| Back in the mid '80s, Brad Harris gave me some of | | | | Bow hunting is one of my favorite things, and I do a |
| the best bow hunting advice I've ever received. | | | | lot of it. Each season I see scores of deer I could |
| We had traveled many posterior pinching miles on the | | | | easily down with a rifle, but I haven't even owned |
| backs of stubborn mules across rivers and ridges and | | | | one big enough for deer for about a decade. Nothing |
| up and down steep hills to reach an outfitter's | | | | pushes all my hunting buttons like this primitive |
| remote hunting camp set up deep in the interior of | | | | method. |
| the rugged Devil's Backbone Wilderness Area. | | | | Despite technological advances in bows, it is still a |
| Brad already was one of the most famous hunters in | | | | primitive method that demands you get very close |
| the nation and had recently signed up as the Public | | | | and personal with your target. For a good shot, a |
| Relations Director for Lohman Calls. | | | | deer not only has to be standing relatively broadside |
| That first evening, as I was trying to find a | | | | and in the open, it ideally should be only about 20 or |
| comfortable sitting position, I admitted to Brad that I | | | | 30 yards away. |
| had just taken up bow hunting, and the first thing | | | | There is something special and exciting about invading |
| out of his mouth was: | | | | a deer's space to that degree, and, even if you have |
| "Don't try to hunt trophies right away. You need to | | | | a great bow and can shoot tight groups at a target, |
| develop some confidence in your bow hunting abilities | | | | there are dozens of things that can go wrong during |
| and in what kind of damage an arrow can do before | | | | the frantic moment of truth-and some of them |
| you start waiting for racks. | | | | usually do... |
| "On average, bow hunters only harvest one deer of | | | | I've had a few chances at record book bucks, but |
| any kind for every four years hunted," Brad added. | | | | haven't registered one yet. Mainly that's because I |
| "So even a doe is a trophy to a beginning hunter." | | | | don't hunt in trophy territory, and because I still don't |
| This advice seemed a little strange coming from a | | | | let a lot of does pass while waiting for a |
| man who had gained a wide reputation by collecting | | | | bragging-sized buck. |
| record racks all over the world. | | | | In fact, I've passed up a lot of average to nice bucks |
| I figured I already was a good hunter, so, like many | | | | while opting for a more tender and tasty doe. As a |
| other egotistical mistakes I've made, I didn't take his | | | | group, hunters harvest too many bucks, anyway, |
| advice. Besides, Charlie Farmer, also an accomplished | | | | and I think it is a shame to shoot anything with |
| hunter and outdoor writer sharing camp with us said: | | | | antlers just to say you killed a buck. |
| "You're the kind of lucky guy who'll probably go out | | | | I'd still like to put one on the wall that would make |
| there and kill a big one his first year." | | | | book, but if it happens at this point it will be more |
| Well, it was three years before I finally got close | | | | luck than design. |
| enough to a buck with a big rack to even try a shot. | | | | It's really not a big deal to me, anymore. What I love |
| And I got so excited I messed it up. After that, I | | | | most is the fascinating pastime of bow hunting. Even |
| thought about giving it all up. I had sat through a lot | | | | with an attitude of "if it's brown it's down," and a lot |
| of boring hours to reach that one blunder. | | | | of experience to boot, bow hunting still requires a lot |
| But I finally realized that, in the meantime, I had | | | | of solitary hours sitting in a tree before something |
| passed up a lot of good opportunities at does and | | | | happens. |
| average bucks that would have taught me a lot of | | | | I like action. Besides, I still get pretty excited |
| things only experience can prove. Brad's words began | | | | sometimes when a doe comes in and throws a few |
| to haunt me with a sense of humility. | | | | complications in my direction. |
| Even after I changed my attitude and broadened my | | | | I've come to realize there's a lot more to hunting |
| opportunities, I was quite surprised to find that it | | | | that just bragging rights. And, even though Brad |
| took another year to accomplish a kill. After that, | | | | Harris can brag with the best of them, I think he |
| however, the frequency increased until I was taking | | | | knew this all along. |
| up to a half-dozen deer a season. | | | | |