Last couple years haven't had much of a chance to archery hunt and/or scout in my new location. Have done some work improving/clearing out a field edge where I've been given permission to hunt, but the rest of the area is so overgrown with buckthorn and other chit, it's terrible.
Saw a lot of does/fawns last year and only one little buck. Time is/was quickly running out this year and I was contemplating shooting a small buck for the meat. Sure enough, here comes a little guy but he's looking up and saw a flash of a decent sized rack. They both hang up on a field edge where I can't see very well, but it than looks like the bigger of the two had a broken left main beam.
Watched them for probably 15-20 minutes while cursing terribly as the gnats were just awful. Thought they were headed my way, when a fawn makes an appearance in the woods and the little guy heads here way with the bigger of the two not far behind. Probably 25 yard shot and I'm grunting up a storm to get him to stop. Been a couple years since I've pulled back the string and my hearts a thumpin (love that feeling). Let the arrow go just as he starts to move forward and the shot hits a little far back. I knew he was a dead deer, but I was seriously thinking "oh crap". Next to a valley and the brush is nasty in there.
I thought I heard him go down, but wasn't sure. The little guy and the fawn had circled around and were right underneath me for a time, but after about 20 minutes I'm able to get up and leave. Came back at 7:30, shot at 6:00. Didn't see any blood, but did a slow search in the dark in the direction I thought I heard him go down. NOTHING. Started thinking I really wish I had one of those thermal scopes. Circled back to where I shot and finally saw a drop of blood. Hands and knees for probably 20-30 minutes and was just going to give up and come back in the daylight when there he was. Probably didn't go 50 yards from where I took the shot, but the brush was that thick and nasty.
Left beam was just messed up, four pts on the right side and decent potential width. Picture doesn't do him justice and a very large body.
Happy camper though and so glad I found him.
Picture too large to post- To be continued
