Episode 3, Season 1

In this hunt, Tash hunts her first deer with a bow and discovers for herself why there’s a hashtag on Instagram called #bowhuntingsucks.

Up until this hunt, Tash had mostly shot her bow at a static target in the backyard. The only animal she had successfully taken with her bow was a rabbit at the farm, and you’ve never seen someone so excited to shoot a humble rabbit!

Anyone who has tried bow hunting knows it is hard work.

For starters, you have to get so much closer to the animals than you do with a rifle – usually within 30 – 60 yards to ensure an ethical shot. That means you have to pretty much become a master stalker. You may even need to commando crawl to get close enough. 

Living in Tasmania adds a whole different level of difficulty, as it is the only state in Australia that doesn’t allow bowhunting. Technically, you can take rabbits and feral cats using any humane method (which could be construed to include a bow), but bow hunting native animals and deer is strictly forbidden. 

However, at the time that this episode was filmed, there was a small loophole in the law that allowed bow hunting of deer on one property, as it was originally set up as a game ranch, and the animals were not deemed wild but classified as livestock.

We were happy to take advantage of that loophole and provide Tash an opportunity to hunt her first fallow deer close to home.

(NOTE: that loophole has since been closed by the government and bow hunting has become an even more contentious issue that is hotly contested by hunters and non-hunters alike). 

Coincidentally, while this is episode three of our season, it was actually the first time we had ever filmed a hunt, so not only was Tash bow hunting for the first time, she was also learning how to hunt with a film crew and a whole gamut of camera gear in tow, as well as our guide, Andrew Hooper (Hoops). 

Over the course of the next few days, Tash got a crash course in bow hunting in the field. It was so much different to what she’d learned in the back yard – and so different to the way she normally hunted with a rifle. She had to be quieter, wait longer, crawl along the ground on her belly with her bow slung over her shoulder, and to consider the noise her bow made when she drew back an arrow. 

She even learned the importance of ranging when she took a shot at a young buck at 50 yards only to discover they’d actually ranged the grass just in front of the buck! Needless to say, the arrow fell short and the buck made his escape. 

There was no shortage of bucks and it was easy enough to get within 100 yards of them. But closing that gap and getting to within 50 yards was a lot more difficult. 

If the boys didn’t spot her, the does would bark and alert the mob. 

Late in the afternoon of the third day, they were just heading back to the cabin to call it a day when Hoops spotted a doe grazing on her own. Sure, she would have loved to bag a buck but the boys just weren’t interested in playing ball. And at the end of the day, the hunt was more about learning the technique, and filling the freezer than putting a set of antlers on the wall. 

This time Rod stayed behind to give Tash and Hoops a better chance of stalking in close. They slowly made their way towards the doe, slithering like snakes across the grass. It took them over an hour to close the distance but they finally got to within 40 yards of the doe. She was still feeding, completely unaware of their presence. 

But now Tash faced a whole new challenge. She had only ever shot her bow while standing but now she had to draw it back while on the ground, and slowly get to her feet while holding her bowstring at full draw! 

Time stood still as she released the arrow and it flew true, hitting its target right behind the doe’s shoulder. 

She had her first deer on the ground, and she couldn’t be happier!