I got a nice big six pointer on Sunday night. It was my first day out, other than scouting. It was also the first time I had pointed my Exocet at an animal. Just at last light 3 does and a buck came into range.
As I was waiting for a good shot, I was thinking about all of the great little bits of advice that I have learned from this forum. Think about the bolt's path through the animal, not just the entry point. Stay up in your stand after you make the shot, so you don't chase him deeper into the bush. And my personal favorite...Don't shoot your thumb off with the bow string.
I got a perfect 35 yard shot...I thought. He ran about 60 yards and sat down. I waited a bit, then I went to camp and got my ATV, and when I got back, he was gone. No blood, no nothing. We found a bloody bolt, but everybody had a different opinion about what the slick pinky orange blood meant.
We searched that field for a couple of hours, then we had to call it a night. The next morning we put in another few hours, before we found a little blood, about 150 yards from the arrow. Just a teaspoon. We were lucky enough to have two old pros who were willing to get up early and come help us find him. While the experts were crawling along the bushline, trying to figure out where he left the field, I decided to drive around to the back corner of the property, and walk a grid through the bush. I found him after about an hour, back where no one with any good sense would have been looking. He must have been 500 yards from where I hit him. He had his antlers buried up to the first tines in the dirt, and the wound was fully packed with moss. Not a drop of blood anywhere on the ground, and just a trickle at his nose.
I used the "Right Stuff" I got in my accessory pack. Gold tip 2216 with Wasp Stingers. There was a hole in him that you could put your fist through. One rib was completely blown out. The brisket on one side was shredded for six inches around the hole. I think I hit both lungs. He was full of blood. There was even a slice across the top of his heart, but the chamber was not opened.
I was equally amazed by the force of the Exocet, and the incredible strength and drive of this deer. Looking at the damage that was inflicted, I could not imagine him walking two feet, never mind running 500 yards.
He weighed 150 lb. at the butcher (dressed, skinned, head and shoulder mount off). I didn't remember to bring a camera, but his head is in my freezer, so I guess I will have to wait unitl March to show you the mount. This was a fantastic experience. Thanks again for teaching me so much.
