I started out my last day of the season with high hopes and expectations. The buck I've been after had given me the slip for over a month now. He'd either be just out of range or wouldn't show up at all. Last Saturday I had him at 20 yards but he was quartering-in hard and his smaller racked sidekick spotted me drawing back. Beautiful buck. He'd made P&Y easily and he would have been my first of that class. Back to the last day...I'm sitting in my truck waiting for the right time to head to stand. My stomach growls so I decide to eat half my lunch, a bologna and cheese sandwich and some chips. Not my typical breakfast but I needed something or my angry sounding tummy would scare every deer to the next county. I made it to my stand and ascended for the last time of the season. At about 8:15 I'm presented with a shot on a doe so I decided to take it. Her head got behind a tree and I drew. I tried not to think of what was about to happen but it was inevitable. My top pin didn't even make it past the 2nd to last rib and definitely was not high enough for the arrow to properly exit where I had wanted it to. Yep, you guessed it. Target panic. At first I thought I nailed her. She broke out of there at full speed but that only lasted 30 yards then she stopped, flickered her tail, and continued on....walking. Then she bedded down 50 yards from me. Stayed there a while and got up and bedded down three more times all within 100 yards. She got up one last time and went out of sight. I decided to stay in stand all day and not take the chance of spooking her. I guess I also got greedy with hopes that big boy would make his way through. Yes, I would have attempted shooting him even with my doe God only knew where. I'm just being honest. At lunch, I finished my half of a sandwich and chips. I saw other deer throughout the day but not the one I wanted. Darkness arrived and I went to my arrow. I wasn't surprised. Green stomach matter was on it and alot of white hair encircling it. Long story short, I had to go to walmart and buy a spotlight and get dinner. I get back to the woods and began my search. Blood trail sucked but I didn't expect much. Spotlight died and I got momentarily lost. Got back on track and found her laying dead in the creek. A opossum was keeping her company and I had to scare him away. Wish I would have gotten a picture of the two but I didn't. I learned a couple things that hunt. One, I'm definitely working my butt off to resolve my TP issue. This wasn't the first deer that suffered this year due to this problem. Second thing I learned, its waaay too long of a drag from that stand just to bring a doe out. Also, this was your textbook gut shot. She bedded down soon afterwards and went for water. I found her about 12 hours after I shot her. Not sure how long it too for her to expire. Sorry for the long read...its been a while since I've posted. BTW...I did take pics of me smiling but my head is cut off in those. I would have posed her better too but she was a little stiff.
Congrats bud, I love to hear about people sticking with it and being smart in their search. Congrats on the doe!
Dang Finch, Where have you been?? I thought she, well, you know How was Jamaica? And congrats on the deer
Thanks guys! Buckmaster...Jamaica was great! I got some pics I'm planning on posting on here sometime soon. You'll have to keep an eye out in the off season forum for them. Thanks for asking man!
Congrats....gonna try and make it happen last minute style this week as well. Was out tonight, but picked the wrong stand.
Congrats! I'm lookin for a late season deer as well. I'd really like to get a shot at something and see how my new bow performs under the pressure.
Great for sticking to it, and finding her. She'll at least be put to good use. With her bedding down that many times, I think indicates a mortal wound. Just a matter of when they bleed out. Congrats!
Siman...LOL...thats great! :D Thanks again guys! I'm hoping I have more time to hang around more. I've surely missed this place. Glad to see we have some new members too.
Congrats...way to hang on until the end. I am still trying to get another doe. When it gets late it seems to get tougher
