Yep, was sitting in my Ameristep doghouse, on a little finger jutting out into a cornfield, about 100 yards South of the "main" woods, and about 70 yards North of another patch of woods. I was contemplating going home, either for the day, or to grab a rifle and go hunt some private land I recently obtained. You, see, Alabama gun season opened today (Nov. 23), and I had eagerly awaited its arrival. Not because of the gun hunting, but because I knew that the bow-only wildlife refuge I hunt would be nearly deserted. Couple that with the Alabama-Auburn Iron Bowl game, and I figured that would cut the numbers down even more. I was finally able to move into a spot that I knew had more deer than my bow-season spot, but stayed covered up with hunters.

I had my Carry-Lite decoy with an electronic Tail-Wagger kit installed, sitting about 15 yards Norh of my blind. About 11:30, I heard it. FFFPPTTTT!!! WAP! "What the HECK was that?!?" (expletives deleted for "family friendly reading). I looked around, and didn't see anybody at first. Then I spotted blaze orange, sneaking in on my left.

"It's a decoy, man" I hollered. "Huh? Oh! Uh, You know those are illegal here don't 'ya?" he replied.

So I had to go into the whole spiel about how it's not illegal, I've checked with game wardens, most people read "no turkey decoys" in the rule book and confuse the two, yadda, yadda,yadda.

I'll not lie. I was mad at first. I got over it quickly, because I thought, well, that's just a chance you take using a decoy.

I can't figure out why he shot it though. After I got thinking about it later, what he did and said just told me how he was a Whitetail wounder, not a bowhunter.
Here why:

"I've been watching it for 20 minutes" (and you didn't never wonder why it didn't MOVE? I don't believe he could see the tail from where he was at (he said he could though), but even so, 20 minutes, and only the tail moves? C'mon.)

"I missed a deer here yesterday, with just a flip-it 45 yeard shot, that's why I got so excited when I saw this one" (one more educated deer out there now. If it was a "flip-it" shot, why take it?)

Plus, he took a deer-facing him shot at about 30 yards! No wonder the arrow just glanced off of the decoy and landed in the dirt! He just barely hit it in the chest. <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle> shots like that are what give hunters a bad name. If it had been a real deer, it would have been wounded. <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>


Well, at least I know my decoy works now <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> as well as my ground blind (I will be putting my blaze-orange cap on it next time, even though it's not required. Maybe then at least somebody will see the blind and put two and two together)
[*]NRA Annual Member www.nra.org[*]TNUSA Annual Member www.tnugent.com[*]NAHC[*]GOA[*]IDPA

That would be laughable if it wasn't so entirely stupid. What a lame-brain!

I just knew when I clicked on your thread you'd say a rifle hunter shot it from like 200 some-odd yards. But a bowhunter... from 30?!? THAT is the definition of stupid. Plus all the other stuff you mentioned... straight-on shot, etc. But he can't identify a decoy at 30 yards??? Gimme a freakin' break!

Discipline -- not desire -- determines destiny.

WOW, that is a definite example of a person that considers hunting and fishing a way to drink more beer!

Just where in Alabama are you writing from? I am way down in MOBILE. I just keep telling myself that there are others much worse off than I!!! LOL!!! Laughing aside, I hunt in Citronelle and the Evergreen/Red Level area. Anywhere near you? Nice to know there are other level-headed hunters in AL.

&quot;Clutz by Nature, Hospitalized by Fate...&quot;

Pyral

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
WOW, that is a definite example of a person that considers hunting and fishing a way to drink more beer!

Just where in Alabama are you writing from? I am way down in MOBILE. I just keep telling myself that there are others much worse off than I!!! LOL!!! Laughing aside, I hunt in Citronelle and the Evergreen/Red Level area. Anywhere near you? Nice to know there are other level-headed hunters in AL.

&quot;Clutz by Nature, Hospitalized by Fate...&quot;<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

I live in Hartselle, but hunt on Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, which is nearby. It's bow only, except for the last 2 weeks of January, which you can also use flintlock

[*]NRA Annual Member www.nra.org[*]TNUSA Annual Member www.tnugent.com[*]NAHC[*]GOA[*]IDPA


Edited by - BrianDamage on 11/24/2002 16:35:53

I agree. It'd be funny if it wasn't so stuipd...and dangerous.

Glad you're alright.

JRW

well did he make a good shot on the decoy or with his 20min prep time did he still manage to miss? was it at least one of those decoys with the hair on it or one of the all plastic/rubber ones? if i had hair, then i might give the guy a little slack, if it was plastic you might need to have his bow taken away

propmahn
save the world, reload your brass

I thought I had bad eyes. Holy crap. Even though I do my best to be ethical, He is the reason I hesitate to tell some people that I hunt so I am not catergorized with guys like that. Anyway thanks for sharing your story.


Life Member: United Bowhunters of PA. NAHC

Frank

Sounds to me like that guy doesn't belong in the woods let alone behind a bow or rifle!

Lee

One good reason that I never ever hunt over decoys..

~Will Hunt For Food~

that is definately laughable, since no one got hurt!
what a dork!

daytona 500 winner- Ward Burton
go Cat-22