After about an hour on the stand, I had this little 6 pointer meander in behind me, browsing on the vegetation with little concern. I was extremely lucky that he came upwind, as he was within 25 yards before I knew he was there. Since my ladder stand wasn't situated for deer coming in from that direction (isn't that always the case??), I had to swing around, swap shooting shoulders for a right-hand shot (I'm a lefty), and ensure the left limb of the bow would not whack my tree once discharged. It seems like a lot to think about for only being opening morning! Do you realize how difficult it is to close your dominant eye and try to look through your scope with the other one?? Not easy, to say the least. But since he was only 20 yards away, I was confident I could punch one through the engine room opposite-hand.
Once he presented a nice broadside shot, I let loose with the Vortex, and the GTII equipped with a 100 gr Slick Trick and Brass inserts (followed by a Lumenok) was on it's way! The Lumenok worked excellent, and I watched the bright red nok slip right through his vitals. Amazingly, he took two hops, tail down (indicating a good hit), stood for a moment (at which time I expected him to simply fall over), and then walked off down a trail and disappeared out of sight. It was at this time that I began to question whether or not it WAS a good hit. Not wanting to push him if it wasn't, I sat in my stand for another 30 minutes, reliving the shot, and texting the young fellow to let him know what was going on (love technology!).
I proceeded to get down from my stand while the boy was on his way over to help me out. I spend 10 minutes searching the tall grass for the arrow, and finally was successful. I noticed lots of dark red blood on the vegetation while I was looking for the arrow, which made me feel better about the hit.
Once my help arrived, we began to follow the blood trail, and after a very short 50 yard walk, we found this guy in a swamp mud-hole - all four feet (up to his belly) and his entire head buried in the mud! I'd never seen anything like it in my entire life - but it explains why I didn't hear any more noise of him walking away, or having his last breath - his head was under-mud!
A hunt such as this almost makes up for all of those unsuccessful days afield.....7:45AM, after an hour in the stand, and we had a deer down.
A good start to fill the freezer this fall. Pressure is off - now it's time to get the young man his first deer, and keep up the quest for ole Mossy Horns.
Good luck to all this fall.
