I had taken my 9 year old son on several blind sits prior to this morning - which were an amazing bonding time. The best was last weekend, when we climbed up the quad pod (elevated) blind, and were getting ourselves situated, we heard a deer crossing by the river. We had a quick whisper on what would happen if one came out, and his words back to me were "I don't know what's happening, but my heart is beating really fast!" - Ah, the youthful anticipation of a deer coming our way.....lol! The deer did decide to come our way about 1.5 hours later, after several doe bleats to entice her....but of course it just happened to be at the exact moment my son had 'nature call', and the doe busted us from 30 yards. She was in the tall grass where we couldn't see her, but she sure saw us - and departed rapidly blowing and carrying on....Lukas felt terrible, but we chalked that one up to a life lesson....I'm sure he'll be busted many more times over his hunting career than just that one!
Fast forward to this weekend.....
After discovering my Matrix 405 had a split limb on Friday morning while in my tree stand (dealing with a warranty claim as we speak), I had to pull out the 'pretty bow' to serve as my back-up. I've never hunted with my Y25 - but that all changed this morning! I had to do some quick equipment tuning (had to move my scope from the 405 over to the Y25, and get her sighted in yesterday). After the dusted settled, I was ready to hit the woods this morning as planned.....
It was a pretty uneventful hunt up until this little guy came out. I thought I'd heard something coming prior to first light, but I attributed it to squirrels - as I saw a couple once the sun came up and I could see far enough in that direction. But you always have that fleeting 'doubt' - was that REALLY a squirrel?! - and that proved right today! After scanning the woods most of the morning, it was about 8:30AM and I decided to have a quick game of Candy Crush! I know - scold me for the technology in the woods- but that's what I get for letting my son bring it with him into the blind - he got me hooked....I blame him...
Anyway, after about my third replay, I heard the bushes rustle out in front of me at about 30 yards. I had watched a black squirrel about 30 minutes earlier, so that was the first thing that crossed my mind - but I quickly realized that was WAY too much rustling for a little squirrel. I quickly pocketed my phone and grabbed the Y25. Of course I didn't have time to put my gloves on - you can't play Candy Crush wearing gloves, you know! I no sooner picked up my bow and this little guy appeared in the thistles, browsing without a care in the world practically right below my stand. I held the crosshairs on him for 15 LONG minutes - as he conveniently had stick branches covering his vitals the entire time. I told myself to be patient, and this little guy had no clue he was in immenent danger, and he'd give me a clean shot soon enough. This decision was made a little more difficult due to the pending frostbite in my un-gloved hands - but I know, it was my OWN "video-game playing" fault! He then decided to turn and head slightly away at 20 yards, and with a soft 'bah' I froze him in the thistles with his vitals giving me the perfect target. I whistled one of Big John's arrows with a 100gr Slick Trick cleanly through both lungs. He did the 'death mule kick' and took off. I listened, thought I heard him fall, but decided to play one more game of Candy Crush before climbing to find him!
After getting down 15 minutes later, this guy hadn't gone 40 yards, on the other side of the thistles. He dropped right in the field on the way to the van - the first time I've ever had one help me by running TOWARDS my vehicle!
I texted my older boy, who came out with his little bro to participate in the harvest. It's good to have a little muscle for getting these things out of the bush - it seems every year they get a little bit heavier when carting them out of the woods!
So now there is meat in the freezer. Time to get my older boy in front of one, and chase old mossy horns....
Good luck to all this fall.......
I was also thinking what a large bodied deer that is. 
