I got him Tuesday morning at 10:10 am. AFter an uneventful sit in my blind I checked out a spot that I hadn't used for a couple of years. It's in the woods at an intersection of a few well used trails but the only spot for a decent set up is in a tree that puts you too close to the trails. I got busted a few times because the trails brought the deer right to 10 yards from the stand in most spots before you could arrow them. Well I noticed they had recently dug up a spot where I always pour some road salt and it had some fresh tracks so I climbed up and had a sit. Was only planning on sittng till 10:00 cuz I had to go to work. Well at 9:58 i see two deer coming down a trail that will take them right infront of my stand at 10 yards. They get to 30 yards out and my PHONE GOES OFF!! I know what you are gonna say but I have four young kids at home and this was a work day so the deal is I take the phone in with my just in case. It was on vibrate but the sound of the vibration must have reached the deer cuz they stopped and looked up. I froze and killed the phone. They waited there for a couple minutes then the lead deer (which was larger) hung a left and and went off the trail. the trailing deer stood there for another couple of mnutes then turned left as well. I had a thirty shot with a very narrow window on the trailer so I took it. Heard a twang! Twack! and sure enough I knew I had double lunged a cedar tree - Darn - hit a branch. I quietly recocked the X box, loaded another arrow and gave a couple soft grunts. (the human tranlation of the grunts was: Hey just kidding about the X bow bolt - really it's just me - another buck, why don't you come over). I knew the deer hadn't startled too badly and they didn't snort wheeze me so I thought I still had a chance. Sure enough I see the buck weaving his way through the bush in my direction. He gives me another shot thru a tight lane at 30 yards but I decide not to take it figuring that my lanes are all screwed up due to now clearing them for a couple of years. He then walks to 17 yards when he clears the last branch I will have an open, slightly quarering to shot. I take the shot, He mule kicks then does something I have never seen before in all the deer huting footage and personal experience I've seen - he runs away on three legs. Not limping but carying his front right leg. I'm immediately worried about the shot. it sounded good but I worry that I only hit him in the leg not the chest. i figure if I hit him the the leg, the bolt will be in the ground. The mule kick was a good sign though. I wait for 20 minutes then head to the spot where I shot him - no bolt no blood. I figure since he is carrying the bolt with him and I didn't see the fletching when he ran away so It's a good penetration, he will be dead, but with no blood - the real stress begins. I track him slowly very close to the ground and see his tracks leading to an escape trail that I am familiar with. At th end of the trail he either has to go left to my blind or right into more dense soft woods. I go thru the trail and turn left and see nothing. I start a 100 yard grid that takes me back ot the trail then take the right escape route and find him 40 yards away he has gone 160 yards. The bolt hit high, hit the shoulder blade went thru a single lung and exited 8 inches out of his stomach. This is the 6th deer I've taken in this my 4th year and it is by far the most emotional when I find him. I did not want to lose this deer (or any one) and was worried as soon as I hit him. Sorry for the long story but hopefully my experience can help someone else. Took me 40 min to track him, 40 minutes to get him to the butcher and still made my meeting at work. Turns out it was my hunting buddy that called me thinking I had already left the field to got to work. No harm done.
Looks like alot of cube steak, shoulder roast, two hams,ribbs,and stew meat. Man that thing looks better than i thought. Great job, Frydaddy
