Hunting Staycation

By now, most of us that put in for draw tags are either empty handed or eagerly awaiting a fall or winter adventure. For many that means hunting land in our home state that has limited or no access without one of these tags. In my home state of Oklahoma there are a few of these tags I would consider to be at the very top of everyone’s list. For any big game hunter, the once in a lifetime bull elk hunt in the Wichita Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma is the pinnacle. Not to mention that most don’t realize
you can hunt elk in Oklahoma, these hills hold many bulls over 300” and easily satisfy the “once in a lifetime” limit.

While I missed out on an elk tag for the 7 th year in a row, I am not empty handed. I landed the #2 hunt on my list, the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant tag. This is where the whitetail that dreams are made of roam year after year. There is a “Ten Most Wanted” list posted on Facebook and the constant game cam eye candy that floods your social media feed is enough to make anyone drool. But there is a catch, something this good must have a catch… traditional archery equipment only. Low tech, no sights, just
you, a bow and an arrow… and giant deer.

So, I am now seeing the error in my ways, but in my mind, I was always going to use drawing this tag as an excuse to get another bow. After practicing for the last month, I realize 5 months of practice may not be enough. I am currently consuming all the instruction on YouTube and other websites and magazines to get my skill level to a place where I can ethically kill a dream whitetail. I have spent as much time prying arrows out of my wooden fence as I have pulling arrows out of the bullseye, and maybe more time with the fence, but I am having a great time. It’s a new toy and I’m developing a new skill, just a few of the things that make hunting great.

As for equipment, I went with Southwest Archery’s Tiger Shark at 62” and 45# draw weight as well as the Gold Tip Traditional Classic arrows with a total weight of 520 gr. I added beaver tail fur x 2 for silencers and had the arrows cut for my draw length.  Currently I am using 3 fingers below the arrow to get closer to my sightline but still experimenting with anchor points on my face. The feel of traditional archery equipment is quite different from a compound, but I am looking forward to the added challenge this fall.

Look into your own state’s controlled hunts or draw tags, there are some pretty great reasons to hunt to travel.  Try something new this season, try archery, black powder, lever action, or go upland hunting with a 28 gauge instead of a 12 gauge.  Doing something different might just renew the excitement of your first time.