I'll never forget my first doe. I was using my grandpa's old marlin 30-30, fairly unpracticed but confident with it. We were working the brush and a doe popped up in front of me... It just stood there looking at me, and of course my heart was racing because it was my first deer. I shouldered the lever action and pulled the trigger... I aimed for the heart, but shouldered her... She hobbled about 3 steps, then turned back to me as if pleading for me to finish the job. I shouldered her again... and she finally died. I got the job done, but seems like I could have accomplished it much more quickly...
Shot my buck this year in the spike at the neck... dropped instantly and died very shortly after. It was a little close to the backstrap, but very effective, especially since I was fairly close to property line.
