Bowhunting Bloopers

[PAHunter]

What's everyones blunder they've encountered over the years of bowhunting?I thought this would be a good subject for a laugh or two,and too learn from others mistakes.Mine took place about 5yrs. ago when I was after a particular buck in the area.To make a long story short,I had to sneak into this area well before first light as quietly as I could without spooking any deer.Then I would wait till daybreak and just hope at getting a crack at this buck as he came through the area before going onto private property,which I couldn't hunt.I set out 2 hours before first light and managed to reach my tree and set my climber without any deer busting me.I felt pretty confident at this point,that I hadn't alarmed any deer,all I had to do now was pull up my bow and put my jacket and hat on and wait.I was starting to have visions of sticking this big boy as he came through.With about 45 mins. until shooting light I pulled up my bow and placed it in my bowholder.As I proceeded to put on my jacket,you guessed it,I knocked my bow out of the holder and it crashed to the ground from 22ft.The sound of my bow slamming on the ground was just gut wrenching.It was one of them crisp,calm mornings where you could hear a pin drop.I knew every deer in a quarter mile radius had to have heard it,and it sounded like my bow shattered into pieces.How could I go from stealthy to clumsy,and from being as quiet as a mouse to sounding like a bull in a china shop,in a matter of seconds?So at this point,needless to say, I sort of went home with my tail between my legs.Surprisingly my bow wasn't as bad as what I figured,and I managed to have it shooting the next day.I never did get that buck,but he taught me a very valuable lesson,never pull your bow up until your set.I look back at this blunder at times and laugh,but at the time I just wanted to cry.

 

[Fishbonker]

This will be my 4th year of bow hunting. I have blunders everytime I go out, but I prefere to call them "learning opprotunities". At this rate I'll be in MENSA for bowhunters soon.

Just do a search under my name and you'll find a bunch of blund......uh, I mean "learning opprotunities".

The 'Bonker

 

[moosehunter]

LAST YEAR I WAS USING A FRIENDS STAND. HE HAD A 12 FOOT LADDER LEANED UP AGAINST A BIG OLD OAK TREE HE USED TO GET UP TO THE FIRST BIG BRANCH, THEN YOU CLIMBED THE BRANCHES FROM THERE. I GOT UP THE STAND IN THE DARK AND STARTED TO PULL UP THE BOW AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS SNAGGED ON SOMETHING SO I GAVE IT A SLIGHT TUG THINKING IT WAS CAUGHT ON A STICK OR A WEED OR SOMETHING. NO...........IT WAS CAUGHT ON THE LADDER AND I JUST TIPPED IT OVER. NOW I'M STUCK 25 FOOT UP A TREE WITH NO WAY TO GET BACK TO THE GROUND EXCEPT JUMP THE LAST 10 OR 12 FOOT WHICH AT MY AGE IS NOT AN OPTION. SO AFTER THE HUNT AND MUCH THOUGHT I TIED MY RELEASE ONTO THE END OF THE STRING AND WENT FISHING. AFTER SEVERAL DOZEN TRIES I FINALLY HOOKED A RUNG AND HOISTED THE LADDER UP WHERE I COULD PLACE IT BACK UPRIGHT. THE LADDER IS GONE NOW AND A COUPLE CLIMBING STICKS ARE IN IT'S PLACE.........

LIVE AND LEARN

 

[bukket]

Last year at full draw on a nice little buck. Had him at 23 yards but saw a nicer opportunity for a quartering away shot if he'd walk a few more steps. He took one of those steps behind a tree. As I tried to adjust my stance my foot scraped the stand and that buck took off like a shot out of a canon.

This spring I turkey hunted with my bow, wihtout using a blind. I set up on 4 birds one morning right in the thickest locust bushes you've ever seen. When I drew back to shoot my arm became hopelessly entangled in the bush behind me...the movement of that bush as I tried to free my arm deterred any further turkey activity in my immediate area that morning.

 

[simplesimon]

Like everyone else I have had more than my share of bloopers but the one that sticks out in my mind is last year's experience. We where hunting a island on the Hiwassee River and had to get there naturally by boat. My buddy was rushing me and we were running behind so needless to say I grab everything or thought I had everything. To sum things up after I put my safety vest on and put my treestand on my back, I grabbed my bow out of my case and notice someting was missing. My quiver! All I had was arrows with field points in them and was not about to try that. My buddy gave me a couple of his arrows but he was shooting a heavier arrow so I figured I was going to get to enjoy mother nature and not risk making a bad shot and wounding the deer. It was funny because I made the comment that I would not probably see anything but I was wrong. Did not see a monster but seen 2 small bucks and 7 slick heads. Still have not lived that one down yet.

 

[ironwood]

Once last season after making about a 40 minute drive to our hunting locatiion both madisonb&c and I where finished dressing and prepared for or early morning walk to our stands when we realized there wasn't a single arrow in that truck. Our quivers where set off to the side after our last hunt and where over looked as we packed our gear to leave. Very disappionting.

 

[River1]

Pulled in down by the river on a beautiful late October morning, still dark and prime time was 45 minutes away. Dropped the canoe in the water and realized I had nothing to paddle with.

 

[spinefxr]

I was about eight feet up a tree with my old climber when I realized the tree was getting smaller and the climbing part of the stand was set too big. So, standing on the platform, I took out the pin to tighten up the cable, and dropped the pin down into the snow. So there I am standing on the platform, and cannot go up or down. I had to call my brother-in-law to bring me out another pin from another climber. He thought it was pretty funny when he walked into the woods and saw me sitting on the platform waiting for him.

 

[Shredder]

Mine stems back a few years ago...nasty blooper and a great learning experience. I had been on stand about 45 minutes and decided to rattle. Out of the cr ground come a nice 8 and out of the timber, a nice 10...both 2.5 year olds. They stared each other down and one finally retreated and both returned to where they came from. I decided to use this opportunity with their scent still lingering to rattle one more time and picked up the horns. After beating them together a couple of times, I started to scan the timber only to realize, the deer I was specifically hunting was no more than 20 feet away staring at me in the tree.......I wondered why those littler bucks retreated so quickly...now I know. Lesson learned, look around before you start calling to make sure you have nothing in your shooting lanes worth shooting

 

[NWBuck]

I'll summarize: Make darn sure you unclip your bow rope before drawing your bow for a practice shot.

NWBuck

 

[alaskanwhtail]

This is after the hunt but still envolves the bow, 2002 I had harvested a 3 1/2 year old 8 pter and after some help from my brother and friends we finally got the deer outta the goarge and into the back of my pick up, anyway dont leave your bow on your cab and take off. I ended up using it,as target practice...

 

[Guest]

You guys crack me up.lollol

This next one wasn't in the field but right in the driveway.
Make sure that when you get into a spat with the ex that your bow isn't within reaching distance.Let's just say it was used as a temporary speed bump.Worse part about it was that I didn't know that she had grabbed it until,you guessed it,"CRUNCH" OUCH!!!!!!!
Was wantimg to get a new one but it definitely happened a little quicker than I had planned on.