PS. Bucks are on the move despite the wind. Get out there if you can.
Here is the story. Oh yeah "Patience and Persistance" is the name of the arrow.
I've been putting alot of time in this fall, without alot of results. Although I have on many occasions heard deer travelling. One in particular I had go past my stand opening weekend, through one of my shooting lanes, but too early. I call him the "soccer ball buck". Because it was like seeing a soccer ball float through the woods(his rack being the soccer ball).
He was getting later and later travelling through, 100 yards or so ahead of me. Well I assumed it was him. Thinking positive. So I moved one of my stand over looking the trail I felt he was using.
At the magical hour I was ready. But he never showed. I had one deer trot past me before legal light, and two bound away tails in the air. But I was sure it wasn't because of me.
A short while later I caught movement in the field next to me, through the ceders. It was a buck and he was heading my way. I got ready. Just as he was about to leave the field and enter the ceders he stopped and then continued in going away from me in the field. I grunted but because of the wind he couldn't hear me. So I grunted twice more getting louder each time. He stopped. I grunted twice more and he started coming back.
I was ready. I couldn't see him but could hear him inching closer. Finally I see him less then ten yards away. But he stopped right behind a 10" poplar, completely covering his vitals. I could see neck to nose on one side of the tree, and belly to butt on the other side.
He looked around for a little bit then turned to go away. I baahed at him, offering me a very small window for a tight quartering away shot. I took it. Off he went, but I couldn't see where or which direction. I waited a few minutes and looked around for signs of a hit. Nothing. No hair. No blood. I searched for the arrow. Nothing. I looked around in the direction I assumed he went. Nothing. I figured I had missed. Caught a branch and buried the arrow in the ground.
So I got up back up in my stand. Looking, thinking. I have two tags so why not. But I told myself to look again. So I checked out the trail he had come in on, knowing that deer often retreat the same way they came in. Hair!!! More Hair!!! A couple drops of blood!! I did hit him, but the blood looked like a muscle wound. Damn it.
I set out to track him through the grassy clover field. Couple drops here couple drops there. A little spray here?? Must be squirting. On my hands and knees scanning, inching slowly. I managed to track him across the field, 150 yards. I found my arrow. Covered in blood with bubbles. Where I found my arrow the blood became more profuse. I followed another 7 yards and there he was piled up.
The arrow took out the liver, and one lung, eventually coming out the front of his chest. I'm guessing the deer dropped at the shot preventing the pass through and keeping the blood trail to a minimum.
I took a couple pics where he lay and a couple posed ones before my camera died. Hopefully they will suffice.
14 inch inside spread. Muzzy 125 grain 3 blade broadhead, firebolt arrow. Exocet 175#.
Now it is time to try for another. And get the slow cooker going with a fresh roast. yum yum
