The Romeo and Juliet Hunt of 2008

On November 15, 2008, I had the opportunity to go into the woods for my second to last hunting day of the regular bow hunting season. It was really windy and the weather man predicted heavy rains overnight. I was having a tough season; I did not even see a buck while hunting State land. I had one objective for this post; put some venison in the freezer. Ignoring the weather I reluctantly pumped up a tree with my climber. I was setup on the edge of bedding area about 30 yards from the only scrape line I could locate. I had to sit almost the entire hunt because of the gusting wind; I thought to my self what are you doing in the woods on a night like this, the weather outside was frightful. With only about ten minutes left of shooting light; a doe materialized about 30 yards in front of me.

I stood up, she turned broadside, and I drew my bow and shot directly over her back. She did not hear the arrow because of the wind. I nocked another arrow and decided to wait until she was a little closer. At 25 yards, she stopped and with light fading, I drew my bow and let another arrow go and down she went. A perfect hit given the weather and pending rain, I looked up and said what good hunters say at these moments, “thank you God."

With only 5 minutes of light left, I lowered my bow and started down the tree, when I was about half way down the tree a buck came out of the bedding area on my right, he was coming to check the scrape or look for the doe I just shot. I adjusted my tree stand now 10 feet off the ground; I pulled my bow back up the tree. I did not have time to untie the rope from my bow.

I nocked an arrow and waited for the buck to take 1 more step into a shooting lane. Light fading fast and my tree rocking back and forth in the wind the buck stepped into the shooting lane, at full draw, I shot and the buck also went right down. With two deer down and one arrow left, it was now dark, I leaned back to gain my composure, how quickly things can change in the Connecticut hunting woods. With two deer down, my freezer would be full, and one of the most exciting hunts of my life was over.

I called my friend Dave, who answered the phone “Did you get one!” Dave I have a problem, I got 2 deer, and Dave replied “so what’s the problem that’s amazing you are an animal”, I replied “it’s my wife’s birthday tonight and she’s waiting for me to get out of the woods to go to dinner. Dave showed up 15 minutes later with his pick up truck.

Thanks Dave!





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