Yay it’s Spring….

As Daylight hours increased as did opportunity , this post is hopefully going to cover my preparation for a trip to the US hunting Whitetails…

I had been told my shots would be close, less than 30 yards, either from a Tree Stand or a Ground blind, my experience from hunting out of trees is not great so there I was 20 feet up arrow loaded and clad in veil , my preparation for this trip would be hands on, I don’t want to travel 13000 kilometres for nothing , I want to be ready and dialled in with confidence…

As evening wore on and I started to wonder if this caper was going to work with about five minutes of daylight left out they came, Fallow—wary little buggers wide eyed and nervous like they knew something was up . I can say right now it is boring as anything waiting for several hours in a tree but when there are deer right around you 15–25 yards away and you are above them it is real exciting, so close you hear all the sounds they make, my pulse was rattling my ribcage so much I was scared they were going to hear the bongos going on…

When the deer came in and I had my shot, I drew and held concentrating on one spot and nothing else, before I even knew what happened the arrow was gone deer took off in all directions–the shot felt honest and I was confident, fortunately I had the whole thing on film as my little camera was rolling the whole time, with shaking hands I searched the thumbnail and hit play watching it all again and in slow mo gave me the confidence to grab  my gear and clamber down the big old Totara tree ..

  

The Young Fallow was easily found, a perfect eater any deer 11 months old is good for the freezer but Fallow is something special. Fine grain and good flavour you can steak most cuts and its all very tasty….

So the first stage of tree stand training went well my deer was in the chiller and I had a little confidence from shooting from an elevated position. Over the next three weeks my practise will intensify the next blog will be about my training and preparation, a program I have been coached into by a professional bowhunter.

My favourite bit of kit for treestand hunting is the Veil facemask made by Buff, it’s essential to cover your face when so close to deer, and it works great keeping the slight evening chill off your gills, it’s versatility and comfort will bring confidence, I wont hunt without it now ..

My Young Fallow was very tasty melt in your mouth material…