At last!

[WhistlingBadger]

After many years of trying, I finally killed a mule deer with my longbow this morning. This is my first archery big game animal, and my first kill with a primitive bow.

WARNING WARNING WARNING

The following post contains pictures of a dead animal. If you are offended, traumatized, or otherwise all het up over such things, please save yourself the trouble. I'm not trying to start a fight or anything, just sharing a long-coming personal triumph!

[WhistlingBadger]

This is my first archery big game kill, and my first kill of any kind with a primitive bow. 27 yard shot with a black locust longbow and a home-made spruce/turkey feather arrow. Took him right through the heart and he went down fast. Tenderloins for supper at Badger Manor tonight!

IMG_0119.jpg

IMG951260.jpg

[mac]

Never done big game with a bow.
But have done wallaby rabit ducks and goats with bow.

And it's a thrill that's for sure.
Thought about it for wild pigs.
But always go for the knife and fight it man to animal first one down, me or it.

[WhistlingBadger]

But always go for the knife and fight it man to animal first one down, me or it.

Nah, if you're going to go that far, bare hands is the only way. ha ha

[Slaphppy7]

Congrats, Thomas.

[mermaidwannabe]

No problem, here, since you intend to eat the meat. My only problem with hunting is trophy hunters who take antlers and leave the rest of the corpse to rot. If they aren't going to feed themselves or their families or friends with their kill, they shouldn't kill just for a souvenir. But you're okay. I know you aren't wasteful.

[mermaidwannabe]

Who took the photo with you in it holding the arrow? Was the camera set up on a tripod for a timer shot?

[WhistlingBadger]

No problem, here, since you intend to eat the meat. My only problem with hunting is trophy hunters who take antlers and leave the rest of the corpse to rot. If they aren't going to feed themselves or their families or friends with their kill, they shouldn't kill just for a souvenir. But you're okay. I know you aren't wasteful.

Yeah, I'm with you there. That kind of hunting is actually very unusual, and illegal in most places. Even safari hunters in Africa, who are after hides and horns (it being too expensive to ship meat home without it spoiling), donate the meat to local villagers. I guess some bear and predator hunters leave the meat, though all of my friends who hunt bears eat the meat too, and I can say it's delicious! The only antlered game hunters I know of who hunt the way you describe are poachers, and yeah, they tick me off too.

My wife happened to be nearby (weird story about that, which I might get around to telling later) so she snapped the photo for me.

[WhistlingBadger]

(also, I'm not sticking my arrow in the deer's eye, though he wouldn't have minded by this point. Just an unfortunate camera angle)

[BluewaterBoof]

No problem, here, since you intend to eat the meat. My only problem with hunting is trophy hunters who take antlers and leave the rest of the corpse to rot.

That's called "waste of game" and as Tom pointed out is illegal and not all that common, despite what spin the news puts on things with the occasional sensational stories that come out of Africa. Waste of game and similar poaching crimes usually carry felony charges and most hunters don't want to risk picking up felonies because then they can't hunt or even possess firearms. Hunting is actually a pretty emotional thing for most hunters, and they don't take the harvest lightly. Tom probably spent a ridiculous amount of time throughout the year practicing with his bow and arrow to ensure a quick ethical kill with as little suffering as possible, which is worlds different than the mindless raising, abusing, and slaughtering of the millions of cows and poultry that feed the masses who give not a single thought on the life lost to fill their bellies.

Great harvest, Tom, and dang good shot! Right in the boiler. Impressive considering the setup you used. Beautiful animal. Does the Badgerling assist with processing the meat? Did you guys weigh it all out?