Bowtech84
Well-Known Member
Well after passing numerous bucks the last 2 years waiting for a new personal best and ending up with tag soup I decided this year I was going for any mature deer. With the high winds Saturday afternoon I debated on even going out with the little movement I had seen the past couple sits. At the last minute with a little convincing I decided I was going to give it a go. I got settled in my stand at 4:19. It was an uneventful sit till around 6 when I caught movement in the thick timber 60 yards in front of me. I pulled up my binos and all I could tell was that it was a buck. I hit my grunt call a few times hoping I could get a better look but the buck just kept walking. In a last ditch effort I gave him a snort wheeze. He turned his head and looked my direction but then continued on the same path. After hanging my grunt tube back up and cussing my binos for not being able to focus I sat back down and scanned the area. Minutes later I heard crunching leaves coming down the dry creek bed behind me. I stood up grabbed my bow and waited for whatever was making the noise to clear the brush. When he popped into my shooting lane directly down wind I instantly new he was a mature buck so I drew back stopped him at 8 yards and released my arrow. I watched the fletching disappear behind his shoulder and thought I put a perfect shot on him. The buck ran about 40 yards and stopped. I watched him knowing he was going to fall over at any second but he just stood there for a couple minutes and then walked off. I instantly started second guessing the shot and thought there was no way I hit gut or liver but that's the way he was acting. I climbed down and looked the arrow over. It was a complete pass through and all I could tell was that it had blood on it. Being colorblind I couldn't tell wether it was dark or bright so I decided to pack up my things and give the deer some time. My brother picked me up on the road and looked the arrow over and decided it was good bright blood. After discussing what had happened we decided that with the shot angle there's a good possibility I only hit one lung. With temps being in the low 30s we decided we would give him the night and look for him the next day. When we arrived on the scene yesterday we got on the blood trail and found the buck about 100 yards from where I stuck him. He ended up being a well known 8 pointer that had been running around the farm all summer. Congrats to all those that have filled their tags and good luck to those still trying. I believe the best days of the rut are still to come. Thanks to everyone who shares their harvest on here.
