Rookie mistakes

This could be a very short blog entry: when shooting your bow in the field, make sure you don't wear floppy clothing!

Here is the context for those that are interested. Most of my gear is pretty trim around the forearms. We all know the bow string needs to be able to go through its path unimpeded, or else. So not wearing big, bulky or floppy jackets is a must when bow hunting. And you need to practice with your hunting garb on. So you can figure out any flaws before entering the field.

Yes, yes, we all know that, done that, are ready, and so forth. Enter the first snow storm of the season. Without much thought I pulled an old snow camo jacket over my regular gear and set off to examine a few spots out of the wind that also provide browsing. I have both a muley buck and doe tag this year.

Two identical bucks pulled a switch trick on me, and all I could do was watch both of them go in separate direction, with me standing in the middle. Stalked two does and a buck, but could not get closer than 80 yards, and a circuitous stalk was blown by four moose that had been hiding in the cover I tried to use to get level with the deer.

I was still-hunting around the side of a coulee, when a small doe jumped out from under my feet. At least I'd been quiet enough to get that close. This was a doe of the curious, inexperienced, or stupid kind, as it kept approaching and retreating, circling around and approaching again, feet stomping, trying to figure out what the statue was in the middle of the open hill side.

After about an hour of this I finally got a shot. Contrary to last week, I was steady, checking sight pictures, bow alignment, I pick a spot, release and 'thwap'. Not 'twang', but 'thwap'. Doe walks off. No blood or other sign. In fact ten minutes later the doe was still hanging around.

A straw bale provided a target of opportunity. More thwapping. And arrows landing more than a foot off at 40 and 50 yards. Until finally it dawned on me (I admit, I'm slow). The string was hitting the sleeve of my snow jacket! Take off jacket, shoot, 'twang', good hits.

It appears I'm doomed to make all the rookie mistakes myself, instead of learning from the mistakes of others. Oh, I also managed to misplace the case of my rangefinder, likely buried in a foot of snow now.

I think my range finder case might be in one of those bushes somewhere