Nice morning, 27* and not much wind. Set up on the ground about 60 yards from my stand. Last two times out to this spot I saw deer crossing the cart path to the SW. Cleared a spot under some pines and sat behind a tri-trunk oak. Got comfy around 6:20, at 6:45 a big doe walked by to the South about 35-40 yards. She walked away offering no shot. At 7:10 I hear trotting coming towards me, a coyote pops out on the other side of path, crosses and hits my trail. He turned inside out and took off back where he came from. From then on it was watching birds and squirrels. At 9:45, I saw movement and to my left across the trail is a deer. Thought it was a doe, but it turned out to be a spike. His head was blocked by the tri-trunk and no shot. As he started to walk again, I came to full draw, but he wasn't stopping and there was some thick hemlock branches in the way. As I let down, he stopped again broadside. I found a hole which seemed huge, back to full draw and arrow away. Before I could even say "OH CRAP", He ran off with my arrow in his side....THE SIDE OF HIS BUTT. I saw the arrow curve like a whiffle ball to the right. Not sure if I hit a twig in the shadows or if it was the arrow. As the sun moved above while I was waiting, it showed some vines that were hanging in the 'huge hole' I shot through, so I suspect I hit those.
As he bolted off, I could see plenty of blood coming out of his hip and I just hoped I caught an artery somewhere. I didn't hear him crash, so I waited an hour to start looking. I called my wife to let her know I would be quite a while, all the time expecting a loooooong tracking job and no animal to show for it.
I had a good splatter of blood at the impact site, and got good spatter for the whole trail. Found the arrow in one piece at about 50 yards, it backed out of the wound. I could tell he was bleeding from both sides, so that gave me hope. I'd find blood, look up and scan, and repeat. I almost stepped on him, dead as can be. He made it about 80 yards. Entry was left hip, exit on his flank. I either caught the femoral or the artery along his spine. I'm thankful he died quick and I found him, but I'd rather never do that again.
First deer with my Kohannah Longbow that I got on the St. Judes auction from Stickhorse, I believe, a few years back. My second kill with it, a turkey in 2014 I think.
125gr Zwickey Eskimo on doug fir shaft.
Topic: Bad shot, dead buck (Read 2265 times)
