Veteran's Day buck

[zwickey2bl]

I was blessed to kill this 8 point last Tuesday. An unusually cold mornimg for this time of year in Alabama at about 20°, apparently it got the deer on their feet. I set up in a little draw in the woods where there were a ton of white oak acorns on the ground. I didn't see anything till about 8:45, when a bunch of does and little ones came in behind me. They winded me pretty quick and called a fire drill, blowing up and scattering. I figured that would be the end of any action at least for a good while, so I was surprised 15 minutes later to see deer movement straight in front of me about 60 yards away in some pines. I knew by the way the deer was moving it was a buck before I ever saw horns. Turned out to be two bucks, an 8 pt and a wide 6 pt. They came straight at me like they were on a mission, with the 8 pt in the lead. He came at me from about 10 o'clock and finally stopped briefly at about 7 yards. I was about 15 ft up in my Summit climber, so it was a pretty steep down angle, quartering to me. I took the shot, which hit him about midway of the ribcage, high but below the spine. As he ran off, I could see about 6" of my yellow barred fetched ash shaft sticking out of his back. He ran about 60 yards, then reversed and ran back at me for a few steps before turning and resuming his initial line of travel. I felt like that erratic behavior signaled a lethal hit, but of course, you never know. I climbed down and gathered my stand and stuff, killing 30 minutes before I started looking for blood. About that time, my son texted me (I was hunting near his house) as asked if I'd done any good - matter of fact, I have, sez I. He and both of my grandsons came back then to help with the trailing. Long story short, we never found a drop of blood (no exit wound), but grandson #2 found my buck about 80 yards from where I'd shot him, deader than easy credit. Equipment was my 58# Bamabow longbow, 4-fletch ash shafts, Zwickey Eskimo 4-blade. The Zwickey got two ribs going in, took out the right lung, and ended up in the liver. Looked like it deflected a bit on entry, taking a flatter angle that took a path more lengthwise in the body cavity.
P.S. after the 8 pt ran off, the 6 pt, totally undisturbed, walked over and stood in the exact spot where I'd just shot the 8 pt. I could have shot him as well, but we can't take two bucks on the same day here.
 

[supernaut]

Congratulations on a nice buck! Nice to have your family involved as well. Thanks for the write up of your hunt, I really enjoyed it.


 

[rastaman]

Thanks for sharing your hunt Ken! That is (was) a fat, healthy buck! Congratulations!   

[shick]

Congratulations to you '2bl;  nice recap.

Shick

[Pine]

Nice one 

[YORNOC]

Great experience, enjoyed reading. I'm a Zwickey guy myself, but 2 blade with steel inserts. Gets me about 175 grains up front. Thanks for a great read!