The doldrums of the first part of the deer season were at hand.
After eight times up a tree, I had yet to lay eyes on a deer. I thought to myself, "Well, I can't miss one if a deer doesn't show up."
But this scenario was being played out all over western Louisiana among the bowhunters. Every once in a while, they were getting lucky, but few hunters were in the woods this early.
Only the diehards were hunting in the hot weather and mosquitoes like myself, Dave Miller, twins Alvin and Calvin Cooley, along with Kade Jones and Johnny Scott from the prestigious EMT Hunting Club.
But still, no one had scored a deer with a bow.
Food plots were picked clean, feeders were eaten empty, while the ground around them looked like barnyards of deer tracks. But the elusive "Bambi" were nocturnal and gave us all the slip.
I know the rest of the bowhunters had good intentions as Mike LeBlanc at Star Gun and Archery was burning the midnight oil keeping up with custom bow and arrow orders. Not only that, but the crossbows, newly legalized, were selling like hot cakes, along with the new single shot primitive weapon rifles we have been talking about.
Still, no deer on Saturday morning as I climbed down from the 20-foot perch in the pine tree. I was trimming a few limbs around the stand area when I saw Dave Miller walking down the trail toward me, with a cheshire cat grin on his face he was trying to hold back.
"Okay," I said. "Did you shoot something?"
"Yes," he said, offering no explanation and fishing for more enthusiasm from me.
I thought to myself, "He wants me to skin another deer as usual."
"Buck or doe," I asked.
"Crow," he said.
"You shot a crow with a bow and arrow. How in the heck did you do that?"
Yes, a head shot on a crow at 12 yards.
For the experienced hunter, such a feat is about one step from absolutely impossible. In comparison, a wild turkey is one of the most wary game animals on earth, but a student of Miller's, young Kade Jones, made a head shot on Louisiana's first wild turkey with a bow by a youth hunter.
No doubt, Dave gave Kade the insight to make such a shot, which was also in the head, but from about 17 yards. This I know because I called in the turkey.
But a crow is four times smaller than a turkey and as close as I have ever been to them, they always spot, even if I'm dead still and in full camo.
Nevertheless, an unsuspecting crow landed right in front of Dave's ground blind. The quick aim of a grand master of the mystical flight of the arrow with a vintage Mathews compound bow and an aluminum arrow, tipped with the deadly little slick trick broad head that we have found really do shoot just like a field point.
"Quote the raven, never more."
Crows are not good to eat and are considered varmints in Louisiana. They may be taken after the opening of dove season by whatever method is open at the time (usually a shotgun on the fly).
But nobody hunts crows with a bow and arrow because it's just too difficult. Dave is not fond of crows, having a lifelong vendetta with them as they are detrimental to many other species of song birds and game, especially wild turkeys.
So shoot a crow, save a turkey is his motto. Not too bad an idea.
Also, no one ever gets a crow mounted, so the look on Mr. Watson's face was one of dismay, not at the fantastic shot or the trophy, but at the fact it was a head shot.
Watson's Taxidermy is famous for bird mounts, so a crow with a crew cut probably won't win any prizes. Nevertheless, Dave was determined to display the mount and Watson will most likely make him look natural.
Another $175 for youth education.
Such an impossible shot should be celebrated as a trophy. Dave said the crow was as surprised as he was.
Nevertheless, it is true and is a lasting reminder of the skill required in hunting with a bow and arrow.
Dave tells the kids, "If you want a real challenge and adventure, try bowhunting."
Pass it on.
John Simeone is an outdoors writer for Louisiana Road Trips Magazine, along with being a member of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. He can be reached by e-mail at fptopgun@bellsouth.net.
Leesville, La. —
