Taking a short break from my Alaska posts (again, I know!) because I’ve been a little under the weather the last week or so, and my brain isn’t forming coherent thoughts about my amazing time there.
As I’ve been scrolling instagram and attempting to breathe through my nose again, I’ve enjoyed seeing the incredible harvests of deer hunters all over North America. Bow season is hot, and it always marks the excitement of the beginning of deer hunting.
Admittedly, there’s always a small part of me that feels a little down during bow season, too. Ever since I got into hunting, I had dreams of stalking through the woods with my compound bow, silently following a stealthy giant and hoping to make it close enough for a good shot.
I wanted to bow hunt so bad, that I got a compound bow that I LOVE for Christmas that year. Diamond Archery Infinite Edge from 2015! She’s so beautiful, the perfect fit for my short arms and small self. I love the resistance of drawing back the string, timing my release perfectly as I aim carefully for the bull’s eye. The combination of laser focus through my target and physical prowess to fully draw the bow is everything I’ve ever wanted from hunting.
But time and space have gotten in my way, and so I’ve never taken her out during bow season. At the ten yards that I can shoot in my back yard, I’m pretty deadly to my bow target. But that’s just it; I can’t expect to make a 10-yard shot on a deer with only a 35 pound draw weight (I think that’s what it is, it’s been so long that I don’t even remember!).
Slowly asfixiating on my own flem on the couch helped me realize a couple of things about myself in my hunting “career” right at this moment;
- I get excited to harvest bucks, but I’m still waiting for the one that will beat my personal best (you can read about that buck here!), and I doubt that’s going to happen any time soon. I want to harvest one again at some point, but it’s not my major priority.
- I’m learning the value of coming home with meat rather than empty-handed for the buck I want. My husband and I practically live off of wild game, and we would rather have another deer for the freezer than another set of antlers on the wall.
- In my mind, considering how we hunt in South Texas, archery is the next great challenge, and it opens many doors to other types of hunts around the country. I’ve been very blessed to harvest many deer with a rifle, and even one with a crossbow, but I’m ready for the next level.
Maybe it was the lack of oxygen getting to my brain, but I’ve officially decided to start taking actual steps towards being able to harvest a deer with my bow next season. In order to do that, I have to navigate 3 major hurdles; time, space, and strength. After doing some thinking and a little bit of research, I’ve come up with a plan!
- Time: working from home on your own schedule has its advantages! I’m a part-time ballet dancer, and I like to unwind a little bit after morning classes before diving into work. I’m going to tag archery practice onto the end of my ballet classes because of #2…
- Space: I found an indoor archery range that’s between my home and the dance studio! On my way home from ballet, I’m going to stop there for a bit to shoot my bow, then head the rest of the way home.
- Strength: Consistent practice will help with this, but I’m also going to continue working on my back and rear shoulder strength at the gym. I’ve found a few exercises that I think will help build strenght in the right muscles so I can updgrade my draw weight and finally get where I need to be.
Got my plan, now I just need to actually do it, which is always the hardest part. But I’ve had my bow for eight years. I see people with full time jobs mastering a compound bow and harvesting incredible animals. What’s my excuse?
I don’t have one. Not anymore.
So this is me telling anyone who reads this blog because I want to hold myself accountable. And maybe, if I can do it, someone else out there who wants to become a bow hunter will see this and realize that they can do it, too.
Jess and the Outdoors 