I hunt on my own small piece of land and am able to go out almost every morning and put in a couple hours before I have to get on with the day. I usually go and sit behind a large rock that overlooks a deer trail and wait for whatever comes by. That was where I had my miss a bit ago and I have been hoping to see that guy again.
When I came in that morning I spooked the doe that likes to hang out in that area and a little spike buck that was with her. After sitting for about 90 minutes with no movement on the trail I decided to pack it in for the morning as I had work to do and it was getting a bit late.
Just after I left my spot I heard a movement in the bush and saw the doe again. The little buck was behind her coming back up the trail. I had no place nearby for cover so just crouched down and kept still. He must have seen or smelled me as he changed his course as he got close and went out into the open about 15 yards from me. I could not get a shot because of the trees and branches between us. I moved slowly to an opening and raised my bow. Even though he was a little guy, he would be my first ever. Buck fever set in and I had to make a real effort to control my breathing and concentration. I took my time and estimated the distance again. He turned a bit away from me and stopped. I squeezed the trigger and the arrow flew.
He didn’t jump or run off. He just wandered for about 25 yards and then fell over. I watched him for about 15 minutes and he was still. I cocked my bow, put in another arrow and slowly worked my way toward him. I saw my arrow in the dirt just a few yards from the buck who was lying in a pool of blood. I poked him with my boot and heard air rush out of the hole in his side. The arrow had hit just behind the front leg and maybe a bit higher than perfect but certainly hit the lungs and the G5 Montec did its job. He wasn’t as big as the one I missed earlier but he was legal and he was my first.
I am often amazed at the power in my Exocet 200. I was shooting a Firebolt tipped with a 125 grain Montec off the factory Dacron string. The arrow entered the buck, sliced through the lungs and the top of the heart, hit and shattered the rib on the opposite side hard enough to bend the tip of the broadhead, exited the deer and still flew just about as far as the deer went before he dropped.
you are a lucky man to able to hunt those Blacktails. I have never seen one posted here before congrats.
