Hate when this happens
 

Ifinally got out in the woods for only the second time in archery this season. I live in Pa so it has been in for a couple of weeks. I know exactly where to sit. So I get there around 3:45 pm, hang a scent bomb and wait. Not it has been kinda chilly up here lately. So Im thinking it is in the high 30's to low 40's. Around 5:30 I hear some rustling coming towards, so get ready. Well the deer walked right under my scent bomb about 20 feet away. I was sitting by an old blown down tree, where the roots and dirt have all up ended. I am actually sitting on the tree and these deer come from the upside. So I cant see them until they walk out. 20 feet away. Well I dont have a doe tag so I let them go, total of 4 of them. Well I hear some more rustling thinking ok here comes the buck. I get ready again, I know its a buck following the deer down, just instinct tells me this. So I go to pull back the bow..................and cant. Been sitting in the cold for too long and I tightened up. HA-HA right? No, it was an 8 point with a decent rack. And I cant pull the damn bow back. Well he sees me and takes off. But it didnt seemed like he went that far, so here I am struggling to get my bow pulled back when I finally am able to...........he is gone.What sucks is, I dont know when I will be able to get out again. So my advice to everybody, even if there isnt a deer there to shoot at, pull back your bow to keep loosened up. I lost my element of surprise, Im still going back to the same spot and hopefully it will be warmer.....lol
I was super pissed when it first happened but now I can get a little chuckle out of it..................sorta.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

Sounds to me like you need to be pulling alot less poundage.
Sorry about your tough luck.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

No I dont have problems pulling it back just I had been sitting there for almost 2 hours in the cold and just got a little tight. Once I was able to pull it back and I loosened up, I had no problems.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

When was the last time you shot it? You should keep shooting through the season to keep those muscles strengthened too. I have to agree, you pulling slightly more poundage than you should be.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

We've all had it happen. My solution is to make sure I draw the bow every hour or so in the stand when it's cold. It also helps to shoot a few each day during the season. That ones easier said than done because most of us use any free time to get into the woods.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

I agree 100% with BTBowhunter,I do it all the time in the cold day in the woods[8D]

RE: Hate when this happens
 

Low 40's here thursday. Sitting down with wind about 12 to 25 mph off and on. I had to stay sitting with my legs pointing straight turn all the way to the right and draw. Did it i pull about 65 on a very old bow that most people that are stronger then me cant even pull all the way back. But dodnt know why i just said that but if you cant pull it back wiht out loosening up then its to much wait for you.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

You may very well be able to pull the weight on any given day, but if you cannot when it counts, then it is all for naught. The idea should be that you pull and work with a poundage that you can pull under the worst circumstances in the woods. Even if the reason is that you were cold and had not drawn your bow for 2 hours. If that is the reason, then you should shoot the weight that will allow you to sit for 2 hours, and still pull the bow. You canstill kill a buck with less poundage. I have women friends that kill deer pulling 45-48 pounds.

Expect and prepare for the worst and you will prevail. If you had been pulling less weight in this case, you most likely would have had your buck.

Food for thought.

Good hunting and God Bless.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

Had it happen to me once too. Its amazing how much strength you do lose under cold conditions. Thermacare sells a scent free heating pad that can go around the base of the back of your neck and that will help keep you warm and your shoulders from tightening up.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

I'm sorry but if you can't pull your bow back under hunting conditions you are pulling too much weight. You're bow should be easy to pull back no matter how long you've been sitting or how cold it is. Like the other guy said- you need to set your draw weight for the WORST conditions, not the sunny 80 degree days in your back yard.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

Yea, I got a little chuckle out of it too. You should consider lowering the poundage on your bow. (excuse me if this has already been mentioned). I had the same situation happen last year. I twisted my buss cable to smitherenes trying to get max poundage (83)and low and behold he came in on 12/29 at dark cold as can be I was virtually frostbitten. I am pretty sure I heard that buck call me a moron.[&o]

RE: Hate when this happens
 

Lower the poundage. I had to do that last year after I discovered I couldn't reach full draw one cold day last fall. I had undergone major shoulder surgery during the summer and had been able to draw and shoot during warmer weather, but couldn't do so in the cold. Fortunately nothing I wanted to kill came in!;) I went home, lowered the poundage and retuned/resighted so the problem wouldn't recur.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

Happened to me last year and it wasn't cold just an unuseual position to have to draw from and I couldn't get it back. After a while I tried again and presto it came right to full draw.When I got back to the truck I lowered my poundage by 5# and have kept it there. I'm now shooting 60# and still fling an arrow at 273 fps.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

It may be easier to pull your bow back while standing rather than sitting.

RE: Hate when this happens
 

I've never not been able to draw my bow, yes I've had to really pull in extreme cold weather but it always came back, had I couldn't it would definately be time for less poundage as many have said. One might be able to pull it while practicing etc but one should be able to pull it under all conditions or it's too heavy. I could pull more than I shoot but I know better.

Rickmur gives a great example as well as someone who asked when the last time you shot. We should be shooting throughout the season to not only double check your bow (we beat them to and from and in and and of the stand) but to keep your body conditioned.

Tough lessen learned.