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Zack's Buck - Archery Hunting

Zack's First Deer With Bow & Arrow

I had thought back of the last two years; of trying to get Zack into bow hunting as I approached Zack's buck. Archery hunting is a great way to introduce young deer hunter's into the great sport of deer hunting. In any northern climates, like Minnesota, while archery hunting; the weather is much more comfortable for any hunter. When introducing young hunters to deer hunting, it is especially important that they have an enjoyable and memorable experience. Comfort is one of the keys in keeping a young deer hunter enthused about the sport of deer hunting. Cold weather, real cold weather, can zap a young hunters enthusiasm real quick. This hunting comfort, combined with successfully harvesting a trophy deer (every deer is a trophy), will go a lone way to keep that young deer hunter, hunting year after year. A good way to do this, is to introduce a young deer hunter into the sport of archery hunting.

Getting Zack Started

Zach; age 15, my great nephew, has been deer hunting for 4 years now. He started deer hunting at the age of 12. Before that I think he dreamt and salivated about deer hunting for about - 11 years. I kid you not. This kid was fired up. The first day of his second year of deer hunting was cold. On my farm in northern Minnesota we had about 4 inches of snow on the ground and it was cold. I was concerned for him. How cold was it? It was -16 degrees below zero (with out any wind chill figured in). That's cold for any one (for any one who doesn't have to deal with server cold, think of it this way; at that temperature I can climb into my 26 cubic foot freezer to warm up by 16 degrees, you might say "just to take the chill off). Zack was amazing; he hunted all day, and stayed reasonably comfortable in the cold weather gear his dad Kurt had outfitted him in. Thinking back; I think he harvested a doe or button buck that weekend. I knew Zack would enjoy bow hunting. I decided to plant the seed about archery hunting. Both; Zack and his dad Kurt (my sister Nancy's oldest son), know I'm an avid bow hunter. In the past, Kurt had hunted with bow. But in recent years work and family have gobbled up any extra recreational time he may have had (archery hunters know what I'm talking about). Zack has had the opportunity to shoot bow and arrow off and on while visiting our farm the last couple of years. He enjoyed it. We (myself and Scott; a nephew who has shot many trophy book whitetails with bow) wanted to get Zack into archery hunting. We knew he would take to it like a duck to water.

Opportunity Knocks

It was mid-October of 2006. Kurt and Zack had spent a weekend at my farm bird-hunting, working on hunting stand sites, sighting in rifles, shooting bow, 4-wheeling, and having other recreational fun.

The week before, I had harvested a nice doe while archery hunting; it was ageing in my garage. It got Zack fired up along with the other activities. Just as they were leaving to go home, I asked Kurt if I could start Zack bow hunting a few days before our rifle season opened. Kurt said he would check with mom and the school schedule. Kurt then called me on Halloween; Tuesday, October 31 to say it was OK to take Zack bow hunting with me.

Lets Go Bow Hunting

Great; we left on Wednesday morning for the farm. When we got to the farm around noon, Zack started practicing immediately with one of my back-up bows I set him up with. We bow hunted that evening from stand sites about 400 yards apart. We both saw deer, but no shot opportunities. Thursday was very similar; seeing deer, but nothing close enough to shoot an arrow at. Friday morning was exciting; the peak of the rut was approaching, we were seeing deer, and rifle season was about to open. Kurt was taking the day off from work and was coming up that morning. My son Leif was coming up that evening after work to rifle hunt on Saturday. My wife and daughter, Jeanne and Kirsten, were also coming up that evening. I expected other family members to show up too. Hunting camp was coming together!

Zack's Buck

Leaving for our hunting stands at 0 dark 30, I told Zack I would call him about 09:30 on our walkie-talkies to check in: There again; to keep it fun and comfortable, I wanted to see if he would be interested in a breakfast break. I called him. "How are you doing?" I asked. A response came back- "I got one!" I said "What?", "I got one." He said faintly. I said "repeat,- over". Nothing, no response from him. I said "Zack, what did you say, did you say you got one?" "Yes." He said. I called him back and asked him where he was. He said he was by the "throne" stand. I said "wait there, I'm only a couple hundred yards from you." I hurried to that stand. Zack was there with a great big smile on his face. I said "Did you get one; what did you shoot, and where is it?" He said: "It is a 7 pointer, and it is by the ladder stand in Hartman's (woods). I said, "we need to call your dad (Kurt)." He said he did, and his dad was on his way. I asked him if he had field dressed it yet, and he said no. I said lets go call your dad and see where he is. I said, "if he'll be here soon we'll wait for him." We did; and Kurt said he would get to the farm within an hour. So we waited and he told me the story.

Two Bucks

Zack said he had been in his stand about 45 minutes when he saw 2 deer approaching at a fast walk. As they got closer, he saw that the front buck was a decent 7 pointer, fallowed by a spike. The 7 pointer had his nose to the ground and was making grunting sounds. He was obviously on a hot doe trail. Zack said it happen so fast; he drew on the front one, shot, and hit him at 17 yards. A spine shot. The arrow dropped the buck right there. The buck tried to get up, dragging his back legs. Zack nocked another arrow and let it fly in all the excitement. This arrow deflected on a limb and hit a tree. Zack nocked another arrow, his last with a broadhead on it. He let fly again. Just as he released the arrow the buck dropped to it's knees and guess where the arrow hit? That's right, the same spot as the other arrow, in it's spine. Zack took a few minutes and tried to settled down a little. In a few moments he gathered his hunting gear, lowered his bow, and climbed down from his ladder hunting stand. By this time the buck was motion-less, and not going anywhere. Zack went back to the farm house to call his dad to let him that he had shot his first buck with a bow.

Congratulations Zack

How exciting for Zack. He is 15 years old. He shot his first trophy deer, on his third day of ever deer hunting with a bow. Do you think he is hooked on archery hunting? Sorry Kurt; your sons deer hunting season just went from 3 to 9 days to 3 1/2 months.