Personally I can't remember a colder opening day of firearms season. Half the time it seems to be too warm, but they're getting pushed anyway. That wasn't the case yesterday morning! 3 pairs of socks later(which didn't help like I thought!) I'm sitting in a ladder stand and hear grunts and crashing. A buck or two were pushing several does around towards me. Of course they come in and stop in the thickest brush you couldn't even sneak a look through. Wouldn't you know when they stopped the wind shifted straight at the lead doe and that was that. The closest buck didn't even notice, but they all followed her out trotting away. Great! A bit later I hear a grunt and look behind me and BAM! there's a doe standing there! Crud! She's not 20 yds out so I grab my Hoyt(I did bring my muzzleloader too just in case) and raise for the shot. Unfortunately in the rush I didn't settle the pin and hit her back. She trots off and finally stops so I grabbed the muzzy for a Hail Mary. The smoke cleared and? A little later I get down to see what went down. Good trail until I get to where she stopped for the ML shot. A clump of hair and nothing else! Durn! I get back to my stand and sit to ponder for a while. Not long after I hear a ruckous and then nothing. Hmm. I get back down to look again and can see where she'd gone but no blood. I go about 40-50yds following this and then it opens up again. Shortly after there she is! Thank you Lord! The hair was from where I simply grazed her neck with the ML shot! What a crazy morning and my first bow kill of the year on the opening day of firearms season. I used a Hoyt Vector 32 and a 100gr VPA nonvented 3 blade that did the trick and is ready to go again.
