Saw fourteen deer lastnight all feeding across a bean stubble field. As I was hoping, six of them ended up in the unharvested small plot under my stand. Even with all the eyes, I managed to get to full draw. The big doe I was targeting had stopped and looked behind her at the other deer. When she turned back around she she stared at me for a few seconds.
I know it is not the best idea to shoot at them while they are looking, but it was 4 degrees and I was taking the first opportunity I could get. Before the jig was up, I let loose the Muzzy. I was mentally giving myself high fives as soon as it left the string. Felt like the perfect shot. As I watched the lime green nock heading towards her vitals she lifted her nearside leg and hunched her chest/belly to let the arrow clear. As an insult to me, she turned and watched it skip across the stubble on the other side. None of the deer spooked or ran, but she looked back at that blob in the tree that just threw something at her before feeding on out of range.
I've seen deer jump a loud bow, by my Montana is sooooo quiet and none of the other deer even flenched. Shooting that heavy slow arrow over thirty yards must have given her just enough time to pick it up and moonwalk out of the way.
Those big old does get big for a reason. Year after year I find they are the hardest to take.