Last nights hunt turned out to be rather unique. It was a warm afternoon with temps in the low 60’s. I had gone out about 4:00 to get situated in a huge old oak that I have a ladder stand in. I didn’t even put my face mask on due to being so warm. First I took a practice shot with a judo point at a corn leaf out at about 25 yards. All was well. I had just settled down, hung my bow on a nearby limb, and decided to pull out my book (yes, I often read on stand), and old Louis La'moure. I hadn’t read two pages when I heard sound below me.
Here came a dandy 8 pointer from behind me. He was walking a fence line along a cornfield next to the old oak. I was so mad at myself for not being ready. Usual activity there didn’t start till closer to sunset. Leave it to a nice deer to not play by the rules.
The wind was in my favor so I carefully tried to put the book down and reach back to grab my bow. He looked up and saw me. Well, I thought nothing ventured nothing gained. I continued to get the bow, albeit very slowly. The buck moved forward about 10 yards, then looked back to see what I was doing.
I made a slow draw, anchored and released. Should have been a slam dunk shot, but he thought otherwise. He dropped to make a leap and the arrow passed harmlessly over his back. I thought that was that, he’ll bolt away laughing at me.
Nope, he jogged forward another 15 to 20 yards, and stopped again broadside and stared back to see what that strange thing in that tree was going to do. He was standing nearly straddle my previous practice arrow. I thought it was nice of him to give me a second chance. I took a second arrow from the quiver, nocked it, drew back and made a picture perfect shot.
The arrow struck and he made a lunge for the woods. I was able to see him from my stand as he went about 40 yards and stopped. He swayed a bit, staggered, and went down.
No tracking job necessary, though there was a decent blood trail had I needed one. I went ahead and got him drug up to the fence line, field dressed and tagged.
I think in over 50 years this has only been the 2nd or 3rd deer that allowed for a second killing shot.