Anticipation

Usually by late December I have filled at least a doe tag. However, for 2019, that has not been the case. Every encounter this year I have somehow managed to play my cards wrong. But tonight, I feel that it’s finally my time! The weather is ideal and my blind location is perfect! With steady light rains all day long and another snow storm rolling in, this little break in the weather for this evening’s hunt is sure to get the deer moving. My blind is settled right on the edge of an alfalfa field and to say the least, I am pumped!

Where Are The Deer!?

As I sit in my blind, scouring the field, I anxiously wait for something to pop out. As the grey sky begins to fade darker and darker, I find myself slipping into despair, not just for tonight’s hunt, but for the remainder of the season. The conditions are so heavily tilted in my favor tonight that if I don’t see a deer today, how can I expect to see one any other day?

This late in the game most deer have pretty much herded up for the winter, so i’m guessing they have moved off to a different property. The one sure thing I keep holding onto is that this alfalfa field is only one of two food sources nearby. The spring floods didn’t allow for farmers to get their normal crops in. With only fifteen minutes left in the hunt, i hold onto this sliver of hope that something will show.

This Is It

With the light quickly escaping the sky, I close my eyes just for a quick minute to put focus on my freezing toes. I visualize them warming up, and I feel like it’s working. Anyways, when I open my eyes again, a large doe is standing right in front of me! I get down slowly and hit her with the range finder: 45 yards.

I quickly reorganize in the blind to prepare for a shot and when I look back out, there’s more deer entering from the tall grass. Within seconds, five does are directly in front of me, closing the distance, and I pull my bow back. I am below the window at full draw waiting for my perfect shot opportunity. I have my eyes on this doe that is only 10 yards out, but still facing and walking directly towards me. After a good minute or so, I slowly let my bow back down.

Every deer is completely oblivious to my existence in this blind right now, so I stay relaxed and wait for the right moment. Then I see it. My golden opportunity I have been wanting all season long. A huge doe starts cutting across at only 20 yards, perfectly broadside. I stay low and pull my bow back once more…

The Arrow Flies

Except, I don’t really get my bow to full draw. Halfway back, my arrow shoots out with a loud twang, cuts right through the blind wall, and all the deer bound away startled. Dumbfounded, I look down and see that my string d-loop broke, or rather the knot came undone. I can’t believe it! The d-loop was professionally installed prior to the season at my local archery shop. Normally, I tie my own, but I put a higher confidence in having them properly place it.

The deer are startled, but at 50 yards, they have held up, wondering what to make of the noise. They filter into the grass, but i still have hope they might return and provide another opportunity. I’ll just have to clip my release right to my string and hope that it still shoots true. Part of the d-loop is still attached so I still have my nocking point for my arrow.

Second And Third Chance

After just a few short minutes, the does start filtering back towards me. They’re off to my left now, instead of my right, but I think I can still make it happen. Still nervous, a big doe starts to cautiously walk in. She’s at about 35 yards, and slowly coming closer. Problem is, she gets too far left of me and picks up my scent. She bounds away taking two others with her. My heart sinks as I feel the last bit of hope escape me.

Then, with only a few moments left in the hunt, another big doe steps out and starts coming right to me. She’s nervous but her curiosity is overcoming her. She comes stomping right towards me and is only 22 yards out. As she decides to let her instincts take control, she turns back away. My perfect moment. I pull back as quick as I can but she trots off just as I get my sites up. Still at full draw, I see another smaller doe pop out of the grass, but she quickly leaps off to the larger one. I let me bow down. I was happy to still have a second and third chance, but now I’m certain that I will not be filling a tag tonight.

Reflection On The Hunt

As I reflect on the evening’s hunt and share the story with my wife, I choose to view the night in a bit of a comical way. I have put countless hours in this season and call it what you may, but luck has not been a strong companion of mine! Often times, I will target shoot my bow in between hunts. I even drew my bow when I first settled into the blind to ensure that I was prepared for the moment of truth. My d-loop could have broke at any one draw, which would have been unfortunate, but not a big deal. But instead, it broke exactly when I needed it the most.

Without a doubt, I believe that tonight it simply wasn’t meant to be. If I would have killed that deer, I know I wouldn’t hunt the rest of the season. Perhaps now when I get back out there, maybe, just maybe, that monster buck will come walking by. And if not this year, maybe even next year that doe I was going to kill will be what brings in a buck for me or my friend. I’ll choose to think that tonight had to happen for some sort of a reason, I just don’t know what yet. It’s hard to say and we may never know, but for now it’s what I will choose to believe. Tonight it simply wasn’t meant to be.