2013: A bowhunting year to forget?

[Scoot]

The toughest bowhunting season I've ever had is coming to a close. I went into this season with very high hopes and a lot of tags in my pocket. I had MT elk, MN bear, MN whitetail, and ND muley/whitetail tags and I was excited to get to work in trying to fill these tags!

The MN bear hunt started it all off for me. In spite of having tons of pics of bears on the bait, the season came and went and I never saw anything more than this.

I did get to spend some really great time with my kids, which was great!

The elk hunt in MT was a bigger disappointment. Mother Nature flexed her mighty muscles on this trip and showed us who's boss. We took a whoopin'! My buddy Jon shot his first muley, which was awesome!

Anytime in the mountains is wonderful and I'm extremely grateful for the ability to get out there. However, I didn't come even remotely close to getting a crack at an elk and I was very frustrated and discouraged by the trip.

Whitetail hunting in MN was more of the same- I had to deal with the usual trespassers and people who think they own everyone else's land. I let a friend's wife hunt on my mo-in-law's land and she got run out of her stand by a group of 15 hunters making a drive right through the woods! They were shooting all over the place and had no idea she was there. She didn't know names or take any pics of license plates, so nothing I could do about it after the fact, since I was in church when it happened.

ND deer hunting was also tough- I only got to the Ranch twice (I think) this year and didn't see a lot. I sat at my buddy's land twice and did see a very nice 8 pointer. He went by me at about 80 yards and I couldn't coax him closer.

Muley chasing ended with a first trip where I gave too much of my warm gear away to my buddies to be able to stay longer than two nights and a second trip where I came close, but never got to shoot an arrow.

Now... I'm sure you can sense my frustration with the season. I put in a great deal of time this year and had a grand total of zero opportunities to show for it. On one hand I fully understand "that's hunting", but on the other hand I've always believed that if you put in your time and give the effort, good things will come. This year I had put in that time and effort and had absolutely nothing to show for it.

This past weekend my son asked me if I'd take him out hunting at home. I pointed out how cold it was on Saturday, but he really wanted to go. The high was -2 and the windchill hovered right around -20 while we hunted. For a just turned nine year old kid, I was impressed my son wanted to tough it out.

So we headed for the ground blind- I could give him some toe and handwarmers and turn a Little Buddy heater on him.

We were set up on a food plot that I put in this year. I half-way got it in last year, but this was the first year where we'd got the whole thing up and going and had some rain to help it along. Our view:

At 4:30 a small one horned buck showed up. Ryan wanted me to shoot him, but with so few bucks around I didn't want to. I told him to be patient and more deer would likely show up. A few minutes later a doe and fawn came right in front of us. I didn't waste much time and got ready for a shot on the doe. As I drew I focused on the spot I wanted to aim for. I took aim, made a perfect release, and hit exactly where I'd aimed. We watched her run 50 yards and stop. I saw the arrow drop out of her where she stopped. She slowly walked off from there. I sent out a couple text messages and said I'd shot a doe and it'd be a short tracking job. My brother, who loves to be part of any hunt, asked if we'd wait for him to show up so he could help track and recover the deer. We obliged. While we waited several other deer showed up and we had fun watching them. Ryan was very caught up in the emotion of the moment and excitement of the shot/hunt and leaned his head on my shoulder and quietly whispered "I love you, Daddy." It was the single best moment of the bowhunting season for me to that point.

When we got back we quickly found the arrow.

Both my brother and I are colorblind, so Ryan lead the way on the tracking job.

In spite of my confidence in the hit, the blood trail told a very different story. We tracked the deer for over 300 yards and eventually the blood ran out. At that point it was late and Ryan was very tired. We headed in and I took up the trail in the AM. I never found more blood and did semi-circles around the last spotted blood for about two hours. After that I followed every decent trail from the area in all directions and never found a thing.

This was the first deer I've hit in 31 years of bowhunting where I didn't recover it and I assume it died. I could do what so many others I see do- just tell myself and everyone else "I'm sure she made it." But I'm won't. In fact, I'm quite doubtful she survived. I felt miserable and thought this was just about a perfect ending to an otherwise cursed year of bowhunting. I toyed with the idea of hanging up my bow for the year and admitting defeat. Stick-to-it-iveness is probably my greatest strength, but I had about had enough.

After I got done looking for the deer Ryan asked if we could again go sit that evening. Mom was headed to Fargo for last minute Christmas shopping, so I said I didn't think it'd work unless Ryan could convince Morgan to hunt in -7 temps with -25 degree windchills (Sunday was miserable!) Ryan immediately went to work on Morgan. About 15 minutes later she came to me and asked, "Do we have to hunt today, Daddy?" "Nope", I answered. No way I was going to try force her to and wreck her day and maybe even her interest in hunting in the future. However, Ryan kept on it and he finally convinced her that we could get her toe and hand warmers, use a heater, and we'd bring all of the snacks she would want. She agreed to it and so did I.

At 4:30 I told Ryan "It's just about deer-thirty." He thought that was really funny! About five minutes later a yearling doe came out. She walked right in front of us and offered a 15 yard shot. I didn't pass it up and made good on the chip shot this time. I hit about two inches behind where I aimed, but the blood trail looked great.

We took up the trail.

I walked behind the kids as they followed the blood trail. At one point I stopped to fiddle with my camera and asked the kids to stop. As I messed with my camera, I heard the crinkle of the kids jackets and heard Ryan say to Morgan, "I love you, Morgan." Morgan responded "I love you too, Ryan." I turned and snapped a quick picture.

One day later, my new favorite bowhunting moment of the year. They're usually scrapping like a cat and a dog, but this was a pretty great moment for their dad.

We tracked the deer another 40 yards and found it in the snow and trees.

This last picture is not the hero shot I had in mind when the year started. However, it's the one that'll go in a frame and will stay with me for the rest of my life. Maybe the 2013 bowhunting season wasn't so bad afterall.

[DonBo]

A great ending to a frustarting year. Congrats Scoot, and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

[Mr Special]

beautiful story,

even tho you had a tough season, that picture looks like a perfect season to me.

cant wait til i get my little one out there with me as well.

Kudos, on gettin the lil ones into the sport.

Ryan,

should need to pursue a career in marketing/sales, sounds like he can sell ice cubes to Eskimos =D

[Coach1310]

Awesome Scoot!! Nothing better than having the kids with. The first deer I shot with my oldest with, I was so excited he was there I kept shaking and hugging him! He looked at me like I was ready for the nuthouse!! Kudos to you for sharing it with your kids and hearing the things your kids say, kudos to you for doing so many things right in raising them! You don't hear brothers and sisters say "I love you" much anymore. They are all too busy in their own worlds! I can already see the flyers for Scoot's Sibling Connection Camp..... archery shooting, bowhunting, camping and other outdoor activities!!!

Congrats again.

[monstermoose78]

Way to go Scoot!!

[CANOPY SAM]

Great replay Scoot! We can learn an awful lot from our kids, if we just take the time to listen! Love that last pic!

[mwal]

I'd call that an Awesome Deer and adventure for the kids. Yes that is a photo to cherish. Your son also got to see that not everything goes as planned in hunting either. You do your best to recover the animal and move on. I bet they will be telling everyone about the hunt at Christmas gatherings. I remember the excitement of both my boys 1st deer as if it happened today. 15 years really flies by.I really enjoy following your adventures and all the great photo's. Please keep recording your adventures for us guys that can't go on those strenuous trips. Soon enough you will have company with you on those trips.

Have a Merry Christmas

Mwal

[NoWiser]

Congrats on a great end to a tough season, Scoot.

Merry Christmas to you and your family

[harvey lee]

Scoot, the kid's will remember it all of thier lives, that is a very successful season.

I know how much Ryan loves to come to the ranch and hunt also. That's really what it is all about as I am sure you are aware.

Congrats on the doe and look at the smile on the kid's faces.

I got the pleasure of taking my 12 year old granddaughter out during the youth season and she shot a nice 8. That deer was larger than any of the book bucks I have shot. Could not have been prouder of her after she dropped the buck in it's tracks.

[BryanL]

Great read. Sounds like you had a really great end to a horrible season.

[pumper317]

No better trophy picture than that scoot! Great story, and great times with your kids... The rest was tough, but good things come to those that wait ended this year for you in the form of 2 little I love you'd and a great picture!

Congrats on spreading the love of the outdoors with your kids. They look like they had a blast:-)

[paceman]

Awesome story and pictures Scoot! Merry Christmas to you!

[Shu]

Great story and pics!! Thanks for sharing

[Scott M]

Nice job Scoot. I had a similar fall but haven't gotten around to writing it up. I have notes from my tent from my big trip. My fall felt like a letdown but I did save face by getting one for the freezer.

[SmellEsox]

Nice way to end a tough year. Great kids! I've definitely been on the receiving end of what seemed like an unsuccessful year. But when you look back at the memories, it wasn't so bad. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[sticknstring]

I'd cherish an evening like that over a big buck any day - that's a pic to hang proudly - congrats & Merry Christmas!

[LABS4ME]

Success isn't always measured by tags punched, meat in the freezer and horns on the wall... knowing your children love you is success that can not be equalled in the hunting world. I'd trade knowing my children love me and them knowing how much I love them over any buck... in fact, given the choice of only one, I'd give up ever shooting another nice buck to have the love of my children.

I think your story needs only one minor edit... The last picture is a 'HERO' shot. The hero is the man in the picture. If you don't believe me, ask the two smiling kids in it with him!

Wishing you much success in your off season and a fantastic new season in 2014! As in the birth of Jesus at Christmas, so goes the birth of many new great things for each of us!

Merry Christmas!

Ken

[HunterLee]

Good job and glad to see you get it done.

Hate to say it but to get it done with kids is by far the hardest thing to do and most people don't take the time and effort.

It just may be the spark that burns into your kids that makes them life long hunters.

On a side note deer in the area have been a little weird this year, not sure what the deal has been.

[Odonata]

Good read, Great memories.

[Scoot]

Thanks guys- I appreciate all of the kind words. It was fun time with the kids for sure. Hopefully next year Ryan will be able to shoot a deer of his own- we'll see. I'm not sure if he'll be ready in terms of shooting or in terms of where I want him to be developmentally to take a big game animal. Time will tell.

For Christmas my parents gave my wife and me a pillow with the following saying embroidered on it: To be in your children's future memories, you have to be in their lives today. This thread reminded me of that saying.

Merry Christmas to all! I hope you had a great Christmas and enjoy the holiday weekend ahead!

[1eyeReD]

Awesome! Way to stick to it. The kids' smiles are what it's all about!!

[rkhinrichs]

PRICELESS!

[huntnfish]

That's awesome, Scoot! I'm sure it meant a lot to the kids and I'm sure they'll go to school and tell their friends that they got to help find dad's deer.

Way to stick it out. It sounds like Ryan's quite the salesman.

If you ever need help tracking up there, you've got my number. Don't hesitate to call if you need help finding an animal. Again, congrats.

[slimngrizzly]

That's Awesome Scoot! At least you can recognize whats really impotant and make the most of it! We can ALL see that!

[Wanderer]

Best post of the year as far as I'm concerned.