The youth season started off with nicking a 130 class deer in the front leg and forgetting to put a primer in the early muzzleloader season, that should have resulted in a chip shot at 130 class ended up as a click. We decided that it all happens for a reason. He was still holding on to his youth tag hoping to fill it with a bow, since school and sports occupy his hunting time. I went to visit with a good friend after a morning sit on 11/23 that is no longer able to bow hunt due to health related issues from cancer. In our conversation he wondered if Ryan was hunting with a bow this year. I told him that I set up an old bow that I had but it wasn’t the best. He told me that Ryan should take his bow since he is no longer use it and to put it to good use. I took it home and we made a few adjustments to the pins and draw weight and he began shooting to get the feel of it. After a couple of days of shooting every chance he got, he was grouping the arrows and I felt he was ready. Up until this time he has only hunted with a muzzleloader. The afternoons sit on 11/28 and the morning sit on 11/29 resulted in no deer. The afternoon sit on 11/29 we decided on a ladder stand that is just inside the field edge that is a great NW wind stand. He didn’t have a long wait before a buck was headed in his direction working every scrape along the way and rubbing every tree that has been previously rubbed. Ryan was standing and ready as he kept walking in his direction at full draw when he was broadside he gave him a mmmrp to stop him. Broadside at 17 yards he released and the heart shot buck took off into the picked corn field about 75 yards and dropped within sight. All the time this was happening I was watching from another stand, so I was able to see it all. I was so proud that he put that deer down not only for himself but for Dwight. He told Dwight he would get one with it for him and that was the first stop we made, to show him. Now we know there was a reason for the two earlier encounters that didn’t quite come together. It was a late November bow hunt that will never be forgotten. He has his sights set for a bigger one next year and I hope to remember to bring a camera.
Last edited:
