I've been fortunate so far as I have several places to hunt and deer at my local place have been few and far between. First week of the season I shot a doe--she ran about 80 yds and down the side of a ridge--not too bad dragging her back to the top though.
Last week I was at another place near where I killed the doe and had 7 deer in and around me--and all of them sniffed me out! Only shot I could have taken was at a button buck--not! That was on a Wednesday and Friday the winds had shifted about 180-degrees so I went back to the same location. Had a deer in front of me well before shooting light--in fact, couldn't even tell it had antlers. About 30 minutes later I had the original deer, which I had determined was a buck, plus a fawn, plus a doe eating acorns around me. 10 minutes after that, I could see the buck was a shooter and that's when the "THUMP, THUMP! THUMP!!!" really cranked up in my chest--one of the greatest feelings IMO. So, the buck finally turned broadside, and then a bit farther and put his head down. Trying to keep my 2 eyes on 3 deer to pick the right time to draw was fun! Finally had all with heads down and it was "Draw, anchor, aim, release" and the arrow zipped right through him. Kicked and left--to my left front towards a steep, heavily wooded canyon. Watched him for about 40 yds but didn't hear him crash. Picked up the binocs and checked the arrow--good blood on the white vane, so settled back for 15 minutes. Walked back to the truck, had a sip or two of coffee, and drove as close as I could get. No blood at first, but eventually found his hoofprints and some blood which got heavier as I trailed him--then it quit. By this time I was about 30 yds from the fringe of cedar trees at the canyon edge, and looking ahead, thought I could see a white belly. About 10 more yards and there he was--Not a great buck, better than average antlers for where I was hunting, and 98-lbs field dressed.