My most unique kill ever

[Littlefeather]

I'm not quite sure where to even start with this story. I suppose it will be a lengthy tale of many twists and turns. I'll start out with the bow. I've been working on a beautiful little static tiped, sinew backed, Osage bow for close to a year now. I've finally gotten her tillered, shot in good, and put snake skins on her. I've not applied an arrow shelf or finish just yet. This bow is no doubt my finest work to date and shoots like a glass bow. The arrows I've chosen as a mate to this bow, now named "Lumpy", are tonkin shafts with purple heart fore shafts and string nocks. The feathers are from my wifes turkey that she killed last year. The broadheads I've chosen are hand forged by a friend of mine(Rick Savage) locally. They are awesome!

As the Sun neared the horizion this morning I found myself walking through the wisper quiet of the early morning deer woods. The bow and arrow combo I'd chosen this morning are the ones I describe above. It was only a short walk before I bumped deer, snorting as they left. I made my way through the tangle of spiderweb covered thorn brush to the blind I'd constructed overlooking a trail on the edge of a creek bank. It was a very short wait before deer started funneling through the trail. Somehow I'd remained unnoticed even though I'd chosen not to wear camo this morning. My wool shirt was obviously all the camo I needed. At one point a beautiful 8 point came charging through after a doe but never paused long enough for a shot. It's a good thing because I'd have missed my true trophy if I'd have shot the buck.

Around 15 minutes after the passing of the Doe and buck, more deer could be seen filtering through the underbrush. I place the cane arrow on the string and wait patiently. Two Doe were browsing their way toward me and I was ready in case another buck was in tow. As the Doe's fed I could see that one Doe was having some difficulty in feeding. She seemed to have a rather large tumor on her face that inhibited her ability to properly feed. With an MLD Permit in my pocket, I quickly made the decision to help relieve her misery if given the opportunity. The distance closed to 15 yards, then 10, then 8, and I let the cane shaft slip away. The hit was good and her demise inevetable. I'd made first meat with this traditional combo and I can't describe the feelings that were rushing through me. The Doe circled wide making a 60 yard circle. She paused, looked back to my location, and fell in her tracks right before my eyes.    

   
   

This is a couple of pics of my beautiful Sinew Doe but the story really has just begun. More to come. CK

[Pinecone]

That is awesome, Curtis!  Congratulations on reaching an extraordinary benchmark on your bowhunting journey.

Claudia

[adkmountainken]

great job, awesome bow and beautifull deer, now on with the story!!!!

[Incognito]

Good Job

[jerry womble]

Nice job CK and a beautiful little bow also!

Jerry

OK, on with the story!

[Hoser1268]

That was a very nice story.  That is a really nice bow also. Lots of luck with it.

[Littlefeather]

After shaking off the buck fever that I was experiencing after the shot, I decided to go back and get BoBo to let him track the Doe. It was a short track job and he had no problem finding the doe. I think BoBo may end up being quite the tracking pig!

Once at the doe I inspected the growth on the side of her face.

 

This is quite unusual. I've killed lots and lots of deer over the years and I've never seen a deer with a tumor on their face.

 


After taking a few pictures I decided to inspect the tumor a little closer. I kind of suspect that there must have been an injury to create such a wound. I was wrong! Have a look.

 

This Doe must have cross bread with a hamster. She has a wad of tobacco in her cheek so big she couldn't even chew. I'm dumbfounded at my discovery and took many pictures to document this strange occurance. Here is the tumor once removed from the cheek. It had to be cut out. The lump was to big to simply roll from her mouth and had also created a leathery like layer inside her cheek.

 

The best is still to come. Stay tuned! CK

[brent d.]

great looking bow and weird stuff on the super cud.

[southpawshooter]

Huh, plenty neat discovery!!!  Addicted to chewing tobacco?????????

[Shaun]

Fine tale so far CK. Love the look of that little sinew bow.

[the Ferret]

See even chewing tobaacy will kill ya.    

Curtis that first pic is one of my all time favorites. The smiling hunter (obviously happy to be where he is..both in location and time) the beautiful bullskin snake backed bow, the traditionally turkey fletched cane arrow, the animal displayed in a respectful manner, the background scenery, the lighting, just a great photograph    

Congrats my friend  

[Littlefeather]

OK, Now I'm going to back up to the deer season of 2005(last year). I was having a slow start to the deer season and everyone around me seemed to be shooting deer but me. I was feeling a little unworthy as I looked through my daily run of Archery Websites. I had two doe tags last year and decided I'd thin the deer herd by one or two if they'd ever give me an opportunity. Well, the day came and I ended up with 4 or 5 deer mulling around feeding within my effective bow distance. I waited patiently for one to turn in just the right angle so I could make a clean shot. The wind was blowing strong covering any noise I may make but it was leaving the deer really jumpy too. The time came and a nice young doe turns broadside at about 18 yards. I let a big ol' Grizzly 190 grain fly but before the arrow could get there the deer had ducked, swapped ends, and was headed away when the arrow took her through the ear. There was an aweful crack at the impact of the arrow and I knew without doubt that I'd done what we all fear the most, injured a deer and rendered her certain of a painful death. I searched in vain for days trying to locate that doe. I've searched for her remains every time I've entered the woods since then. For whatever reason that particular doe has haunted me from that day forward. Here's a pic that will position you guys for the rest of the story. Have a look! This is the top of her ear.

     

     

[robtattoo]

It never is..........is it?  

[Jason Lester]

I found a deer dead like that once. I assumed a absess of some kind at the time. But after seeing your doe I believe it was just like that. She died about 30 yards from a stand I hunted. She had lost the ability to eat at some point and waisted away. She was a older doe too.

I'd never seen another until yours. The doe I found was skin and bones when she died. She was only dead a day or so when I found her.

Congrats on the Doe.

[Littlefeather]

As you can see from the pics, the doe has a broadhead slice through her ear. WOW! I am totally elated upon finding that the doe I've worried over for a year has not only survived but has done just fine other than the tobacco habbit she has picked up. Oh well, I'll overlook her vises. Just as I'm about to do the final work on my deer, I sit and look her over one last time. I can't see any other marks that the broadhead left and shrug it off as a simple ear hit that never did any harm. I look at her face one last time and notice a little scab wound between her eye and nose. As I rub my finger across it something cuts the tip of my finger. I look closer.

 

I'm without words...... It's got to be a broadhead inside her skull and the tip is protruding through the skin. As I inspect closer I find that the broadhead is in fact a Grizzly due to the onesided bevel on the edge. The broadhead actually moves freely in her. As I touch the tip, it moves in but as I roll her head to the side it pops back out. The head is somehow lodged loosely in the sinus cavity and she's survived.

 

 

I have to say that it pains me to think this doe suffered by my hand and a series of unfortunate events. Unfortunately as most of us have found as hunters, we do sometime experience events that we'd not ever intentionally wish for. As sometime also happens, we get the chance to make right the wrongs or the mistakes and those unfortunate events. This was certainly one of those times. I also will now have a heck of a cool skull mount on the living room wall to signify this deer. CK

[John in MO / TX]

That's a great story!

[Caribou Hunter]

Interesting.

[Bodork]

Whoa! That's an incredable story! You must be elated! Do you think the tobacco wad was an attempt to relieve some pain? I personally applaud you for deciding to take a doe with a 'defect' in an attempt to end her suffering. What a noble hunter! Thanks so much for sharing this fasinating story. Mike

[Big Dave]

I don't know if it's the same as with cattle but I had a cow that had that wad in her mouth and she could hardly eat so I took her to a vet and he told me that it was caused from eating to many mesquite beans the fall before and that it paralyzed her tounge (spelling??) and she would never get over it  :D    :D    :D

[LazerRay]

wow