lovetohunt
Member
Here is my son Ben’s first buck. He got a doe last year so he has really out done himself this year. We got to the blind about 4:45 Saturday.
This guy was the 3rd deer to come into range. We had a 8pt that came by at 5:30 but just couldn’t get it done. About 20mins before LST was over, out stepped another buck and this guy at about 120yrds. As soon as I saw it, I told him this was the one. We got the gun on the Caldwell field pod and watched them walk to about 45yrds. When he turned broadside I told Ben to squeeze, not jerk the trigger, but also not to shoot unless he was absolutely positive he was right on him. There was a little delay and my heart was pumping but I remained calm. I didn’t want him to know how freaking excited and nervous I was. Then boom, smoke filled the air and the deer took off but I lost him almost immediately.
We got out and went to where the deer was standing and NOTHING. I spent about 30-40 minutes looking for a speck of blood or at least hair. The whole time in my head, I was questioning how he could have completely missed a broadside deer. We have been practicing every day with the 22 and muzzleloader. I went down a couple paths and nothing. I refused to think he missed him, even if he would have jerked the trigger a little he would have surely hit him….right? Finally I made a big loop, knowing that sometimes they don’t start bleeding right away. I was about 50yrds away and I found my first spot of blood, I was excited but still knowing that didn’t mean a deer was for certain. I went down the path for 20 or so yards and couldn’t find any more blood. So as the saying goes, “When in doubt, back out”. So that’s just what we did. I called a buddy to help first thing Sunday morning.
After almost no sleep and replaying it all in my heads a million times we were back at it. We returned to the same spot I found blood we resumed the trail. The blood trail was very sparse and in thick briars and bushes and we would go 10-20 yards without any blood. We lost the track a few times but kept searching and would pick it back up. At first, I had my doubts if we would find it but the farther we went the blood started picking up and I was cautiously getting optimistic. Then the blood trail, started zig zagging and my buddy said he thought he was looking for a place to lay down. We went about 20 more yards and there he laid. The three of us were beyond excited.
I will say that this deer has the nicest and softest cape. Its pretty much flawless. Total he went about 250 yards or so. He hit him a little back and got the liver but didn’t get a complete pass through for some reason. He shoots a T/C Impact with 70g of Blackhorn 209 a and 250grn Barnes Expander MZ.
This guy was the 3rd deer to come into range. We had a 8pt that came by at 5:30 but just couldn’t get it done. About 20mins before LST was over, out stepped another buck and this guy at about 120yrds. As soon as I saw it, I told him this was the one. We got the gun on the Caldwell field pod and watched them walk to about 45yrds. When he turned broadside I told Ben to squeeze, not jerk the trigger, but also not to shoot unless he was absolutely positive he was right on him. There was a little delay and my heart was pumping but I remained calm. I didn’t want him to know how freaking excited and nervous I was. Then boom, smoke filled the air and the deer took off but I lost him almost immediately.
We got out and went to where the deer was standing and NOTHING. I spent about 30-40 minutes looking for a speck of blood or at least hair. The whole time in my head, I was questioning how he could have completely missed a broadside deer. We have been practicing every day with the 22 and muzzleloader. I went down a couple paths and nothing. I refused to think he missed him, even if he would have jerked the trigger a little he would have surely hit him….right? Finally I made a big loop, knowing that sometimes they don’t start bleeding right away. I was about 50yrds away and I found my first spot of blood, I was excited but still knowing that didn’t mean a deer was for certain. I went down the path for 20 or so yards and couldn’t find any more blood. So as the saying goes, “When in doubt, back out”. So that’s just what we did. I called a buddy to help first thing Sunday morning.
After almost no sleep and replaying it all in my heads a million times we were back at it. We returned to the same spot I found blood we resumed the trail. The blood trail was very sparse and in thick briars and bushes and we would go 10-20 yards without any blood. We lost the track a few times but kept searching and would pick it back up. At first, I had my doubts if we would find it but the farther we went the blood started picking up and I was cautiously getting optimistic. Then the blood trail, started zig zagging and my buddy said he thought he was looking for a place to lay down. We went about 20 more yards and there he laid. The three of us were beyond excited.
I will say that this deer has the nicest and softest cape. Its pretty much flawless. Total he went about 250 yards or so. He hit him a little back and got the liver but didn’t get a complete pass through for some reason. He shoots a T/C Impact with 70g of Blackhorn 209 a and 250grn Barnes Expander MZ.
