Didn't get out very often this fall, which was my first fall hunting with trad equipment. Last Saturday, in the rain, I got my first trad deer. It was a small doe that I shot with my RER vortex shortly before the sky really opened up. Didn't have my camera, so no pics.
Today I got out of work a couple of hours early for the last day before the permit bow season starts. I only got to my spot around 4:30 and hustled into my stand that had the wind in my face and overlooking a grass field. Didn't see anything but squirrels until right before dusk, then I saw some deer behind me, below and across the creek about 200 yards away. I just caught a glimpse of them and then lost them. A few minutes later I saw what I presume was the same deer in the field I was watching, but about 125 chasing my left. A very large buck was chasing the rest of the deer and one of the deer separated from the group and came towards me. I figured this doe that was luck enough to get away from the buck might wind her way over to me and I wasn't completely wrong. Thick cover was between the deer and me but the deer paused in an opening about 15 yards away with it's head behind a tree, so I took the shot. The deer took off directly away from me in the field and I could see it roll in the field, but it was getting late and with the cover I couldn't tell if it got up again and moved off. Waited about 20 minutes and took up the trail. Nice bright red blood, and fairly easy to follow, despite the thick grass of the field. Was real surprised 70 yards later when I found the deer and it was about the smallest racked 5 point I've seen. Oh well, it was the last day and I would have shot it even if I had known. My freezer isn't full yet. Got out of the woods too late to get my tags for the permit season and I have to work tomorrow. Sure wouldn't mind getting a crack at that big boy running the herd later next week.
Sorry about crappy pic. Tough to get cleaned up and take in the dark. I had to rush to get the deer to the check station.
Oh yeah. Pass through with 590 grain total weight arrow out of my RER TD recurve that is about 57# at my draw.