Would I do that???
He was leading the little bucks right to me,coming the same way the does had earlier.I tried not to look at him too much,but it was hard not to notice how much bigger,body wise,he was compared to his partners....he was thick!
I kept thinking,"he's just another deer,calm down,pick your spot,and drill um'"......
He(they) kept coming,very slowly,very cautiously.He was now within range to be in big trouble,but he's facing me as he slowly closes.At about 20yds he stops,turns broadside,and looks the other way,toward the alfalfa field.
It was time to kill him...I start to bring the string to my face,and just about to hit anchor..................................he turns back, quarters toward me
and continues to come closer.Now I'm at about full draw,and have four sets of eyes coming at me....I'm only about 9ft up in this crooked tree,but have a pretty good backround.....a bad tree in a good spot,is always better than a good tree in a bad spot anyday!!! Here's the stand......
Now he starts to cut in on a trail that goes acrossed a small ditch,this is my last opportunity,he's now about 15-17 yds,walking down into the ditch,but slightly quartering toward me.....the string slips,and another big Snuffer is on it's way.......The arrow disappears thru him about 1/3 of the way up his body,but a couple inches further back than I wanted.....
....He takes off on a short run,then stops after 30yds,stands there and looks around like nothing happened....I look quick with my bino's at the entrance hole,and don't see any blood coming out....but in no time I can tell he''s not doing well...he walks a little more and stops again,head hanging and mouth open....he lays down...gets up,takes a few steps and when I look back he was gone,laying down again I hope...his companions seem to cirlce the same spot a couple times,then walk off without him......I'm not sure he's still there,but the way the other bucks acted,they were talling me he was there,I just couldn't see him......My mind raced, I shook, I prayed,and I looked for my arrow with my glasses. I look back about 5 minutes later and see a patch of hide....he'd stood up again....then he walked a few slow stops and he was out of sight......OOOOH BOY!!!! I noticed the rain was falling harder now........
Althought I knew I had put a pretty good shot on him,there's always the doubt and second guessing that creeps into a hunters mind.......
...Thankfully the doe had run in the opposite direction and after wating an additional 30 minutes I couldn't take it anymore...I wanted to check my arrow...I knew I could get away with it,the wind was right and he was down lower than me.....and I wanted to find the doe before all the blood was washed away and it got too dark.....
The arrow revealed just as I had suspected....."green stuff",but I knew it had to hit at least the liver,if not at least one lung....but the doubt........
Not much blood on the doe,but I knew the direction she went.I saw another buck as I looked.....I actually smelled her before I knew where she was, followed my nose right to her.......As she laid,w/Painless....
During a short picture taking session,I saw another good buck moving behind me....again...what a place!!
I got together Peter and he was so happy about the doe....then I told him we had a little job to do in the morning......he went crazy!! I told him what had gone down....in his always positive way,he said,"If you put one of those big Snuffers thru him,we have nothing to worry about,we'll get him in the morning!"
With Peter and his million dollar smile(He had a better night than me,he just didn't kill anything)...He was so happy for me!!!!!
I would finally break in my knife from Jeremy,I'd saved it for this trip......
After a quick dressing,it was off to dinner with another friend,and a restless nights sleep......