This deer is the culmination of my entire hunting tenure.
I had 13 deer inside 15yds this season so far but circumstances just didn't lead to me loosing the string. Nothing but small 4's, 6's, and a few other does that decided to show up when I was really crunched for time which I wasn't willing to stress hauling out a doe.
Well, had Monday off due to holiday and planned for an all day sit. Bundled up with a few extra layers, packed a lunch, TP, wide mouth Gatorade bottles and even an extra quiver with some flu-flus to take out small game should any get close enough.
Monday morning rolls around so I shouldered my summit stand and the rest of my gear and began the mile hike to my tree location on on public land. This is the first time I've sat in this location this year but I've had some great success from it in the past. First deer showed up right at legal light. Small 2" buck who hung around for a while. Followed a bit later by three does running by scared...thought maybe a buck pushing but nothing. An hour goes by and I see a group of 4 does working their way towards me as calm as can be. They're on a run that will bring them to my left broadside at 8yds, no reason to stand...so I grab my bow, fingers on the string, and I prepare to take the second deer in line as she looked the largest.
The first deer walks on through the lane with no delay and no alarm....perfect. at this time I have my bow arm up and slight tension on the string as I ready for the next deer to enter my lane.
Right on cue she clears the redoak into my lane, I'm already at 3/4 draw when I bleat to stop her, I have my spot picked out and she stops just as I hit anchor and loose the string.
The arrow is buried half way up the fletching before she even reacts. Entering behind the facing leg and exiting in front of the offside shoulder.
She was a dead deer running. The two deer behind her watched like she was crazy. They had no idea what just happened and after a minute continued on along the same run without alarm right in front me. Gotta love the stealth of a stick and string.
So, I sat for another hour thinking that a good buck could be close behind but no luck. I proceeded to make my way down the tree and started packing up my gear, stand and all. Made the mile trek to the parking area, unloaded my gear, shed several layers, downed some water and pbj's, grabbed my rope and bow and made my way back out to start tracking.
I arrived to the impact site and started scanning for blood and my arrow. I find a few small spots of blood then find the back 9"s of my arrow shaft. I then find the front segment of arrow shaft a few feet away. It appears her offside leg sheared off the shaft. After 40yds I started to get worried because I was only finding pin drops of blood. Not what I expected from what I thought was a pin wheeled heart shot. Well, I track along the run a bit more and its like the faucets turned on. Blood every where for the next 20yds just over the ridge to where my deer was laying.
I snapped a few pics using the timer on my phone then proceeded to haul her out of there. I cut a limb of a downed oak tree and using my rope made a yoke and ox'd her out of there. I could barely move the next day.
Well worth it as this is the first deer I have killed with traditional archery tackle. Can't see myself ever going back to compounds. This is the most rewarding deer I have ever killed, more so than my wall hangers.
My bow is a St Joe River Recurve, 58" 2-piece 50@28". Shooting full length ICS 400's with 125grain Magnus II glue-ons glued to a 25grain insert. Autopsy revealed that I got a wee bit more forward that I'd of preferred and the exit wound was a lot of fat and meat right off the the brisket. Fat plugged the exit wound immediately which made for the difficult blood trail until her chest cavity filled up and she was able to bleed out the entrance wound.
Live from the stand...
Topic: My first trad success!! (Read 792 times)
