That night my guide talked me into hunting a second day in a row telling me it will be the day that big buck walks through. Well, I swallowed hard and gave it a go knowing how much of a pain in the butt I must be. Being the old man in the group is rough, in that I am slow and just wear out on those mountians up and down stuff. Just do not have the lungs anymore and really feel sorry for my guide Chris. He just slows down to and takes as many breaks as I want. I am honored to call him a friend.
OK, the second day we went down down down down down all the way to the bottom where there was a ladder stand for me. In front I could see the mountian face with a logging trail Chris thought the deer would use. below me was the bottom which was free of leaves where the deer could sneak in. And to my left in went up steep and I mean goat trail steep. After Chris left in no time about 20 turkeys scratched their way by making all sorts of noise. And then a four pointer showed himself. I let him alone and he just browsed his way by me. About 9:oo o clock AM I turned to glance at that quiet bottom and at the same time a 9 point buck caught the movement standing there 22 yards away. I tried to just watch him out of the corner of my eye so he could'nt feel my stare and sure enough his tail wagged side to side letting me know he was calm. He started to circle me to caught my scent I'm sure so I followed with my crossbow. He started up the mountain in front of me and when he hit the logging trail I let out a baaaaaaa and he stopped giving me a 30 yard with a slight quartering away shot. I let go and heard the slit slit of in and out of the arrow but was not sure where I hit it. He took off but his tail was up which told me at least it was'nt a gut shot otherwise he would have had it tucked between his legs. He ran around the mountian out of sight and I heard a crash and quiet. I waited ten loooooong minutes and went down and check for my arrow and blood and sure enough first a spot of blood on a leaf and there was my arrow covered in blood. At a glance I thought I saw specks on it meaning a gut shot but I backed off and left everything alone thinking time is on my side and headed up the mountian a ways so my cell phone would work and call Chris. He came and we left and came back 3 hours later and started tracking. The buck left a good blood trail and Chris found some hair which he thought might be from the gut. We got to the bend in the mountain where I lost sight of him and heard something take off where the buck went. My heart sank thinking we bumped it out of his bed. I went a ittle higher and snuck over the edge and took a peak and low and behold there was the buck stone cold dead stiff as a board. Went 80 yards and was a double lung shot. Did'nt think I could do it anymore but I had one more in me. My guide Chris was great and I could'nt have done it wihout him. Here are some pics.
That bearded dude is Chris, one patience, patience guide. A big thanks to him.
