Last March, at the PBS Banquet, I was the lucky winner of a new Toelke bow in the five bow raffle. Dan and Jared built a beautiful 62" Whip HS takedown that is a perfect for me 50 lb @ 26". On Nov. 8 at 6:30 in the morning she got the chance to do her thing and make meat.
We all made it out early that morning and I headed up to the low stand on Sweet Gum Ridge, arriving a little before shooting light. The woods came to life as things started to brighten up and just about sunrise I heard the cadence of deer steps. I was already standing with bow in hand and pretty quick I saw a doe's head poke thru the brush. She crossed the logging path to my left and started down a faint trail that crossed in front of me. Right behind her was her button buck fawn, which gave her a pass for the morning. As the little guy hit the edge of the logging path he stopped and looked back and I figured something more was likely coming. He turned back and followed mom as another doe stepped onto the path. She was a yearling, 1 1/2 years old and my perfect deer. None of them seemed to have a clue that the boogey man was 11 feet up and less than 15 yards away. As she crossed the path and onto the trail I drew and tracked her until she was in the first shooting lane and the arrow was gone. The trail takes them slightly quartered away and the arrow disappeared about half way up and a little back from the shoulder. She jumped at the hit, ran a bit then started walking with her tail shaking. She stopped for a bit then turned about 45 deg and ran. I could hear her running thru the leaves then it got quiet.
Waiting the first ten minutes was tough, but it got easier and I sat for another hour. I still had another tag, it was early and a really nice morning. At 7:30 I climbed down and went to where she was walking when I shot and there was my arrow, bloodied and stuck in the ground. First blood started in about six feet and it was a stand up trail from there. She made it about 60 yards and was done when she hit the ground. The exit was lower and thru the back edge of her front leg muscle. The arrow missed the heart, but took out the big vessels above it. Everything went like it was supposed to; that doesn't happen for me very often.
Teresa Asbell ESB hooded pullover shirt, Toelke Whip HS, Surewood fir self made arrow and a KME sharpened 200 gr Grizzly Kodiak broadhead. Saline Co. southern Illinois
Topic: First for the season and my new Toelke (Read 202 times)
