Windy days seem to be lucky for me.
I was hunting a choke point in a draw and a ridge that ran behind the tree I had my stand in.
About 17:30 I see a buck walking the ridge behind me and since I saw him late, I have about 3 seconds to get set for the shot.
He's looking around and I don't even dare stand-up. That means I have to twist while seated and can only get about 75% draw while trying to watch my limb tips to not get them fouled.
The arrow's gone. It hits a bit more forward than I planned and a whole lot of it is still sticking out. Arrgghh. He swaps ends and is gone in a second.
This particular tract of public gameland is pretty small and if he runs very far it's going to be tough to follow. So I have to make a decision. If the hit was bad and he's running ... he's gone. My experience with forward shots is that they're more deadly than they sometimes appear and I want some daylight for trailing because it gets THICK in spots. So after 15 minutes I get down and start looking.
There isn't any blood at the hit. I find my arrow 20 yards away. And a few yards further on (I'm running the compass bearing I took from the stand), I find this ....
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/photo2.jpg)
Not terribly impressive. But at least I'm on the trail.
10 more yards and we get this ...
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/deer23.jpg)
It's getting better.
The trail isn't heavy, but it's steady with spots like this ...
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/deer25.jpg)
And this ....
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/deer26.jpg)
Then the trail goes sharply downhill into a small creek. By the way, we're off the gamelands now, but we still have woods to work with.
The blood trail didn't cross the creek so that means we need to follow it. A few yards down the creek there's a sharp turn to the left and when I make the turn here's what I see ....
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/deer205.jpg)
Very happy even if he expired in a most inconvenient spot.
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/deer202.jpg)
It's about 8 feet up on either side, but after a minor stroke I get him hoisted up for the last pic before the field quartering.
(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/dave27615/deer29.jpg)
I'd guess he only made it about 75 yards before going down. As fast as he was running and the way he piled-up in the creek, it was over in seconds.
Thanks for following along.
Congrats! I could not even tell where he was hit, it couldn't have been too bad of a shot!
Daniel
Congrats!!! Great pictures as well!! :thumbsup:
Conrats!! You will appreciate the meat more after having to put so much effort into it. At least that's what I tell myself anyway...
Congrats! :thumbsup: Nice job.
Tom
Congrats! Nice deer, did you get any pic's of the broad head damage? I'm using the Tiger Sharks as well and have not proved them as of yet.
Congrats on a fine buck!
Bisch
Congrats on your buck! Excellent pics too. :thumbsup:
Congrats and great pics.
Congrats!
Congrats. Nice Buck. How did you get him out of the creek bed?
Congrats. Love those Simmons blood trails.
Congrats on the buck,!
Appreciate the replies.
The shot was on the opposite side in the forward part of the shoulder angling down and in. No pics, but it was the typical football shaped hole you get from Simmons.
It was dark and I was tired, so I didn't do much of a field autopsy, but looked like I got the forward lungs and a major vein or artery.
As for getting him up. I tied my haul rope to the base of his antlers, then to my bow and started scrambling up.
If you had used a "normal" broadhead the buck may have had enough juice left to get out of that channel he died in, thus saving you the stroke !!!!
Good hunt, congrats !
Way to go sir! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
good job man !
Congrats Brother!
Great pics and story. Thanks for sharing!
That's great, congrats on a fine buck!
I switched to Simmons this year & have yet to put one on meat but I have high hopes!!
Great story and pics. Thanks for taking us along the hunt with ya bud!
Congratulations!
Congrats. Those Tigersharks really do the job.
Nice buck ! Thanks for sharing your hunt , and that's a great blood trail :thumbsup:
Congrats and great pics. I hate pics of gutted animals, trucks, yards, garages...etc. I shot an 8 point last night and got my pics in the woods before gutting.
Congrats! Well done. :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: