Season Overview

So as you can see once the season arrived my life became hurried and I did not keep up with my Blog as often as I had wanted to. The following is an overview of my Archery season for 2009. I saw 1 spike Buck, Missed one 6 point at 15 yards because of a big and heavy winter coat the string hit my sleeve at the elbow then missed a nice long beard at 18&20 yards with two arrows for the same reason, saw a fawn crawlnig on the back of its mom, another doe bedded along the road while doing the mail, two doe bedded on posted ground, one doe the first morning too far, and shot my young buck early in the season. All in all it was an eventfull season. Though I am a trad archer- now its time to take down the old .270 and feed the family. That little buck is already eaten.

Well here he is, Found him (button buck) at 9:00 Am yesterday after hitting him right before dark on Monday night. So proud of my first Trad Archery Deer. Incidentally he is already butchered and in the freezer, We ate back straps for supper last night and they were the best tasteing I have ever had. :)

Hit one!!!!

Well what an exciting night. Ate supper with the family at 4:20 PM. Got quickly dressed and gave my beautiful wife a kiss. As I was leaving I said to her, get the pan ready well have back straps in one hour. She just laughed at me and said "yeah, ok" in her semi optimistic tone. As I left I began to think, should I go on one of these mountains or to the farm. So I just keep driving and end up at the property of one of the best men I have ever met. Mr. H. Arrived at 4:55 Pm. Entered the woods and found a place to sit with some sign. Sat for 15 minutes and felt that maby I should move. Then moved about 60 yards and found a rub line on the opposite side of the tree from the corn field, "they must come up this way"? Sat down for 10 minutes and hit the can 1x then 30 seconds later again, waited another 5 minutes and here sneaks a doe right to me. Draw and miss with the recurve at about 18 yards, she runs back a few paces and looks around then procedes cautiously toward me again as I am pulling my 2nd arrow out of the quiver. Now got the nerves under control, thinking to my self, Pap always said, "If they are coming toward you let them get as close as possible" Now with arrow knocked and deer at about 10 yards she stops and looks at me. Quartering toward me I am looking at her front right shoulder, I steady the bow and look at a small spot on the shoulder - not aiming the arrow just concentrating on where I want to hit I let her rip. The doe sees all of this and turns left as the arrow makes that ole familiar percussive plop into the rib cage. She blots past me and I see the arrow sticking through the rib cage and portruding out the other side. Big red blotch of blood on her side, I am elated, first deer with the recurve I begin thanking God. She runs 25 yarda and stops, dizzied like a drunk she sways as if this is it then takes off running again. Not so light on hoof this time. I go and mark the blood then back out to tell Mr. H. We come back 20 minutes after the shot and begin to look but its getting dark, He tells me to come back in the morning and find her. Baby sitter will be here in 50 minutes and I am going to get my deer. WIll have pictures when I do. Best of luck to all of you!

PA First Day October 3, 2009

Hi I am Jess Hadfield, and I am beginning this blog as a tribute to all who pursue Pennsylvania's game animals with a stick and string. I will be posting pictures, as well as stories of my time afield here in Central Pennsylvania. It is my wish that these stories can bring some enjoyment and possibly a forum of knowledge to you my fellow sportsmen.