Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

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DuckHunt
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Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by DuckHunt »

The prices on the Matrix 350SE packages was too good to pass up so I picked up one after last season. It still takes a back seat to my Micro, but I wanted to get it out and draw blood with it this season at some point.

Late yesterday around sunset the cooler weather finally had deer on their feet around here. I caught a glimpse of a deer about 60 yards out which is the extent of my visibility being 25ft up in a three-forked oak. As it took a couple steps feeding, I noticed it was a small buck. Being more partial to venison than antlers, all I needed was a shot opportunity. He had just came up out of a deep slough and was feeding along the edge of the ridge which runs about 50 yards across in front of me. I guessed his route and ranged the two only options I would have given his direction. The closest spot was a small 4' wide circle I could see through that ranged 48 yards.

He slowly fed that way and lucky for me he came to a stop squarely in the small clear spot. I had turned on the scope illumination and had a good rest on the shooting rail of my stand. I placed the 50 yard point about an inch lower than I wanted to hit and squeezed the trigger. This shot was 8 yards farther than any I had attempted before at a deer, but if ever the conditions would be right, this was it. It was a very quiet clear afternoon and the deer was calm and clueless to my presence. The lumenok backed BE Zombie raced to the target and the crack at impact told me that the Rocket Sidewinder had landed.

The buck jumped and ran about 15 yards before slowing to a walk then stopping. I could see his tail flick in the shadows for more than five minutes before it disappeared. I kept waiting to hear him fall, but I never did. With no movement for at least 20 minutes, I climbed down to check my arrow because darkness was rapidly approaching. I found the arrow with red blood on it, but did not find a blood trail. Since I knew the general area he had stood for more than 5 minutes, I slowly tracked that direction. I got to a big downed tree and sat my bag down to dig out my FLIR thermal tracker. As I was trying to dig it out, the buck jumped up not 20 yards from me and headed away. All I could do is watch as he walked quickly away. He was not running, so I knew he was hit but I still didn't know how well due to lack of blood and it was too dark to see any on him.

I waited about 10 minutes before deciding to cross over the log to survey the area where he had spent the better part of 20 minutes. I eventually found two or three small pools of blood. I say small, because they all would only add up to less than a cup of blood. It was bright red, but I'm used to seeing a lot more quantity from a good hit. This was the largest spot.
Image
While I was surveying the area, I was almost certain I heard a crashing or thrashing sound about 100 yards away in the direction he had headed. I headed that direction looking for blood and surveying with the FLIR thermal camera. Other than where he stood, I found no blood at all. Finally I decided to walk out to the general area where I thought I heard a crash. I walked out to that area and the FLIR thermal camera quickly pinpointed a hot spot up in an adjacent thicket about 40 yards away. I slipped up in the thicket and found him very dead.
Image
To my surprise, he ended up being a small 8 point. I would have guessed a 6 at best but I didn't concentrate on the antlers. The picture above shows the 1.5" broadhead exit. The entrance was about the same level but even with the last rib. For the life of me, I cannot understand why I had very little blood. I'm guessing I only clipped one lung. He was plumply full of blood all the way to the very back of the abdominal cavity. It spewed when I made my first cut in the rear.

Overall, the Matrix performed perfectly. Even given the distance, I hit where I aimed, but I prefer things a lot closer to decrease the chances of things going wrong. The broadhead cut great, but very little came out. I'll ponder why for a while. This one is the first recovery I've made where the FLIR camera made all the difference. When it is black dark, small spots of blood can be hard to find and you almost have too stumble on the deer to find it. He was plainly visible from 40 yards away. It was money well spent.
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xcaliber
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by xcaliber »

Congrats on a nice buck, and early season freezer filler! :thumbup:
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by Normous »

That is one fine tasting buck, nice shot!!
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Bcxbow
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by Bcxbow »

Congrats and nice job on the follow up. :thumbup:
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by W.Miguire »

Nice buck . good for you for sticking with it :clap:
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by gerald strine »

Great harvest congratulations , thanks for the nice wright up.
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by longbow joe »

Nice job glad you found him too.
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by frisky »

congrats on a fine looking buck! :clap:
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by Riflemanz »

Congrats! Nice shot! Hard to believe he didn't bleed out more with those heads.
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by mr meat »

Congrats on the buck
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by paulaboutform »

Congratulations on a delicious buck. :thumbup: Your thermal tracker is now paid for and the rest is all gravy.

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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by vixenmaster »

Good shot great recovery n nice tick toter, congrats
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by Boo »

That's great! Thank you for the play by play! :thumbup:
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Timbrhuntr
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by Timbrhuntr »

Congrats on breaking in the new bow and tracker .
Shot looks a little far back and maybe due to the longer distance is more level than downward! I have found that on more level entrance and exit wounds the blood trail be sparce compared to a high entrance and low exit.
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Re: Finally broke in the Matrix 350SE right

Post by grouse »

Great story, I really enjoyed reading it! I'm jealous of your success. Although I see deer nearly every time I go out this year, I can't seem to get a shot. Last week I had two bucks, both 8 - 10 pointers, within 40 yards of my stand. I have never shot that far at a deer, and they appeared to be coming closer, so I waited. They both stepped off into the brush and the opportunity was gone. There was a forkhorn with them and, of course, he came within 5 yards of my stand. I would have proudly shot him but bucks have to have 4 pts. on at least one side to be legal where I hunt. I'll keep trying and if I don't succeed with my crossbow my rifle prospects look pretty good.

Congratulations on a good shot and great recovery, and I hope to write a similar story before too long.
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