My New Target

I made a new target today. Stopped by the garden shop and got a free burlap sack then went to the carpet store and got some carpet padding. Stuffed the sack full and sewed it shut with some string I had in the garage. Some old spray paint and presto! 

 Here is the new target and the one that I have shot so much the arrows are going through the wore out areas.

I have the new one tied to the trapeze bar so it doesn't fall over. I have to keep it away from other objects since the arrows shoot through and stick out the other side. At least it is kind of self healing. I may get it off the ground a little so the swing of it can absorb the energy.

I shot an arrow into the air where it land I know not where

Note to self:     "STICK WITH WHAT GOT A THERE!" 


So today I read a forum about shooting your bow with both eyes open. Sounded logical. I got 4 arrows to hit the target. Number 5 not so much...I am hoping it is lodged in the neighbors tree! I searched and searched but could not find it anywhere! Hopefully its in the tree if not it went across my yard 3 neighbor's yards a two lane road and is in someone else's yard. I still have not heard sirens so no one got hurt, except my wallet that arrow was like $7.00. I think I will keep one eye open looking through the peep. I am getting good at it. 
I also tried out my new wrist sling that my daughter made for me. We learned how to make it on YouTube. So maybe trying two new things at once was too much for me. Hopefully tomorrow all my arrows will hit the mark.


I never did get around to making that new target. But have put the old one back on the ground, I had it tied to the swing set. But after that errant arrow I am shooting low into the dirt if I have too!


I did some scouting Saturday, found a couple of bedding areas and a tree between them (gonna borrow a friend's tree-stand) hopefully I can see a deer or two and get a shot off. Opening day is September 15!!!! 


I also found some new land to hunt today, just have to get permission to get on it. Hopefully the company that is holding the land will say yes! I scoped it out and found what looked like a herd's worth of prints in the mud.Very promising. There's even a deer crossing sign posted on the road so the deer have to cross there! LOL!

Target Time--- FWWTANG.....SWIIFFSH....THUD!!!!!! HUH???

That didn't sound right!

Ok pro shop tech said 'stand about 20 feet from the target and check the left-right of the sight. Don't worry about the up down.'

1,2,3,4....20feet. Nock arrow, draw, hold on loosely, anchor, aim.....release!!! FWWTANG.....SWIIFFSH....THUD!!!!!! ouch.

Ooops!

Hmmm...time for some backyard math:
   70lb draw+12" target +20ft distance= arrow through target and into fence. LOL! Oh yeah and a welt on my forearm like crazy! (Forgot about the hold on loosely part and wham that string slapped me hard.)

That thud concerned me, I went to the target and could not pull out my arrow! Hmmm???? As I pulled the target away from the fence I saw why. I had buried the field point into the wooden fence that the target was leaning against. I had to unscrew the shaft from the tip to get it out! The tip is still in the fence.

So know I have to turn the target long ways so the arrows won't keep lodging into the fence. This gives me a 10 maybe 12 inch wide target to shoot at. GULP!!

Remember?? I have never shot a compound bow before! My first shot hit the fence and raised a welt on my arm, now I have to hit a target a foot wide!

Arrow number 2......Nock arrow, draw, hold on loosely, anchor, aim.....release!!! FWWTANG.....SWIIFFSH....!!!!!! Woo hoo I didn't miss.

That was a week ago, tomorrow I make a new target that I can't shoot through (I hope). My shots are so consistent that I have blasted tunnels throught the styrofoam and the arrows are coming out the other side!

Yeah buddy, deer dropping power!!!

To Bow or not to Bow

I thought I would join the rest of you and lay my life out in cyberspace for all to see and follow!


I thought it would be fun to record the ups and downs of my first attempt at bow-hunting!

So I'll start at the begining...A few years ago I was working construction and had a big dual compound miter saw and a rolling stand. After a left that area of work I decided to try and sell the saw on a local website.

No luck, no one wanted to buy it. :-(

So, I decided to try and trade it for something. I was able to trade it for a handgun! It was cool!

.17 caliber Taurus, yep smaller than a .22 but BANG that thing was L-O-U-D !!! So I shot a couple of handfuls of ammo through it but it wasn't really something that I wanted or could use.

So ...I set off to the web again...and was able to trade it for a flat bottom jon boat with a trolling motor and battery. Nice trade I thought.

Ya know, Fishing out of a boat is much better when someone else owns/drives the boat.

So... I decided I didn't need the boat!  Back to the web I went....and traded the boat for a shotgun!!    Woot! ;-)

Nice ain't it!?! Now I'm ready to start my career in deer hunting......Not so fast...there aren't too many areas around my house that I can shoot a shotgun! :-(

Then I got an idea. I was reading in a sporting magazine about a guy that was bow-hunting on a small strip of land between a neighborhood and some soccer fields!

Genius!!!

There are a slew of deer near my house in big wooded areas nestled between several subdivisions.

So... back to the web I go, (ain't the internet grand!)...This time I traded the shotgun for a compound bow with a case, trigger release, fiber optic sight, drop away arrow rest and three arrows with broad tip heads!!!!! Rock and roll baby!!

One problem..I have never shot a compound bow!!  :-o 

Off to the pro-shop I go just to make sure this bow is going to hold up and do what it's supposed to!!! After several impatient trips to the pro shop I was able to bring my new bow, with some new arrows and arrow heads and a short stop at Wally-world for a styrofoam target, home!!

Honestly i do not think I have been this excited about anything in a while!