2 years ago I was whacked pretty bad in a construction accident. After my long recovery, I took up bowhunting after not bowhunting for about 10 or 15 years. Last year started well but then it was cut short. I started this thread. http://forums.bowhunting.com/bowhunting-talk/55943-unfortunate-ending.html So another surgery on December 17th, 6 months of sitting around and physical therapy, And then shooting arrow after arrow after arrow prepping for this year. I never hunt the start of the Minnesota season but I did get out and set up my ladder stand, cleared some shooting lanes and scouted around a little. My first day of hunting was October 9th in the evening. I would have about 3 hours of hunting time. After a hour and a half, I had a small doe come out and start browsing on everything around my stand. She wandered all around thru all of the shooting lanes I cut, stared at me a few times and then wandered off to the north. Probably 45 minutes had gone by. Then I spotted her heading back west thru the trees and I caught movementoff to the right. It was a buck feeding behind some brush about 35 yards out. He worked his way in to 20 yards and was about to give me a perfect broadside in one of my lanes. Instead he hooked a sharp right and came directly down the lane towards me giving a head on shot. I was already at full draw and decided to pass. He appeared to be a yearling forkhorn. As he walked almost directly underneath my stand I decided that if he gave me the broadside shot in the next lane, I'd take it. He stopped just shy of the lane for a second and I came to full draw. He slowly stepped out and THWAAAACK! Perfect hit, slight quartering away. He ran about 30 yards and dropped dead. He definately was a fork but he had broken off a 5th point and you could see the tine on the other side was starting to split. Just shy of a six pointer. I ve killed plenty with my rifle but this was my first bow kill and it was awesome. The only downside, I'm done for the year.
Just back from my ref gig, my other thing I returned to after 2 years. Anyway, pics of the doe, the downed buck and the muzzy mx-3.
WOW... what an awesome story, comeback and inspiration you are! Looking at those X-rays... you're some kind of walking/moving miracle if you ask me.
