Another Minnesota Archery GIVEAWAY!!

[MnArch]

O.K......So the kids have had a chance to get something on this forum....now its the big kids turn.  In a short simple post state why you love to bowhunt.  Include things like
-Relationships you have formed
-Experiences you have had
-Lessons you have learned
-Deer you have smoked
-Etc.
The winner will receive a bowhunter's mini care package with a value of about $20. We will pick the winner at random on Tuesday Oct. 2nd.  Good Luck and Post up you big bad bowhunters!

[cookie]

I've killed two deer with my compound but last year I was dog sitting my partners dog Wes. Knowing where a group of grouse were hanging out. I took Wes, my recurve bow and a flu-flu arrow.Wes had gotten out of range when he flushed the first bird. I hit the whistle as he flushed another up on to a branch.As are started my stalk wes also flushed the second bird away from me. I hit the whistle for him to come and as he came towards me he flushed a third bird that came right at me.With my arrow knocked I drew back and let her fly.To my amazment my flu-flu hit its mark and that bird came down like a rock. The thrill was as good as any roller coaster,and ranks with my first buck with a gun when I was 17. Wes never heard a gun shot and could not figure out how I had done that. The arrow went through the bird and came down pertruding out of both sides.Not sure if I will ever top that for hunting but I will be attemping to take a duck this weekend ,again with a flu-flu and my recurve.Wish me luck

cookie here on upper red lake

[MnArch]

 happy2.gif  AWESOME!!!
Love hearin' about hunts like that!!!
KEEP 'EM COMIN' !!!!

[The General]

Cookie that is a Kick butt story.

I have been bowhunting for 10 or 11 years now.  I have taken quite a few deer and a couple predators.  I have always bow hunted by myself because none of my friends hunt with a bow.  So the relationships for me are more with nature.  IMHO there is nothing like bow hunting.  The rush of a deer getting close, a squirrel making noise and thinking it's a deer.  To only be fooled by that same squirrel 20 mintues later.  I've had a doe so close before under my stand that I lowered my foot onto her back.   My worst experience was when i was getting ready to raise my bow and draw only to hit the arrow with a branch and see the arrow drop to the ground hitting every branch on the way down.  Being completely frozen out in the stand to all of the sudden see a deer and think afterwards how did it get so hot out here.  I know my signature is dealing with fish but it could easily be changed to a bowhunter and a deer.

[Grute Man]

I know I know - staff isn't eligible to win but I can still share my love for bowhunting.  My brother in law -- Heck he's more like a real brother to me -- anyway, he surprised me and gave me a bow for Christmas one year.  I said, Aww I couldn't never shoot them thangs.  He said give it a whirl.  So I did and got to be a decent shot within a few hours; not hunting worthy but talk about fast improvements.  So I kept playing with it and got better every time and it was so much fun to see that improvement and feel the sence of accomplishemnt knowing I was doing it right.  So I hunted with that bow for a few years, bagged a doe with it and now this year won a brand new bow -- its pretty darn nice by my standards; a real zinger.  Now I got my oldest boy, Hockey #12 getting into it and his younger brother Swan wants to as well.  They both have 2 bows and constantly beg me to take them shooting.  Now I got one more kid comin up.  Lil Grute Dudette -- she's my lefty.  She doesn't have a bow yet but will soon.  Right now she says she only wants to target shoot.  Fine with me as long as she's doing something healthy.  I got my name drawn for a special city hunt this year and Hockey #12 is joining the archery team at his school.  His teacher is involved in another special archery hunt club so that may open another door for us.  We're waiting to see.

I hope everyone else can find the enjoyment in archery that I have and to think, I would have never even tried if I didn't get that surprise gift.

Goes to show you that it never hurts to try.   ::

Grute

[Realtree]

Thanks GruteMan, The General and Cookie for sharing those great stories with us!!  happy2.gif

Who else has a bow hunting experience to share with us and get yourself entered in the drawing for the Bowhunter's mini care package valued around $20.

Here's what you need to do to enter:

In a short simple post state why you love to bowhunt.  Include things like:
-Relationships you have formed
-Experiences you have had
-Lessons you have learned
-Deer you have smoked
-Etc.

[bigdawg8330]

Well.. it doesn't sound like I have the experience as some of you guys, but I definitely have the interest. I am 19 and go to school up at UMD in duluth. I have waterfowl and upland bird hunted all my life. I purchased a bow 3 years ago and this bow season is my second year bow hunting. Bow hunting has turned into an obsession. I took my first deer last year and although the situation didn't turn out too well (by the time i got it field dressed it was dark, my flashlight died, my gps wasn't reading me, my cell phone died, it was pouring rain, and I was completely lost) it has not stopped me from wanting to be out in the woods every second I get. This year I am out in my stand at least three days a week and have seen two very nice bucks but not close enough to shoot. In between classes (like right now) I read about techniques to get those bucks in closer to me. Maybe I am not a very good college student, but last friday night when everyone else was out partying, I found myself out in the woods in my stand watching two does walk by. Like I said, it is an obsession.
I also have a few close friends that have also picked up bow hunting and one of them took his first deer with his bow this year on opener with me which was really cool to see.
To be honest.. Bow hunting is the only thing keeping me sane these days. It is good to hear others have the same passion as me. Keep it up fellas!

[BigBuckDown]

Before I tell my story I just want to say that bowhunting has to be the most thrilling and diffucult sport out there, it has so many ups and downs. Since joining MNO and reading peoples stories and knowledge of hunting has really taught me a lot.

This is my third year of bowhunting, my first two years I had no luck with taking my first dear. I spent as much time as I could in the woods but always comming out empty handed. I had a lot of people questioning my motive, asking me how I could go out time after time not fill a tag and yet still be interested in sitting in a stand for endless hours. I thought about that question for 2 seconds and would reply it's not about filling a tag it's about doing something I love, I love sitting in that stand enjoying the nature around me. It's the serenity and the anticipation that I love. You never know what your going to expierence. I have a lot of people think that I am just saying this as an excuse for not being able to take a deer yet, but it's the truth.  I have learned a lot from just sitting in that stand, some about myself and some about life. Bowhunting is only for a certain type of person, it takes dedication and a passion for the outdoors. I finally took my first doe ever this past weekend, and all of those hours of my butt being sore and getting crap from friends and family was all worth it. My advice to new or younger hunters is to be patient, your time will come one day when it's meant to be and when it does come enjoy every second of it because it's an expierence that you will never forget.

[Grute Man]

Very cool.  You're goin on the buddy list.  Hey you got any pictures of that doe?

[Mayfly]

I started bow hunting in the fall of 1999. It was a family effort. We loved deer hunting so much that we thought we might as well give bow hunting a try. We had also just aquired some land about 45 minutes from home that was crawling with deer. We spent the spring and summer of 99 reading, studying, buying bows and scouting. Opener rolled around and that evening I knew I was going to be bow hutning for a long time. I had a stand about 40yds inside the woods in a corner of a corn field. The area I was hunting had some pretty heavy traffic according to the trails. About 1hr before dark I had a nice doe coming right at me and I thought THIS IS IT! Well she turned a little and was out of range so I had to watch her walk. As she got into the field I could just barley see she was just milling around in the grass grazing. There was no way I couild let her get away so I quietly crept out of my stand. Once on the ground the stalk began. I was down hill a bit so she coudl not see me. As I got closer I got lower and was almost crawling in my belly. My heart was beating like crazy! Before I knew it I was about 15 yds from here and I popped up and she froze. I drew my bow back and placed the pin in the vitals......and released! I hit a rock! How the heck did I do that?? She took off and I was a bit dissapointed and went back into my stand. Playing it over and over in my head until it was almost dark and then I heard some crashing back in the woods. Next thing I know two deer are running down the trail right towards me! One stopped about 20 yds out and it was getting dark quick. I knew I had a chance at this again so I drew back and placed the pins on the vitals....again. This time I heard it hit. The next thing I herad was the deer breathing really hard! It was walking around and I could not ven see it anymore but the breathing was heavy and then it was over. I knew I had a dead deer! Sure enough, I get out of my stand and walk about 40 yds and there she is. I quickly rounded up my cousin and friend Chris and we cleaned her up. It was a fawn. I didn't know it when I shot her but I figured as much when I carried her out over my shoulder! I wasn't too concerned...for a first deer I sure was proud!

It wasn't the kill that night that hooked me it was the hunt! It was the prepartion for opening day and just being out there. What really got me was stalking that doe. I never felt that before. All I could say after that hunt and still today is "that is hunting"! What a day! The worst part about it is I never got a picture of her! sad3.gif But..........


That same year in late October I came face to face with a small 8 point buck. When I shot him I thought he was a monster but now sitting here looking at the rack mounted on a plaque in my computer room I realize that he wasn't a monster! But for my first year he was more than a trophy for me!!!!




Just a quick story about this guy.....

It was about 8am and I was getting tired. Down and up the ravine I heard what sounded liek a couple racks clashing! It got my attention. About 10 minutes later form that same direction here comes a deer up the ravine. The first thing I saw was his rack shining in the sun. He came about 15 yds and stopped broadside and I let one fly. Missed! I hit a stump and he jumped in the air and stopped broadside and looked right at me. We I leaned over behind a tree to get some cover and knocked another arrow. Leaned back and at ful draw I let one fly. I saw this one hit and I knew it! He crahsed down the ravine and I knew he was down. I then ran to my cousins stand and explained that I had just shot a monster!!! What a day!

[BigBuckDown]

Hey Grute Man here's a pic of the doe I shot, she's not very big probably a yearling, but she sure did taste good. I cooked the tenderloins up for dinner that night and also made a couple of burgers. It's nice to have some meat in the freezer. I was by myself so I don't have any pics of me with the deer. Hopefully I did this picture attachment right.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Grute Man]

Nice one there BigBuckDown.  That'll be some good eatin. 

And Mayfly, I know what you mean about stalking.  I got mine on the ground but have stalked up on others too.  I can hear and feel my pulse all through my head when I do that.  I don't understand how the deer cant hear it cause its sooo loud in my head.  What an adrenaline rush!!

[MnArch]

Well, we drew for the mini care package...............and...........congrats Cookie!  Thank you all for the stories.  We really appreciate all of you taking time to post.  Be checking for more Minnesota Archery giveaways in the future.   Cookie....P.M. me your address and I will get the care package in the mail!

Matt @ Minnesota Archery

[Grute Man]

CONGRATS, COOKIE !!!   party3.gif   ::cheers::

[Mayfly]

CONGRATS, COOKIE !!!   party3.gif   ::cheers::

 ::dito

[GirlGuide]

Congrats to you Cookie!!!  And a big thankyou to Minnesota Archery!!  Very nice!~
gg party3.gif

[cookie]

  ::  Thanks everyone
And thanks Matt and Minnesota archery

[cookie]

Just giving a heads up and thank you for the bow package I received.Thanks again

cookie