You have several decades if you are lucky and God smiles on you…each decade is comprised of a series of years…each year is but 365 days… of those only a handful of prime whitetail hunting days… of those days only a few truly prime hours…

Then there are those few minutes when the deer are approaching…the adrenaline moments…

Even smaller increments when you consider the time at full draw…

Only microseconds as the arrow flies near or even beyond the speed of sound towards the tiny spot on the vital area…

Those microseconds are stretched and etched into the mind of the bowhunter forever. It is time that is warped beyond description. It is followed by the sound of the arrow striking the target.

When you consider all of those microseconds, when you sum them all together over the lifetime of the bowhunter, you have the time it takes to draw a breath perhaps, and not much more. All of those shots over those many seasons, yet moments of time that pass faster than the blink of an eye…

Amazing. Hunters plan for and live for those moments. Those moments are followed by profound feelings of ecstacy or agony.

We share those moments with our friends and family. We live them over and over again, but only in our hearts and minds.

Before, during and after the split-second of that mental division of life that we call time, are all increments of time that are not really separate, but actually combined to form a cycle.

So I ask you this question: Which is best for you? The Before, the During, or the After?

Please share the reasons for your answer.

Later I'll share mine.

Nice post! If one sits and ponders the answer to this question for a while (especially me)many will come to the same conclusion as I have. My feelings are that I cannot seperate the before, during and after.

While the approach of an animal, the drawing and releasing of your arrow are certainly highlights of a hunt, I think that this piece of the "whole puzzle" is the reward to the rest of the picture. The preperation, scouting, analyzing your quarry and outsmarting him is the essence of bowhunting. I completely understand your question, but I can't seperate moments to bowhunting except for the "after".

After bowhunting for 39 years the after is often bittersweet for me. Don't get me wrong because it is hard to explain. After shhoting a magnificent game animal I always have moments of regret. Then my mind frame changes and it's time for high 5's.

Sorry enough rambling; My point is that the whole hunt is the ultimate high point.

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There is NOTHING I like better than to hear the "TWACK". I always jokingly say if you don't hear it you failed. HOWEVER, the thing I sit and wish I could most relive are the moments the animal approaches that I know I'm going to shoot. I think about it all the time. I think about it starting seconds after I've taken the shot and know it was good. If there was one thing I wish I could truly recapture in my minds eye or have on video so I could semi-relive it... it would be seeing the animal saunter in, nose to the ground or head held high, all full of himself and ruler of his world. I don't really get nervous anymore, it's all auto pilot for the most part but it's just awesome to experience. Then when I can't really recapture those moments I get kind of sad about it. I just can't get close enough to remembering the real deal. Nothing like it.

Excellent thread. OK, I've thought this over a bit. The anticipation of a deer coming in is good, gets the adreniline going. From the time I draw and the instant when I realize the shot is imminent, to when the deer either falls or runs out of sight, kind of all runs together for me. I don't feel I can seperate them. Although the closest I may come to, is the instant the arrow strikes the deer, It can range from elation to disgust, with confusion remaining in the middle. The most emotional moment is knowing the deer is down and dead. At that point you know everything came together, the kill was clean, and the finality hits you. Not very clearly written, but the best I can describe it.

Good question VC...when I can get a deer to come within 10 yards from me and oblivious to my presence, the "game" is Over...I won, whether I take the shot or not.Most def the before.


Legion of Doom Enforcer