In a rare contribution from Kyle Steed we can read about his opening day, chasing big (and small... any size really) mule deer bucks in Southern Alberta. I'm surprised he did not smash his bow into a fence post.
Seven years ago when I started drawing for mule deer I had no intentions of bow hunting, much less with a recurve. I’ve held this tag 3 times before and shot decent bucks and the zone has potential for some big deer, but to get a deer with my bow has become somewhat of an obsession lately and size doesn’t seem to matter now. Opening day was coming soon and Frans was going to be busy scouting for his moose tag, so I got a hold of my buddy Derick Heggie and he was more then happy to come along. He’s recently started in archery hunting as well with a compound and was bringing his bow along too, in case we happened across any does; you can buy a general archery doe tag in this zone.
The day started early at 6:00 and it took about 45 minutes to get to our hunting area. Arriving at first light we started hiking in and the first coulee was only a few hundred yards from the truck. Right away we spotted a nice 4 point buck still in velvet feeding away from us up the opposite side. We made a plan and I started to head over for a stalk. Things went well and the wind cooperated and I got to within about 25 yards. I could see the deer’s rack just below me and I crouched down in the tall grass.
Then wind shifted slightly and suddenly I could see the deer’s horns turn towards me. I sat still and after what seemed like eternity he slowly lowered his head, and I thought he started to feed. I raised up to try and get a better look but couldn’t see him. Suddenly a quick snort to my right and he was gone. He’d circled around and winded me. Oh well I thouhgt, plenty of day left. We continued hiking and uncharacteristic of this area the wind was now blowing out of the north, but the deer started to bed like usual as if the predominate west wind was blowing, making for some great stalking opportunities.
We spot a deer moving slowly near the bottom of a draw and we quickly hustle over to try and intercept. Somehow in the 30 seconds he completely disappears but Derick quickly finds two bucks bedded right below the top edge of a coulee. So I stalk again. With the wind blowing out of the north I can come right down on this deer. I walk in probably faster then I should have but it’s working. I follow Dericks hand signals and get lined up on the right hill. Slowly I start crawling closer to the edge. Right as I get there I see his horns, I range it and he’s 11 yards away! I can hardly believe it! I’ve never been able to stalk a deer this close before. I sit and wait. Problem is most 4 year olds have a longer attention span then I do and I can’t just sit here and wait for him. [Edit FD: this is no lie] So I signal to Derrick to move over. Hoping that the deer will see him and stand up to look at him and give me a shot. Derick starts to move and after about 2 minutes the deer decides that’s close enough. He gets up and at the same I start to get up and draw. Just as I do my arrow falls off my rest and subsequently off my string! I can’t believe it, the deer suddenly sees me and whirls away before I can even gather my arrow. A perfect opportunity and I just made a rookie mistake.
I was so mad I fell over backwards and just laid there thinking that was my chance and I blew it. I eventually pull myself together and hike over to meet with Derick. He tries to be supportive saying things like if you shot a real bow instead of a recurve that probably would’ve been a dead deer. It’s hard not to agree with him. We eat a quick snack and take a break to evaluate where to go next as it’s getting close to mid day and heating up quick. We continue hiking south towards the top of the ridge and spot another couple bucks feeding on a side hill. We’re really exposed and there is no good way to get at them. We wait till they turn away and make a quick dash to get over unseen. It doesn’t work of course and they decide to leave. Derick once again somehow spots another deer bedded just below a ridge line and this is a big deer! I’m pretty excited and start making my way over. On the way I pinch the ends of my nock and make sure it clicks in tight on my string. The wind is perfect and I’m able to get right in on this deer again. This time I decide I’m gonna wait it out. Five minutes later I’m looking around for a rock to throw and think to myself, why not. I throw the rock and stand up and draw immediately. The deer stands at the same time and gives me a great quartering shot. I release my grip on the string and let the arrow fly.
A few things happen. My arrow doesn’t even go close to the intended target and my left hand is hurting. I look and my string has come almost completely off my limbs and pinned my hand to the riser. I pull my string of the limbs and can’t believe what’s happened. Last year at this same time Frans and I were bowhunting mulies in another area and my limbs had warped and did the same thing that just happened now, but I had sent them back and the bowyer had fixed them. And I had shot this limbs all spring and summer with no issues so I figured it probably somehow hit my bino harness and that’s what caused it to come off.
Of course I wasn’t anticipating any problems so I didn’t bring my stringer with me. So we hiked out and headed home. Once at home I strung the bow up and went outside to shoot. I would draw back then slowly let the tension off and watched the top of my limb. The string wasn’t coming down where it was supposed to and I was sure it was twisted. Only one way to tell so I drew back and let an arrow fly. String stayed on. Hmm ok maybe we’re good. I shoot 5 more and nothing. Great let’s go, string probably just hit my binos and that’s what caused it. We head back out and right away have another great stalk under 20 yards but no shot. Getting close to the end of the day and we’ve hiked just over 15km at this point so we decide to start making our way back. As we’re walking suddenly a badger pokes its head up less then 5 yards in front of us. I’d love to get a badger with my bow so I take a shot. Arrow misses and string is off again!! Crap I forgot to take my bino harness off and it happened again.
We start hiking again and now we spot a great buck a few hundred yards away feeding up the side of a hill. We quickly hike over to the adjacent hill and make a plan for an ambush. This time I drop my pack and bino harness and start heading over. I find myself quickly at the edge of the coulee in some sage brush no taller then about a foot and a half and that’s as far as I can go. So I sit and this time I really am going to wait. I’m waiting and starting to get worried because the wind is nearly blowing at my back and I’m worried I’ll get winded. But then a few minutes later I can hear him feeding just below me. I’m not sure how far so I wait for a signal from Derick. After a few minutes he gives me the signal to get up. I stand up slowly and see he’s facing away from me about 15 yards away! I’m standing at the ready waiting for him to turn. Slowly he turns and is still unaware that I’m there. I draw, and go through my shot sequence in my mind. I pick my spot and release. The arrow flies way off and there’s the all to familiar pain in my left hand again. The deer bounds off and this time I’m so mad I throw my bow on the ground. It wasn’t my bino harness, my limbs are twisted again. Derick comes over and we gather everything up and start the long walk back.
It is disappointing that there was an issue with the equipment but all we can talk about was how amazing that day was. We’ve never had so many stalks work out so perfectly. It gives us hope for the next time. When I got home that night I emailed my bowyer and he’s in the process of making new limbs. I have a spare set of 45# limbs I’ll use in the meantime. While I think that I could’ve killed any of those deer easily with the compound, I still have no desire to switch. I’ll master this trad bow game soon enough and can’t wait to have my hands on my first deer.
KS