I spent the afternoon in a stand at my buddy's farm 2 miles from my house. This was my 2nd trip to the woods with the bow this year. The wind was out of the S-SE and the stand faced the N-NW. I didn't have a good vibe but the thicker stuff was behind me and I sprayed some Tinks on my boots on the way in so what the hell. I like to bow hunt but I am not hard core like some of my friends so it was good just getting out. Just after getting settled, I saw some movement to the north behind a deadfall down the hill near the bottom - 50 yds out. 2 does shaking off the afternoon snooze. An hour later they started moving off to the left up the bottom. The bigger of the 2 neared straight downwind of me and I prepared for her to bolt. As she got downwind the nose went in the air and she headed right for me - what's with that?
30 minutes and 50 yds later the doe was sniffing the steps of the ladder stand and the buttons could be clearly seen pushing up the hairs of the scalp. I guess the Tinks was worth the price. The other doe was just off to the right no more than 10 yds away. The button was small and the doe was just out of spots. A beautiful 4 pointer quartered away from me from the SW and decided to join the party. This guy spent about 20 minutes milling around 30 yds downwind from me. He eventually moved off to the east. The button milled off to the NW and the little doe stayed tight but was finally upwind of me and milling around less than 20 yds away.
The light was starting to dim given it was about 5:00. I was looking up wind and keeping an eye on the little doe when I heard something moving towards me from the NW. The squirrels were out and the woods were noisy but this was no tree rat. I slowly turned to look behind me only to see a rack with a grey body attached walking my way from where the button disappeared. 40 yds and closing - downwind and not a care. This isn't supposed to happen. I repositioned - keeping an eye on the little doe munching on greens 20 yds away. The rack kept coming with no hesitation. 20 yds, drew the bow as it's head disappeared behind the big Poplar just in front of me. Straight on - nothing but chest - let her fly. Hear the splat of the arrow as it hit it's mark and the rack is hardly touching the ground at it heads down hill to the bottom. 2 more deer enter the picture from the right as the buck makes it hasty departure. Never mind them - follow the buck. He stops about 75 yds away broadside and hunches his back, shudders and disappears into the bottom. Now I hear what sounds like the death spiral of a deer in the woods.
Can it be? - there's so many deer and tree rats around me at this point I'm not sure if it's my buck that I'm hearing. I wait for 15 minutes - almost dark now. I get down and go to the spot of impact. No arrow and no blood. I slowly go to the last spot seen, no blood but I can see where the buck stopped. I look down the hill but see nothing compelling. I decided to head to my truck and get a light and call my buddy who owns the farm. We scoured the ground from where he was shot to where I last saw him and saw no blood. My buddy shined his light down into the bottom and spotted him next to a small deadfall. Not a great buck but a good sized buck with a fair rack. The arrow was all the way in its chest and the chest was FULL of blood. Not bad for my second time out with a bow this year.
great story, very nice old buck, lots of times blood on the ground is limited with a front shot because the fat in brisket seals the hole. Plenty inside but very little outside. Nice job finding your buck with limited sign.
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