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This Happened to Me

I am close to the end of the trail as far as my bow hunting career is concerned. One year ago I crushed my right hand in an accident breaking 3 bones. In addition I injured my right shoulder that may now require surgery. I did not regain full use of my right hand. I did archery hunt this past season shooting of total of 3 arrows all season during preperation. My bow was already set up. I did turn the Hoyt Magna Tech down to 60 lbs peak. Even at that last year I went because that is what I like to do. I shot my first deer with a bow in 1978 and really figured out what was going on around 1983 or 1984. I have been thinking a lot of past experiences and I have to tell you that it's not what I shot that's important. It is all the things that I saw and experienced. Things that 99% of the people never take the time to see or do. No one in my family hunted, I started when I was 17 and old enough to go alone at that time. I also managed to impose myself on a few friends in order to get started. This is what played out one day...I was hunting along the edge of a neighbors field that I can see out my kitchen window about 400 yds distant. Deer have been coming into the field back in the corner each evening and there was a couple bucks in the group. I located a couple trees in close proximity to each other and using a climbing strap I climbed one of the trees using my TSS climber. After attaining a satisfactory height I spun the platform so it was between the trees and completed my set up. The situation is I am within the 3 of 4 trees, wearing a safety belt, my bow is hung a little above but within easy reach. I had a Hoyt Pro Hunter at that time and still use the same Fletch Hunter release. I was standing with my arms crossed at my chest leaning tight against one of the trees becoming a part of it. My camo was likely Real Tree at that time. On my hands I wear brown jersey gloves that I buy several pair at a time. The right hand glove I customize cutting off the pointer finger and the thumb and cutting a hole into the palm. My release passes through the hole in the palm, my thumb and pointer finger are bare and easily handle the release and arrow and my hands are covered except for the thumb and pointer finger. There I am leaning into the tree, motion less I think, waiting for the evenings activities to begin and they did just not how I had planned. I am in a zone listening and waiting.... I suddenly heard air rushing and for an instant couldn't figure out what was leaking air. Then I was struck about the head and shoulders and some wild animal was beating me. I am 15' off of the ground I am now flailing my arms at what I don't know battling some critter that is attacking me for unknown reasons. I am totally bewildered and flabbergasted as my attacker was apparently also and after trading blows with each other that likely only lasted seconds the attacker backed off to another nearby tree and fortunately I managed to stay in mine without falling. There I saw a large owl whose eyes were as big as pie plates, if I had a mirror mine were likely twice the size. He went on his way and left me to reconstruct the scene of the crime and piece together what the hell had just happened. What I figured is I did a fine job of melting into my surroundings and remaining relatively still, except maybe for my shooting hand with my exposed thumb and pointer finger. I don't recall if I wore a head net at that time or not. But my fingers likely looked like mice or some other critters to Mr Owl and he was coming in fast grabbing for them. The rushing of air was through his feathers as he was putting on the brakes and shifting into reverse beating me about the head and shoulders with his wings. I can laugh about it now and I will never forget it. The great thing about archery season is it occurs during the best part of the year, it is weeks and months long, it's good at the beginning and just gets better and better from the first to the last day with the last day being the best. It is not what you shoot but all the things you see while you are enjoying the glory of God's creation. Things that you would never see or know if you hadn't taken the time to go afield. What about you? Do you have a story to tell? What did you see that you would never have the opportunity to witness if you hadn't taken the time to enjoy this sport?

What a minute Joe!!!

It's never over. Don't give up. You seem to be one that gets it D Shue. Once shot an animal with a mouth tab

Hang in there

Bill v

And Joe. Do a search on bowsite for "this happened to me"

You'll enjoy the read

I shot my 1st deer with a bow in 1977, but I shot my biggest buck this past year. I'll never give up until I can't pysically do it, hope it's a while. I've been shot by a squirrel hunter, with 3 days in the hospital, with my wife 5 months pregnant, naw I won't give up.

Twice I was nearly knocked out of a tree by a hawk, scared me half to death. A year between both incidences, but the same tree. Done with that spot. Naw I won't give up.

All those memories, yea I've seen about everything, but I wanna make some more memories. Naw I won't give up!

Pat

I began bowhunting when I was 12yrs old, I come from a hunting family, however I am the first bowhunter, I have killed little bucks to larger ones by my degree. I am sure I have seen everything as every other bowhunter has seen. I hunt everyday until a buck takes a dirtnap. On November 9th 1996, I was on a morning hunt with 2 buddies, fresh snow on the ground just knowing the rut was on. I climbed my tree, when I climbed to about 20 feet, when the band that wraps around the tree from the stand began to slip out of the brackets from the stand, and I fell. I was not wearing a harness! I layed in the snow for 2 hours, in pain. My buddies found me, I got air lifted to the hospital, crushed all my muscles in my lower back, broke ribs and punctured a lung, nearly died of hypothermia. Could not walk for 3 weeks, and I still live with back pain. The Doctor had the nerve to ask me, "Will you ever climb a tree again" I said Hell Yeah, but I will now hunt wearing a safety harness!!! That near death accident, just made me smarter..

Birds of prey are really neat and I have a couple of stories of close encounters I will never forget.

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