November 1

[Darrin]

I really wanted a halloween buck, but had to settle for the day after. The wind was supposed to be out of the north, but there was a lot of nw in there and it was ripping...blowing right towards the creek crossing...not ideal. I wasn't planning on calling, but got a little bored after my 3pm snack. It's not a super high deer density area so figured what the heck...let's see if there's anything in there. I had recently listened to a podcast about the most effective rattling techniques and that was long and loud, so I smashed them together as hard as I could. To be honest, I didn't have a lot of hope for it. I should know better, because I no more than get the horns back in the bag and he steps out of the woods at 50 yards like he read the script. He's walking straight at me. I'm in a mature elm with a lot of trunk and branches so it's a pretty good hide, but it is the only tree in a mowed area. He gets to 25 still coming straight at me and I try to get drawn without him noticing...that was a shit show. I don't know if it was the angle or me trying not to let him see the movement, but I couldn't get it back the first time. He stops, looks directly at me and we have a stare down for a few seconds. I thought it was over, but he flicks his tail and keeps coming. I get the bow back on the second attempt and settle in on his chest...full frontal is the only thing he's going to offer. I've done a ton of work in the off season on my shot execution to the point that it's almost impossible for me to punch the trigger anymore. I remember the pin float being crazy, but trust the process I guess. It eventually goes off, he dies 10 seconds later.

Direct heart shot right down the pipe...quite literally.

Thankful for a quick, humane kill with no tracking and no dragging. It's been a while for that trifecta.

 

[deerdown]

Neat story, congrats on a nice one!

 

[deerhunter93]

Great buck and well done on the shot. Congrats!

 

[DMarley83]

That is awsome. Congrats on the buck and having the balls to take a frontal!

I have shot 2 bull elk that way but never at a Whitetail.

Where did you aim? Where did you hit? How much penetration? How far did he run?

Sorry for all the ?s

Think you could mark up this image?

 

[Ishi]

Fine buck! Congrats

 

[JNRBRONC]

Very nice, Congrats!

That's one shot I haven't taken since 1986, when I bounced an arrow into the ground off a doe's sternum.

 

[Bucksnbears]

Frontal shots are extremely legal when hit " in the pocket".
I've shot about 15 deer that way (usually from the ground) while doing archery drives, and they die very fast and dump LOTS of blood.

Great story/ buck!.

 

[Daver]

Nice buck!! Congrats!!

 

[203ntyp]

Nice buck and an exciting hunt for sure! I've only ever took one frontal shot on a big doe, it did a number on her plowing the turf for 20 yards and done.

He gets to 25 still coming straight at me and I try to get drawn without him noticing...that was a shit show. I don't know if it was the angle or me trying not to let him see the movement, but I couldn't get it back the first time.

Been there done that, cold muscles and old age make it tuff to draw a 65# bow for me

 

[Sligh1]

Great Buck & story Darrin! Had all come together perfectly - well played!!!!

 

[Kkoppy]

Congratulations

 

[Darrin]

Where did you aim? Where did you hit? How much penetration? How far did he run?

I'd like to say I was aiming at specific tuft of hair, but if we're being real is was center mass. The moment of truth is one part of the game that I'm working on. I've gone from complete black out to more of a brown out...so progress!

Horizontally you couldn't have gotten more center. Wind pipe was completely severed, arrow went directly down through the heart.

20 inches of penetration. 65# 430 gn arrow. Evolution Outdoors Whitetail Fury broadhead 125gn. It stopped just below the hide at the diaphragm.

He ran 20 more yards to the tree I was in, turned 90 degrees and ran another 40 yards into the field. Stumbling the whole way. The initial impact really rocked him. Less than 10 seconds before he expired.

I hadn't even considered this shot, which is another miss on my part. From an elevated position I figured I'd just wait for them to present a better shot. The way this setup that was not going to happen. I probably had another few seconds before he figured it out.

I've seen videos of these shots and the amount of blood on the ground has been impressive. There was very little blood on the ground for this one which makes sense when you instantly shut the pump off. Had I missed the heart and just got a single lung it would have been a long night. That's something I'll think about before taking another shot like that. Thankful it worked out this time.

 

[Copenhagen Tob]

Congrats