| Website © Lisa Selner "Buffalo Annie" |
| A Beginners Bow Hunting Memory |
"The sportsman lives his life vicariously. For he secretly yearns to have lived
before, in a simpler time. A time when his love for the land, water, fish and
wildlife would be more than just part of his life. It would be his state of
mind." (Author, Jim Slinsky)
Each fall hunting camps come alive throughout the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
They are aligned with rustic lamps, casting light over fresh kills that were dressed
and left to hang in the cool, crisp night air. It portrays quite the unique spectacle,
and brings to mind thoughts of what the old days might have been like. White-
tailed deer are plentiful here, providing many opportunities for deer hunters to
prevail and not go home hungry! It is not uncommon to sit in your tree stand for a
few hours and have up to 20 deer pass by in some areas.
Having never been bow hunting before, I became acquainted with the bow after
my first year living on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I have always had an interest in
bow hunting but never pursued it due to lack of time with frequent traveling and
busy work schedules over the years. My interests became reality when I
purchased a bow on my 28th birthday (Summer Solstice) and spent the remaining
summer months becoming acquainted with, practicing, and preparing myself for my
first real bow hunting experience.
It was my second time out in the woods with my new bow, awaiting the moment to
put my recently acquired archery hunting teachings to use. After hiking through the
woods with my gear, I arrive at a tree overlooking several well-traveled
crisscrossing deer trails. I climb the tree with my climbing stand, and make myself
comfortable. The slightest noise causes my heart to beat rapidly, anxiously
anticipating what is to follow. It is a false alarm when I see that each noise is only a
squirrel rummaging for morsels under the leaf litter below, or songbirds bickering in
the bushes. I remain patient, enjoying the natural sounds around me, while also
envisioning the arrival of a deer.
The moment arrives when I least expect it, and then all of a sudden I see a small
herd heading right for me. I quietly get in position, being sure not to make any
sudden movements that may alarm the approaching deer. My heart beating wildly,
my body trembling with anxiety, I pull back on the string with my right hand. The
first nice doe to come in range paused about 20 yards in front of me. During that
moment I realized that this was serious, I had to remain calm. I had to make sure
that I was about to make a clean kill. I aimed behind her shoulder, and then
released my arrow. The world around me seemed to be in slow motion for those
few moments.
After releasing my arrow I watched as the doe jumped in alarm, then darted down
a trail behind me. When she was out of sight I could hear her stumbling, then made
what I figured was her last breath. I watched the herd that was following her. Two
smaller does directly behind her watched with puzzlement as she ran into the brush,
only to resume grazing when the lead doe fell silent. They had no idea what had
just happened or that I was in my tree stand above them. The rest of the herd
came closer; all unassuming to the events that had just taken place. I looked where
the lead doe stood before I released my arrow, and saw the arrow lying nearby on
the ground from above. It was red with blood.
This was the first arrow I ever shot at a deer. Needless to say I could not control
myself after that as the excitement overwhelmed me. I wasted no time climbing
back down the tree, screaming and making one heck of a racket! Alarming the
deer below me, they scattered about and got out of there immediately. Once I
made it to the ground I ran to the arrow. All the commotion attracted the attention
of my friend who was also hunting several hundred yards away from me. He came
down to see what was going on and to help me look for the doe. And we found
her where I heard her fall for the last time, about 40 yards from where she was
shot. Her energy having already passed to the next realm, she was my first bow
killed deer.
before, in a simpler time. A time when his love for the land, water, fish and
wildlife would be more than just part of his life. It would be his state of
mind." (Author, Jim Slinsky)
Each fall hunting camps come alive throughout the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
They are aligned with rustic lamps, casting light over fresh kills that were dressed
and left to hang in the cool, crisp night air. It portrays quite the unique spectacle,
and brings to mind thoughts of what the old days might have been like. White-
tailed deer are plentiful here, providing many opportunities for deer hunters to
prevail and not go home hungry! It is not uncommon to sit in your tree stand for a
few hours and have up to 20 deer pass by in some areas.
Having never been bow hunting before, I became acquainted with the bow after
my first year living on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I have always had an interest in
bow hunting but never pursued it due to lack of time with frequent traveling and
busy work schedules over the years. My interests became reality when I
purchased a bow on my 28th birthday (Summer Solstice) and spent the remaining
summer months becoming acquainted with, practicing, and preparing myself for my
first real bow hunting experience.
It was my second time out in the woods with my new bow, awaiting the moment to
put my recently acquired archery hunting teachings to use. After hiking through the
woods with my gear, I arrive at a tree overlooking several well-traveled
crisscrossing deer trails. I climb the tree with my climbing stand, and make myself
comfortable. The slightest noise causes my heart to beat rapidly, anxiously
anticipating what is to follow. It is a false alarm when I see that each noise is only a
squirrel rummaging for morsels under the leaf litter below, or songbirds bickering in
the bushes. I remain patient, enjoying the natural sounds around me, while also
envisioning the arrival of a deer.
The moment arrives when I least expect it, and then all of a sudden I see a small
herd heading right for me. I quietly get in position, being sure not to make any
sudden movements that may alarm the approaching deer. My heart beating wildly,
my body trembling with anxiety, I pull back on the string with my right hand. The
first nice doe to come in range paused about 20 yards in front of me. During that
moment I realized that this was serious, I had to remain calm. I had to make sure
that I was about to make a clean kill. I aimed behind her shoulder, and then
released my arrow. The world around me seemed to be in slow motion for those
few moments.
After releasing my arrow I watched as the doe jumped in alarm, then darted down
a trail behind me. When she was out of sight I could hear her stumbling, then made
what I figured was her last breath. I watched the herd that was following her. Two
smaller does directly behind her watched with puzzlement as she ran into the brush,
only to resume grazing when the lead doe fell silent. They had no idea what had
just happened or that I was in my tree stand above them. The rest of the herd
came closer; all unassuming to the events that had just taken place. I looked where
the lead doe stood before I released my arrow, and saw the arrow lying nearby on
the ground from above. It was red with blood.
This was the first arrow I ever shot at a deer. Needless to say I could not control
myself after that as the excitement overwhelmed me. I wasted no time climbing
back down the tree, screaming and making one heck of a racket! Alarming the
deer below me, they scattered about and got out of there immediately. Once I
made it to the ground I ran to the arrow. All the commotion attracted the attention
of my friend who was also hunting several hundred yards away from me. He came
down to see what was going on and to help me look for the doe. And we found
her where I heard her fall for the last time, about 40 yards from where she was
shot. Her energy having already passed to the next realm, she was my first bow
killed deer.
