Disaster Averted

[ChrisM]

Well I got a doe today that brings my Trad count to two in as many years.  Unfortunately I almost didn't get her!!  Well I set up a new stand on monday since all of my hotspots are dead due to lack of water in this drought.  I chose a heavy trail that went from one of my ponds that has water to a bedding area.  The stand is in an Oak flat next to a dry creek( first time in 10yrs).  There are no acorns to hold the deer its just a more open area for shots.  Several deer passed through in the dark and just after sun up a loan 2 1/2 yr old doe comes my way.  She turns off the trail in a direction that will take her out of range.  For some reason when she is 40yrds out she about faces and back tracks.  Now she is comeing to my right in a good shooting lane.  She stops with her head behind a tree and I draw and shoot.  Don't know why but I shot wide left, Gut shot!!  She runs off and when she is obsured from view her running sound stops.   I sit in my stand for 45 minutes without making a sound then quietly climb down and back out as quiet as I can as to not disturb her.  Back at home I am worried sick and also confused as to why the arrow didn't make a pass through.  Well 3 hrs later I decide to take up the trail as it was rapidly approaching 90 degrees.  Upon taking up her trail I am worried as there is no blood at all.  As I come to where I heard her last I must take my arrow off my bow to progress up the trail and sure enough I come face to face with her at 5 yrds.  Well of cource She jumps up and moves.  I curse myself for being so impatiet and Immediatly back out.  4 hrs later I take up the trail again and where she had laid my broken arrow laid with scant blood.  I slowly advance and in 20yrds I see her bedded again.  She knew I was there but didn't want to get up.  I eased around until her vitals were visable and sent a lethal follow up through both lungs.  She jumped and made a death run and expired.  When I got to her I found out why she didn't go far in the first place.  Apparently her back leg was forward and the WW had burried up deep in her thigh bone.  I was so releived that I had her and she wouldn't go to waste.

[Hermon]

Good job on making the recovery!

[huntingarcher]

Great Job  

[ChrisM]

In all my years of hunting I only lost one deer but I tried for about 9 hrs until Light was gone.  And it was my fault as I took up the trail too soon and bumped him out of his bed.  When I bumped this one I thought I had made the same mistake.

[Green]

Good job of staying after her.  Sometimes things happen....glad you persisted and made a nice shot in the end.

[Mudd]

[Osage61]

Good job !!    

[vintage-bears]

Well done and Congratulations.......Philip

[magnus]

That's the way it needed to be handled. Great job on not giving up and congratulations.  It's harvests like that that mean the most.