pizzadave
10-02-2011, 03:42 PM
459545944593It all started Sat. morning with a nice active hunt. I had a doe and fawn come right in, and a small buck as well.... Also kicked up a solo doe on my way out as well.... I decided I didn't need to take a doe, or a small 1 1/2 year old buck so I moved on to my evening hunt. I had several deer come by, but my wind was wrong, and was caught by a couple of does.... regardless of the snorting and stomping, I still had some small does come in close and feed right under me. I had three coons come in and scare off deer. I had to wave at them several times to get them to run off..... I saw some real nice bucks walk around way out of range, but they had no intention on coming near me. Now I move on to this morning.... I woke up, showered in scent shield hair and body, and put on freshly washed hunting gear that was washed in scent killer. I sprayed down, and was hoping that my scent would not ruin my hunt as it did the night prior. As the sun was just about to come up, I heard some deer walking behind my tree. I was creeping around the tree to look for them, but had low light, and could not get a visual. Just as I was looking behind my tree, I heard footsteps and closing FAST. I turned around slowly to discover two bucks coming right in! The first is the deer I decided to take, and the second was a small fork. The wind was swirling, and the first buck began to get alert. I drew on him at 30 yards, and he was perfectly broadside. He quickly spun to a quartering away angle, and looked to be ready to bolt. I was then forced to either let him walk, or take a tough angular shot. I was confident, and like threading a needle released my Martin Cheetah, and went right over the right hind quarter, and with the help of my rage 2 blade head, sunk my arrow deep into his body (autopsy determined it went right through a little gut, right lung, and stopped against the front part of his ribs). I then watched my lighted red nock zig zag through the trees, crashing off trees several times. I was unsure of the shot placement at the time and decided to let him sit for a few hours. As I started my pursuit, I was surprised. I found a MASSIVE blood trail.... Some places, blood was spewing out 5 feet wide! He ran only 100 yards before tipping over. Now let me be the first to say, most would have let him "grow" I decided to take him because where we hunt, each spring it floods and you get a new batch of deer back year after year. It is next to impossible to manage your deer to have nothing but trophies walking around. I decided he was good enough for me, and was just stoked to enjoy my hunt!
Below I have pics of the arrow (which snapped as he tried pulling it out I assume. It was sunk all the way to where it was broke), the huge wound hole from the rage head, and myself and him just after I found him.
Below I have pics of the arrow (which snapped as he tried pulling it out I assume. It was sunk all the way to where it was broke), the huge wound hole from the rage head, and myself and him just after I found him.