Post by jordanffemt on Aug 28, 2012 18:23:56 GMT -5
I received this email from a member of The Brotherhood the other day, and have read it a few times. Each time I do, I get chills down my spine. When I get to the end, man, I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t fighting back tears. But I had to share it with y’all. It is a testament to why we go into the woods, why we fight for our hunting rights and why we are so pumped for this season. It is a reminder that we are not only out there to collect bones, and that our opportunities to experience the outdoors can be stripped from us in the blink of an eye. Thank you Lou for passing on this story which we can all learn a lesson from. A lesson of perseverance and not to take anything for granted. So here is the email, straight from my inbox and into your hearts:
Michael,
First, I want to thank you for the Carbon Element Bow I won at the Bone Collector Bash. It is a really great bow. Previously I have been shooting a Mathews Switchback and although they both have their advantages, the Hoyt Carbon Element bow has it all over the Switchback when it comes to penetration and kinetic energy. The Switchback pulls back quite a bit easier and smoother, but I would prefer the Hoyt over the Mathews any day.
I was really looking forward to the 2011 bow season, but unfortunately my cancer had other ideas. A few days before the season started I found out that my cancer had returned to the lymph nodes in my chest. I ended up at one point in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, New York. I needed emergency radiation treatments to keep me alive…19 of them to be exact. Then I rebounded back once again. It seems like I have a habit of doing that, thank the Lord. My family is so supportive of me that they keep me alive and fighting for survival. I am so grateful to them.
Two days before the bow season ended my oncologist asked me what was the matter? She said I seemed down in the dumps when I went in for a treatment. I told her that I live for this time of year when I can go hunting with my son and brothers, but that was just not going to happen this year. Plus the fact I had a brand new bow that I wanted to break in and harvest my first deer with, which brings me to my story.
She asked me if I thought I could get to my hunting stand, and I asked her "Is the Pope Catholic?"… "Do trees have leaves?”… “Of course I can make it to my stand!” So she gave me her blessing to go out the last two afternoons of the season.
The first day I went with my son Robert. It felt so good to be out there with nature. I felt like a million dollars. Unfortunately, we didn't see any deer but had an excellent time anyway. The second afternoon had a little better ending.
I went out with my younger brother, Kelly, who is also my long time hunting partner. At about 4:10 pm, a spike horn walked past my stand followed by a nice, big doe. She would be coming home with me was my initial thought.
Not realizing how weak I had gotten from all the radiation I had received, I went to pull my Carbon Element back and I was shocked when I could barely budge the string. I looked around to see what I could use for assistance to get that bow drawn, because now it became an obsession to harvest that big doe.
I had my bow holder above my head and put the handle of the bow in back of it. Then I pulled that bowstring for all I was worth. After a true struggle I managed to get the bow drawn, which at that point was a major accomplishment. I scooted myself into a shooting position and the doe gave me a perfect quartering away shot. The arrow struck her in the rib cage and exited the opposite shoulder. She went about 80 yards and expired.
My brother was in another stand about 100 to 150 yards from me. He sent me a text, “What did you just shoot?" I sent him back a text, "What do you mean?”
"I heard the arrow hit the deer," was his next text. I called him and told him, "Yes, I just shot one and he was there in a flash. We tracked her, and let me tell you, after all that, she may as well been an 8 pointer. I was overcome by the whole scenario and tears were streaming down my face.
My brother said, “What are you crying for?” I explained to him all that was involved for me to shoot that animal and he put his arms around me and told me how proud he was of me through this whole cancer ordeal. So my new bow was christened and I have another lifetime memory. Thank the Lord.
I am doing rather well right now and hope to see you in Harrisburg once again. Hopefully, you will have a chance to read this, and will realize what a happy person I am. I want to thank you once again for the bow. See you out in the woods.....
Respectfully,
Lou Taylor
Michael,
First, I want to thank you for the Carbon Element Bow I won at the Bone Collector Bash. It is a really great bow. Previously I have been shooting a Mathews Switchback and although they both have their advantages, the Hoyt Carbon Element bow has it all over the Switchback when it comes to penetration and kinetic energy. The Switchback pulls back quite a bit easier and smoother, but I would prefer the Hoyt over the Mathews any day.
I was really looking forward to the 2011 bow season, but unfortunately my cancer had other ideas. A few days before the season started I found out that my cancer had returned to the lymph nodes in my chest. I ended up at one point in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, New York. I needed emergency radiation treatments to keep me alive…19 of them to be exact. Then I rebounded back once again. It seems like I have a habit of doing that, thank the Lord. My family is so supportive of me that they keep me alive and fighting for survival. I am so grateful to them.
Two days before the bow season ended my oncologist asked me what was the matter? She said I seemed down in the dumps when I went in for a treatment. I told her that I live for this time of year when I can go hunting with my son and brothers, but that was just not going to happen this year. Plus the fact I had a brand new bow that I wanted to break in and harvest my first deer with, which brings me to my story.
She asked me if I thought I could get to my hunting stand, and I asked her "Is the Pope Catholic?"… "Do trees have leaves?”… “Of course I can make it to my stand!” So she gave me her blessing to go out the last two afternoons of the season.
The first day I went with my son Robert. It felt so good to be out there with nature. I felt like a million dollars. Unfortunately, we didn't see any deer but had an excellent time anyway. The second afternoon had a little better ending.
I went out with my younger brother, Kelly, who is also my long time hunting partner. At about 4:10 pm, a spike horn walked past my stand followed by a nice, big doe. She would be coming home with me was my initial thought.
Not realizing how weak I had gotten from all the radiation I had received, I went to pull my Carbon Element back and I was shocked when I could barely budge the string. I looked around to see what I could use for assistance to get that bow drawn, because now it became an obsession to harvest that big doe.
I had my bow holder above my head and put the handle of the bow in back of it. Then I pulled that bowstring for all I was worth. After a true struggle I managed to get the bow drawn, which at that point was a major accomplishment. I scooted myself into a shooting position and the doe gave me a perfect quartering away shot. The arrow struck her in the rib cage and exited the opposite shoulder. She went about 80 yards and expired.
My brother was in another stand about 100 to 150 yards from me. He sent me a text, “What did you just shoot?" I sent him back a text, "What do you mean?”
"I heard the arrow hit the deer," was his next text. I called him and told him, "Yes, I just shot one and he was there in a flash. We tracked her, and let me tell you, after all that, she may as well been an 8 pointer. I was overcome by the whole scenario and tears were streaming down my face.
My brother said, “What are you crying for?” I explained to him all that was involved for me to shoot that animal and he put his arms around me and told me how proud he was of me through this whole cancer ordeal. So my new bow was christened and I have another lifetime memory. Thank the Lord.
I am doing rather well right now and hope to see you in Harrisburg once again. Hopefully, you will have a chance to read this, and will realize what a happy person I am. I want to thank you once again for the bow. See you out in the woods.....
Respectfully,
Lou Taylor
