Ragtimes2k

by Richard A Grachus
(Phoenix, AZ)

I'm an old retired guy from Arizona. We are able to get a crossbow permit with a doctor's recommendation. My arthritis had gotten to the point that I couldn't practice with my compound bow to be reliable.

I purchased a Horton Legacy 225 Pkg from Cabelas. I took it to the Ben Avery Shooting Range outside of Phoenix and got my bow zero'd in. Powerful bow. Lots of questions. What kind of broadhead to use? Will the mechanical broadhead open with the kinetic energy of a plus 300 ft per second shot? I settled on the Muzzy fixed blade. I will also be using a outhouse ground blind.

The area that I will be hunting is in the Rim country of Arizona. The Mogolon Rim is an escarpment that pushes up out of the surrounding 5,000 ft elevation to over 7,000 ft.

A great place to be in Arizona in the summer. I fished and scouted the area and had this small herd of mule deer that I became familiar with. Always seemed to see them.

Archery season opens in August and about a week before opening I put the ground blind out in the spot I choose. I've been shooting my crossbow every so often to stay familiar with it and the day before the "opener", I put 3 bolt in the X ring at 47 yds.

Opening morning. At the blind before sunup. I put "doe in estrus" out about 20 yds. We have a late rut - Dec) here in AZ, but I figured "It's got to create some interest". All of a sudden, you have all of the bucks with "woodies", that's some interest. I settled into my blind. On one of my "lean forward to look at the blind spots", I see this deer with his nose to the ground about 20 yds out. Shit. I failed to open up the windows far enough to shoot, the Horton is a big Xbow.

I slowly eased the zippers down. Looked up. He's gone. Glassing around I see him about 100 yds away. Nothing to do but wait and see. Pretty soon, here he comes at a dogtrot. Then pulls up next to this tree that's 43 yds away. I eased up and took my shot.

My Muzzy broadhead had gone through a double layer of the folded down window. Where the bolt went I never found out. The deer took off like a shot.

This is not a story of a successful hunt and perhaps not even an enjoyable hunt, but I certainly enjoyed it. I learned at lot. Even at 73 years old or maybe because of it. That's my story.

Ragtimes2k