Still can't believe it, a morning I'll never, ever forget as long as I live!
Last night, with the predicted NNW wind, I left it up to Cade to choose where we should hunt. I had it narrowed to 2 stands....The Ant Tree(which I have an experience from last weekend to tell about someday soon), or Grandpa's Stand....
....He quickly chose Grandpa's Stand....which really was a great choice, as it had not been hunted at all yet.
It's a stand that is literally 150yds from my Dads house. I set a small ladderstand there a few years ago so dad can come and go as he pleases.
This year, knowing Cade would be hunting, I switched it from the small single man stand, to a 2 man ladderstand. I wanted him to hunt with his grandpa, or we could share it as well.
Setting that 2 man stand by myself back in Sept. was and probably will always be the single hardest stand set I've ever done!!
Dad said he would help, but had to go take care of something first...I told him I was just going to carry it in, leave it till he could help me....and get the small one out. Well I was hardheaded and stubborn enough to believe I could do it myself......I did it, BUT I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN!!!!!
So we pulled into my parents place, and went through the routine of putting on our hunting clothes outside of the truck....all set....we walked the short distance to the stand nice and quiet.
I climbed first, got hooked in, got his harness belt around the tree for him.....and up he came...
I hooked him up to his belt, and we readied ourselves. All set he asked to pull his bow back a few times....and he did....all good.
It was barely getting light now, so after he warmed up a bit, it was my turn to pull back a few times. I did twice, and was about to hang my bow back up when Cade sharply whispers...."DEER"!
They had gotten tight on us already...he could see them, I couldn't....he slowly stood and got his bow in his hand.
My low light vision isn't what it was once, and hunting with Cade this year has really made that clear....he has amazing young eyes!
I finally did see the first one move about 20yds in front of us, soon I saw the second one....
When we got into the stand, I decided I would cover the left side, he would cover the right(looking out). The right side would be an easier shot since we are both lefties.
So there we were not knowing which way the deer would go.....
Cade could see two more deer behind the 2 that were in front of us...but I couldn't see them because of the foliage in front of us.
These deer were in no hurry, it was cold too, about 32 degrees...so after about 10 minutes of holding his bow Cade whispered that his hands were getting cold! So were mine!
But the deer were headed for his side, and it was now light enough to shoot.
Little by little, they got closer and more to the right....this just might happen!!!
The second deer was bigger than the first, so as the first deer worked into shooting position, Cade decided to "roll the dice", he'd try for the bigger one that was in front of us, close enough, but not broadside....the other one walked away....
The deer in front of us, turned, and started the way the first one went....this was getting very tense to say the least!!!
This deer knew something wasn't "right", it was acting much wearier than the first....lifting it's nose catching some of our scent, but not figuring out where we were.
No it's 12yds away, quartering toward us....and it looks right at us!!
This whole time I'm right over Cade's shoulder whispering advice whenever I thought necessary.
Now the deer really got interested at the giant "blob" in the trees....head bob, foot stomp....a couple minutes more and it finally starts moving away again following the same path as the first...
It suddenly stops, broadside at 12yds, but it's near leg was back.....I whispered to Cade...."wait!"
It started walking again, but very,very slowly....I whispered..."shoot"......
Now if I had a choice in my life to only remember one arrow I ever saw shot...it would be this arrow Cade was about to release.......
Remember...I'm right over his shoulder...looking right down his arrow....just like this...the deer had just crossed over the log when he shot...
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Cade very slowly drew his Lil' Slammer "Guapo", just like I've watched him do a thousand times, with a barely audible..."thunk", he release the arrow.....
....And I watched the most beautiful, arching, orange arrow flight I've ever seen as his arrow started out of his bow.....rose up above the deer....then dropped right in right tight to the shoulder!!!! Maybe too tight!!!!
I watched the deer buckle, and tear out down the trail into the thicket along side us...taking Cade's arrow with it!
I followed it as best I could as it joined the first deer and they both ran off....last I saw of them were 2 white tails about 60yds. away.....then nothing!
Cade turned to me looking a bit worried he'd hit to high and forward. I told him...."if the arrow hit where I thought it did....the only thing we'll have to worry about is if the arrow went in far enough!
We talked and thought about the shot.....I told him...."it looked very tight to the shoulder but hopefully not too tight, but, the arrow wasn't flopping as it ran off, and there was no sharp bone sound at impact.....both signs that the arrow just might be perfect"....we were both very excited, but still a little worried.
I also told him...."if those deer decide to move back the way the other two deer ran, they'd just about have to come right back by us as the piece of cover they ran into abruptly ended up the way they'd run".
When I tell you we were excited and shaking, i would be a gross understatement.....this was awesome! Could he have just killed his second deer in 5 days!! Ho-ly cow!!!
We decided to sit for an hour before we'd get down.
We saw a one horned spike, but he never came close.
As we sat and talked, it was decided we'd get down, check for blood, walk out back to my parents house so grandma could make us breakfast, then with grandpas help....we'd go back out and look for the deer....sounds about like a perfect deer hunt huh?
I looked one more time with binos from tree for blood and all of a sudden saw red! Oh yeah!!!!
So it had been an hour so we packed up and got down to check the blood....but no further....
One anxious(but a little worried) little bowhunter..
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This is where the deer stood at the shot...
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Blood after about 7-8yds....
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Time to head out for good breakfast by grandma!
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After a hardy pancake breakfast we were back outside putting our hunting cloths back on, and off we were look for Cade's deer loaded with nervous anticipation!!!
The bloodtrail was good, but not great. The blood itself looked good and bright.
Bubbles, a great sign!
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Within 30yds. we came upon the arrow...
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more coming.....