walking?....I know shooting hours a guideline but to me the real shooting begins when I can see the fluorescent orange on my jacket very clearly( and I mean bright orange not orange).......I know we cant use the "seeing the orange very clearly on your jacket reasoning" but it is alot better explaining to the police how you mistaked a hunter for a deer.

Exactly what I was going to say.

You have to remember that you can't depend on fellow hunters to follow the laws to the T either. "Naa, don't worry about it. Just put your hunter orange on when you get to your stand."

Just think about all the things thatlook like deer at dawn/dusk. Then add movement and the inability to see the hunter orange. Especially if they're walking downthe heavily used deer trail in thick brush where you're planning on seeing a deer. I hunt a shotgun only state and don't even want to think about brush busting buckshot flying before legal hours while I'm making my way to my stand.

I'm no saint though. The first year I hunted with a bow I had the perfect setup. I was on posted land. I did my homework and new exactly what trail this big buck was going to be using at first light. I was hunting from a makeshift ground blind and there was virtually no wind. Then about 30 minutes before legal shooting time (which makes it an hour before sunup) I heard it. The deer was making his way towards me. I brought my bow up and got ready for the shot. I could barelysee my pins (no tritium at the time) but I knew I could shoot instinctively if needed. Then he came out intoa small clearing where he had to cross a path about15yards in front of me. He wasbroadside with no idea I was there. This was a mature buck with a large rack and I could see his silhouette perfectly except for a portion of his vitals because of the tree that wasbehind him. I knew exactly where the vitals were though so I knew I could make the shot.This was going to be my first wallhanger. So I drew back and let the arrow fly. I immediately heard my arrow ricocheting through the tree's and the buck took off snorting away. Icouldn't believeI missed such a clear shot at such a close range.

Come sunup I realized a few things.

1. Being inexperienced and full of buck fever I made the mistake of putting my 40 yard (backyard fun) pin on him by mistake and shot over him.

2. The tree that was behind him wasactually about 2 feet in front of him after reviewing his tracks.

3.Just because the land is posted doesn't mean someone isn't going to teara fewsigns down and walk in.

4. If someone had walked in with their climber just before me and I didn't hear them that arrow could have been embedded in their chest.

5. If there was someone in a climber that was as inexperienced as I was I could have been the one with the arrow in my chest.

6. An arrow can be just as lethal as a bullet in some situations.

Sorry for the longwinded post, but if itmakes just 1 first year hunter think twice then it was worth it.

EDIT: Just wanted to add that I was about 17 at the time and new to the hunting world in general. Don't want you all to think this was last year or something because I said it was the first year I hunted with a bow.

[/align]

Reply

0