We do not shoot does or small bucks on
our property. So I was surprised when Dad said we were going to shoot a spike or forkhorn if we saw one of them. You see, 2 spikes and a forkhorn are running together. They eat all the acorns in our spot and won't let the does and fawns in. Dad has see them in person and on camera a couple of times. Today we got in our brush pile at 5:30PM. At 6:06PM the does and fawns came into view off to the side of our spot and wandered back and forth but wouldn't come in to the food plot. At 6:09PM the two spikes and forkhorn came in. One spike and the forkhorn ran out to chase the does away. When the does moved off they came back to the other spike. Then they circled around to our side of the foodplot (it's only 20 yards across). One spike trotted past at about 10 feet away. Then the forkhorn came in maybe 5 feet further. Dad said shoot. I told him I wanted a big buck and that he should shoot and I gave him the M380. As Dad raised the bow the forky stepped forward and the second spike stepped into its spot. Dad shot. The spike jumped forward, walked one step, spun around twice and fell over. It did not go 10 feet from where the arrow went through it. This is what we pray for since our property is small and we don't want a deer making it to a street or where someone will see it. God is good! There wasn't even blood on the deer or the ground, just a big triangular cut-out on its side.
That is the first thing we have killed with the M380. Ours has a Leupold Crossbones and a Boo string with cat whiskers. The BEZS has 110 grain insert and a Sonic Bolt 150 grain tip. With the Axiom I could see the bolt go through an animal but I couldn't see the bolt from the 380. Also, when the Axiom shoots (even with bumpers) the sound kind of lingers for a second kind of like "doink". The M380 has a shorter sound and its more like a "tah".
We came home and hung up the deer and made it to our 7PM dinner appointment. At 8PM Dad went to work. We have a "you catch it you clean it rule" for fish, but this will be the first year we use that rule for animals too. Since Dad got this one he did the work but I paid attention. He is quick with a knife. In just less than an hour he had the skin on the salt and all the meat cut into chops, steaks and jerky strips on the cooling rack to age. I hope I can get it done quickly when its my turn. Anyway, here is the first deer for us this year and first with our M380.
He will eat good for certain. 