2006 was a magical year for Nate Altfeather. In October Nate shot his first bow buck. The story has many elements of luck! The days before Nate had seen does moving through the woods at the same time each night. Having never shot a deer before with a bow Nate was excited to move his stand to the route the does were taking. He climbed the stand and set his watch to remind him to get ready 5 minutes before the does would come into the woods. At the correct time Nate picked up his bow and stood up, preparing to get a shot. Just as he was standing he saw the legs of a deer just 20 yards away under some brush! He thought "finally I'm going to get a shot" but instead of the does walking out, a beautiful buck stepped into the clearing. When the buck passed behind a tree Nate drew back. At 15 yards the buck spotted Nate and stopped quartering towards Nate staring directly at him! There was a tiny branch right in the way of the deer's vitals, Nate waited and waited for the deer to take a step forward as high arm grew tired. Eventually Nate could sense the buck was about to turn around 180 degrees so the time was "now or never". He let the arrow fly despite the small branch. The arrow hit true and the 10 pt buck went only 30 yards before dropping! The buck weighed 204 pounds dressed!
The gun season turned out to be exiting too as Nate missed the opening weekend feeling he had already scored a great deer for the year. He didn't return to hunt until the second weekend of gun season. He sat in a tree overlooking the cattails and had an 80 yard shot at the deer above on the right. He could only see the throat and head of the deer in the cat tails. He steady his scoped 20ga on a branch and took a shot. The deer disappeared. Unsure weather he had hit the buck or cleanly missed, Nate was extactic to find the deer dropped right where he shot. Another 10pt!!
Nate also shot his first and only Turkey this spring. How will he ever top the the 2006-2007 season?