Second chance success

[South MS Bowhunter]

Thought it would be good to hear stories of first opportunities lost, but success was found due to unpredicted changing events and a second chance.

I'll start by telling of two such events that took place this 2016 season.

The first sit in the climber of 2016 produced nothing as I set up in an new area to give a hot one a break.  But we had a cold front move through, so I planned to be in the climber in the white oak grove.  The oaks are on private land I have permission to hunt. It was here that i've been busted while on the ground 3 times.  I hoped to change the stories narrative if at all possible.

I got set up by 0640 the next morning (not without a comedy of errors, dropped my backpack half way up, clanging banging etc...) and seen the first deer, a doe by 0740.  At 0859 a young basket rack buck stepped into a small dry creek bed and I shot low shaving hair off it chest.  It ran a few yards and stood seemingly lost in thought.  It moved out of sight and I also moved on in my focus, quickly forgetting the miss and putting it behind me.  I had purposed that this year I would not beat myself up over missed shots and lost opportunities.

At 1000 right at an hour later I heard squirrels moving behind and over my left shoulder and turned to see if I could locate it.  When I did it somehow morphed into a deer standing board sides at 18 yards lol.

I couldn't see its head but was sure it was a doe by the looks of the body.  

I quickly drew and shot and honestly I don't recall focusing on a certain spot (pick a spot, pick a spot...).

At the shot the deer turned slightly my direction and I remember seeing the arrow do a slight fishtail move.  How in the word did I miss that bad was my first thoughts.  But the deer turning in towards me was enough to shift the sight picture from a kill zone shot to a graze across the neck.

I watched it calmly take 2 steps and stand in place for at least 5-10 minutes, then watched it get wobbly legged on me.  It half fell/laid down with it back towards me and laid there for 20 minutes, until a coyote showed up!

I tried to find a shot at the yote but couldn't get a shot off before it turned and left.  When I looked back at the deer it was slowly walking away with it tailed tucked hard against it hind quarters.

Long story short it travel for about 300 yards and me on hands and knees crawling through gallberry thickets.  It continued to bleed every 3' but after backing out and giving it more time it had dried and was hard  to see in pine needles.

And the doe turned into that same basket racked 3 point from the earlier miss.

       IMG_1490  

I'm grateful to the Lord for this deer and a shaving sharp Simmons Tigershark!  I'm a believer that if not for these heads I would not have this deer due to where it was hit.

       IMG_1487

[South MS Bowhunter]

Second story

I climbed up a sycamore tree overlooking a dry creek bed.  We have been in a drought condition here the past 40 days.  

Due to late nights and little sleep combined with a heavy fish dinner I was immediately tire and sleepy once settled into the stand at 1540.

I felt like I needed to pray so I loosen my harness lanyard to allow me to kneel down and pray facing the tree (and allow me to close my eyes hugging the tree          )

After a few minutes praying and praising him I settle back in the seat but not before requesting he bless me with a early deer.

Not 5 minutes later I look left and there a deer standing across the dry creek and moving parallel to me.  And then I hear footsteps closer and there another deer right on the creek also moving towards me.

I remove the Centaur Chimera from the holder and ready myself while sitting.  I have always done better sitting shooting than standing so I usually stay seated if I can.

The deer join up and their both young yearling does and of course they keep whatever cover between them and me.

There is an opening at 25 yards that will allow a shot if one of them will cooperate.

The first one to it jumps through the gap not allowing a shot.  The second one step in and stops but I have to clear a screen of brush to make the shot.

I draw back and never reach full anchor and the arrow is away.

The arrow is flying nock left and slams into a oak tree to the right of the deer but 10' up.

They bolt with one heading east of me and the other, the one I shot at heading due north.

The squirrels go crazy barking and cat meowing for what seems like 10 minutes.

And after 20 minutes  I see movement to the east of me and see the young doe start to head back my way slowly stiff legging it all the way.

I can't believe its going to come all the way back but it does.

It goes right back to the same spot where the two milled around prior to my shot.  The one that I shot at that headed due north of me now reappears and joins it's sister.

And then its like its groundhog day, they repeat the same scenario going through the gap!  The first one jumps through and gives no shot.

The one who I shot at earlier now walks through but this time is further up in the gap and offers no clear shot.

I wait for a shot to materialize and the deer is now at 30 yards and slightly quartering away from me and within 2 steps will be out of my life.

I stand now as it offers the best shot angle and to clear limbs that are now in the way.

I draw and make sure I have full draw and try to focus on a spot this time.

I cannot for the life of me focus down and catch myself "peeking" at the shot and hear the hit but cannot see it.  The deer turned sharply away from me at the shot and I think I may have hit the neck again like the last buck.  It runs hard and I hear trashing as soon as it goes out of sight.

I slowly pack up to give it more time and then cross the creek and look for the arrow.  I find it stuck in a tree root with one drop of blood next to the shaft and a light dusting of blood on the fletchings.

It looks eerily like the last arrow that cut the bucks neck in a grazing shot with a Simmons Tiger Shark.

     IMG_1598

After returning to take up the trail I find the deer about 25 yards into the track and it is as suspected, a neck shot almost a carbon copy of the earlier buck.

Anybody else make good on second chances?

[Rough Run]

Very nice!  Great job staying focused and not letting your mind get bogged down.  Great recovery and a great job!

[South MS Bowhunter]

Thanks  Jeff.

[Bvas]

Last year I had two does and two yearlings feeding around me when a very nice buck came in. He gave me a nice broadside shot at 18yds. As I was drawing, I could see in my peripheral view that one of the does had caught my movement. I continued thru the draw and released, knowing full well that I rushed the shot thinking she was gonna blow at any second. As the arrow sailed over the bucks back, all the deer scattered like popcorn, with the buck running out the furthest to about 100yds.
Within seconds the deer all started to randomly walk around and the buck was coming back. Let me tell you, it is hard to keep track of five different deer wandering in all directions. My quiver was hanging towards the back side of the tree I was in, and I nearly dislocated my shoulder getting a second arrow out without turning around.  By the time I was reloaded the buck was back in range giving me a quartering away shot. This time I ignored the does and focused on my spot. The arrow hit home and the buck traveled 60yds before succumbing to the hit.
Although he doesn't have a huge frame, with 15 scorable points, he is my highest grossing buck to date.
 

[South MS Bowhunter]

He's a beaut and it's amazing how events change in a matter of minutes.

[highlow]

A very nice deer Brad but that's why I hunt with quiver attached.