Indiana Hunter Takes First Deer with Recurve Bow
After four years of practicing with her recurve bow, Lesley Snider confidently hunted with it this season. In early October, the mother of two successfully harvested her first deer from a tree stand on private land.
Snider, who lives in Trafalgar, south of Indianapolis, began shooting a recurve bow with her family’s guidance. Participating in local archery tournaments helped her become a more skilled and self-assured archer. She shared with Outdoor Life that she always envisioned hunting with a traditional bow but wanted to wait until she felt prepared.
“I wanted to ensure I had the confidence and skills to shoot at a live animal before taking the recurve bow out,” Snider explains. “For me to feel confident in making a good shot, the deer needed to be close, within 30 yards or less. I had seen many deer over the years but didn’t have the opportunity to shoot at one until the afternoon of October 8 on my family’s land in Brown County.”
That day, around 2 p.m., Snider climbed into a ladder stand overlooking a food plot surrounded by timber. Sitting 20 feet above the ground with limited cell service, she settled in to observe squirrels and an occasional wild turkey in the distance. Several hours later, her patience paid off when she spotted her first deer of the day.
“Two small deer entered the food plot late in the afternoon,” she recalls. “They spent about an hour there and then bedded down about 40 yards away.”
Since they were beyond her comfort zone, Snider patiently observed the deer until a larger doe appeared. The doe came within 23 yards of Snider as it emerged from the timber and headed for the field. Initially, a tree obstructed her shot, but she adjusted her position and found an opening.
“I shifted slightly on the ladder to get a clear view,” Snider says. “Then, I focused on a spot behind the doe’s shoulder, drew my bow, anchored it in the corner of my mouth, and released the arrow.”
The carbon arrow hit the doe’s spine, and the fixed-blade broadhead performed its task, instantly dropping the deer. Snider promptly called her husband and father-in-law, who arrived with a truck to help field dress the doe. The trio proudly transported Snider’s first deer to her father-in-law’s barn, where they butchered and processed the venison.
“I decided this year would be my year,” Snider shares. “But I still can’t believe I successfully shot my first deer with a recurve bow.”
“I decided this year would be my year,” Snider shares. “But I still can’t believe I successfully shot my first deer with a recurve bow.”
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.