The Apple didnt Fall Far From The Tree.

[Autumnarcher]

I've been in deer camp since Tuesday, hunting all week with my wife. My son came up for the weekend, and since my wife had to head home today, we enjoyed a very interesting Dad/son hunt this evening.

I've been playing cat and mouse with the big buck on the property, and he beat me this morning, circling downwind of me as I tried calling him in for a shot. So we decided to back off the area we've been setting up in, and sit an area we call The Hot Corner. I've made meat out of many whitetails in this area over the years, Alex has a ground blind there he hasnt sat in a while, so he headed there. I hauled my climber in, and sat about 60-70 yds west of him, where the open maple woods transitions into some thick cover. Deer like to skirt this edge coming from bedding heading to the corn field.

Nice evening, warmer than its been in several days, but still cool with a light sw breeze. Perfect. The leaves covering the ground were dry, so hearing approaching deer wasnt too tough.

Half hour after we got settled in, a spike buck came wandering along the edge, I'd seen him before, short spikes, big body. Might not even have enough bone to be considered an antlered deer. None the less, his genetics sold him short, and my freezer is still empty. He cut across to my left, and a couple short mouth bleats stoppped him broadside at about 20 yds.
I drew my Thunderstick longbow back, and picked a spot. I released the string only to hear a loud BANG and watched my arrow fly like a sidewinder missile, completely missing the surprised buck. My top limb had hit a branch!
I didnt have my saw with me, so I used my haul line to tie the branch back as best I could, and nocked up another arrow.

A couple of doe fawns came in, stood under me and in front of me for quite a while. i enjoyed watching them browse, and laughed at their ignorance as they looked up at me several times, and continued to browse.

As I watched, I heard another deer approaching fromthe left. I saw movement in the thick brush, and glassed a 4 pt buckwith a nice spread and imopressive rack for his age. He was heading my way, and was curious about the two youngsters in front of me. He turned andcut across in front of me, oblivious to my presence. He stepped behund a small bush, I tightened up on the string, and soon as he stepped out and paused, I unleashed my arrow. Straight over his back. I just blew the second shot of the night, 13 yds, picture perfect set-up. He ran a short distance and stopped, not sure what happened.

I watched as he backtracked, and then cut across the woods straight for my son Alex.

[Autumnarcher]

I pulled up my bino's to watch as the show was about to start. the buck slowly approached Alex's blind. I couldnt see him as he was screened from my view by a large maple tree, but I could see the deer, and see parts of branches and logs that make up his HotCorner blind. Within a few seconds I hear him shoot, the buck runs towards the orchard, and stops. I couldnt see his right side, but he didnt appear to be in any distress. He started to browse again, then walked off. Alex had missed him too.

Alex was hunting with his Thunderstick Mag longbow, a bow he shoots very well. But, this time, The Lucky Buck dodged yet another Woodsman intended for his vitals. I snickered and sat back down. Not 5 minutes later, I hear another deer walking towards Alex's setup. By the time I spotted him, I hear a loud CRAACK and the deer took off. I watched him run into the thicket on the other end of the woods. I wasnt sure what had happened, until I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. A text fro mAlex told me he had again missed- his bottom limb hit the milk crate in his blind, sending his arrow well off course.

By now I couldnt contain my laughter. We both miss the same buck, and we both miss other deer due to "unforeseen circumstances".

So at this point light was fading fast, so we called it a night and went about finding all of our arrows. We recovered all of them, although I'm not sure our self esteem will healso quickly.

We laughed at ourselves all the way home. I sure love huntin with that kid of mine. Its always interesting to be sure. As for that 4 pt, we've named him Lucky, and hes got a camp bounty on him.

[Huck]

Great story! Time afield with your kids is always special!

Huck

[Cottonwood]

Great story and time shared with your son!

[broketooth]

very cool story. i too missed a deer due to unforseen circumstances, its very frustrating. ruddy

[MP1SG]

Great story thank you for sharing.