Thread: Arrows will fly

Stay focused. Good luck. Stay safe.

So here is the story.

This was the first hunt of the year in this stand. Wind was SSW at 10 approximately. I saw alot of deer in the distance early. Saw the same little 8 point as last night harrassing does early on. Saw a couple more small bucks and a few does but nothing using my trail. I fully expected to have deer approach from my south. I was facing SW and about 0830 I happened to glance back and this buck was walking by me at 11 yards headed North to South. I could see the kicker on the right and instantly knew which deer it was. Luckily my stand is set up to shoot that way. I quickly grabbed my bow and hooked the release. I have hunted this stand alot in the past, so I know my ranges. He stopped to look at something to the south. He never knew I was there. I knew he was 25 yards on the nose. I settled pin #1 behind his shoulder and let it fly. It was like I was watching the arrow in slow motion and I saw it bury in tight behind his shoulder. This all happened in a space of maybe 20 sec. I think that is what helped me, I didn't have time to think about anything.



Anyway I sit in the stand and start texting people. I get ahold of my brother who just got off work at the FD. He tells me he will be there in an hour. I wait 30 min and check the spot. Good blood, and I don't see my arrow so I back out. My brother and I start the track with my daughter assisting about 1000 (90 min after the shot). Good blood for the first 10 yards then it gets kind of spotty. I start getting nervous. Then we have trouble finding a drop. I had watched where he crossed a creek at and it was a near vertical 5 ft tall bank and I see one set of deer prints in it. THere is a tiny piece of gravel the size of a nickle with a drop of blood on it. As I crest the creek it looks like an axe murder and 30 yards up I see a rump laying in the trail. When we field dress him we will see I double lunged him. He maybe went 50 yards.



He is an old deer. As soon as we walk up my brother says I should shoulder mount him. I am horrible at judging antler size. I guess him at upper 130s. We get him out of there and I use the tractor to haul him back to the house and field dress him. The processor is a friend of ours. They also run a large guide service as well as their own tv show. When I drop it off she asks if I want it caped. I am still unsure. When I drop the tailgate she tells me I should have it shoulder mounted. As I am driving home she texts me. She sent the pics to her husband and he thinks the deer is for sure north of 150" and maybe north of 160". Several of my buddies were texting me it was between 150 and 160 but I still have a hard time believing it. Looking forward to summer sausage, backstraps, etc.