Eastmans.com - Eastmans' Hunting Journals

A First of Many

May/June 2012 EBJ (Issue 71) - It was already a week into the archery antelope season, and just before sunrise on a Saturday morning, when my dad and I crawled into our blind. We were hunting near a windmill with a round water tank 25 yards away. I had my binoculars, and was looking around for any sign of life as the sun began cresting over the horizon. I soon spotted antelope in the distance and the anticipation started to mount. Lying by my side was my bow with four arrows in the quiver. This was my first time to hunt with a bow, and I was filled with excitement knowing there was a great buck using this water on a regular basis.

It was around 9:00 a.m. when I seen the antelope I had been waiting for. My dad and I had spotted him weeks prior to my hunt while out scouting. The buck’s horns had big prongs and lots of mass, earning the name "Forwards”. He was a definite shooter.

As he began his approach to the water, I slipped on my release and knocked an arrow with hopes of getting a shot.