I’ve been debating whether to post this story or not. I guess I could’ve just posted a picture and said personal best and left it at that but that’s not my style. For a quiet guy I tend to be wordy when writing, sorry! I’ll go ahead and get it out of the way, personal best buck... worst shot ever.
So yes, he’s not a monster but this is my largest buck to date, rifle or bow. The last buck I killed was 4 years ago! Here’s the “wordy” story on that one, https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=619300. This trip was more of a spur of the moment trip to fill feeders and get things ready for Thanksgiving. But hey, we’re at the ranch so we’re hunting when we can!
We had a late arrival Saturday, so we slept in a bit Sunday and started filling feeders after a quick breakfast. I did take the time in the morning to watch an old Axis and some turkeys from the living room window at the house feeder. The turkeys passed within 10 yards of the house and a couple yearlings were even closer! We took our time and managed to get most of the feeders filled along with having lunch and taking care of a few other chores. The next thing we know it’s almost 4:00!
I quickly changed and grabbed my gear and headed to a ladder stand in an oak mott. It’s a tight setup with the feeder set about 15 yards from the tree. I was a little concerned about when the feeder would throw, most of the feeders we filled hadn’t been reset and were spinning after dark. I was already late getting in so I didn’t want to take the extra time to lower it and check the times.
I climb into the stand and didn’t get set yet and a couple of does and yearlings come walking up at about 4:25, waiting for the dinner bell! The feeder spun at 4:30! There was quite a bit of activity including an 8 that will be a good deer in a year or two if he gets through the season.
Sometime around 5:00 I hear a commotion in the brush behind me, it has the attention of the 8 too. I see a doe on the run behind me then I catch a glimpse of the buck chasing her, his antlers are darker than the 8 I’ve been watching, with taller tines and a little more width. I don’t get a good look, but I saw enough to stand and get ready for a shot if it happened. He ran her back and forth behind me a couple times, never giving me a good look and no shot. After they disappeared I sat again and watched more deer come and go.
At about 5:30 the feeder spun a second time, spooking the deer feeding only for a moment before they returned. A few minutes later the doe that the buck was chasing ran through the feeding area, I was pretty sure it was her as she was a little darker than the other does, not melanistic but a couple shades darker. I figured the buck was still chasing her since she didn’t stop at the feeder.
I stood again and positioned for a shot in the direction where she stopped. I heard him coming from my right and behind as I had my back to the feeder, still not a good look at him but I came to full draw. I had ranged the brush where the doe stopped earlier at about 30 yards. He pushed her a little bit and stood in an opening where she had been and looked back my way. I was still trying to decide if he was a shooter, but I knew it was now or never. To be honest I don’t think I repositioned to look through the peep from looking at the deer, that and he started to move. I rushed the shot.
When I touched the trigger, the nock lit up and the FMJ flew, I knew right away the shot was off... way off. My heart sunk. Not even liver or guts, I center punched the right side hind quarter. The arrow almost made a complete pass through, hanging by the fletching on the off side. It was then that I noticed the blood spurting and running off the shaft.
I tried to nock another arrow, but my nerves wouldn’t let me. The deer took a couple of steps and it was in the brush, I could still see him but there wasn’t an opening for a follow up shot. I could tell he was hurt by his slow and labored walk. I watched him until he went behind some thick brush and I never saw him reappear. I had high expectations that he laid down there and took his last breath.
I waited until about 6:15 to climb down, I wanted to see what I could with the last bit of daylight. I eased around the brush where I hoped he would be but was disappointed to find that he wasn’t there. I then back tracked to where he was when I shot him and saw significant spots of bright red blood. I decided to back out and give him some time and get some help with the track.
I went to the house and told my father in law all I could remember. I told him that I messed up so bad that I think I actually killed the deer! I kept thinking back to the arrow hanging on the off side, blood spurting and running down the shaft. The deer had to be dead.
We ate supper and decided on 8:30 as the time to head out. That would be about three hours after the shot. I knew there was a flat white rock covered in blood near where the deer was when I shot him. It didn’t take long to find the rock and other blood in the area. We started heading in the direction the deer went. It was a classic blood trail, finding the blood covered arrow about 20 yards in, large spots/puddles where he stopped, spots and splatters where he was on the move. I don’t think he went 80 yards before piling up. Looking at the scene I’m sure he was dead when I got out of the tree.
I center punched the right side ham, the arrow passed through near the **** cavity and exited a little lower on the left ham. I caught femoral arteries on both sides. Only by the grace of God did I kill this deer as humanely as I did.
After we got him to the house we gutted him and left him hanging overnight to skin the next day. The hind quarters were devastated, the Montec G5 definitely did it’s job, I don’t know how the deer took another step!
I was lucky this time. I’m going to shoot a lot more and hope to be able to use this as my teaching opportunity to not get caught up in the moment. I can sit and watch deer all day at ten to 15 yards, but when I pick up the bow to take the shot that adrenaline kicks into overdrive! I hope I never lose that feeling but I also hope to get a little better control over it!
Sorry about the few sideways pics, I couldn't get them to upright.
So yes, he’s not a monster but this is my largest buck to date, rifle or bow. The last buck I killed was 4 years ago! Here’s the “wordy” story on that one, https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=619300. This trip was more of a spur of the moment trip to fill feeders and get things ready for Thanksgiving. But hey, we’re at the ranch so we’re hunting when we can!
We had a late arrival Saturday, so we slept in a bit Sunday and started filling feeders after a quick breakfast. I did take the time in the morning to watch an old Axis and some turkeys from the living room window at the house feeder. The turkeys passed within 10 yards of the house and a couple yearlings were even closer! We took our time and managed to get most of the feeders filled along with having lunch and taking care of a few other chores. The next thing we know it’s almost 4:00!
I quickly changed and grabbed my gear and headed to a ladder stand in an oak mott. It’s a tight setup with the feeder set about 15 yards from the tree. I was a little concerned about when the feeder would throw, most of the feeders we filled hadn’t been reset and were spinning after dark. I was already late getting in so I didn’t want to take the extra time to lower it and check the times.
I climb into the stand and didn’t get set yet and a couple of does and yearlings come walking up at about 4:25, waiting for the dinner bell! The feeder spun at 4:30! There was quite a bit of activity including an 8 that will be a good deer in a year or two if he gets through the season.
Sometime around 5:00 I hear a commotion in the brush behind me, it has the attention of the 8 too. I see a doe on the run behind me then I catch a glimpse of the buck chasing her, his antlers are darker than the 8 I’ve been watching, with taller tines and a little more width. I don’t get a good look, but I saw enough to stand and get ready for a shot if it happened. He ran her back and forth behind me a couple times, never giving me a good look and no shot. After they disappeared I sat again and watched more deer come and go.
At about 5:30 the feeder spun a second time, spooking the deer feeding only for a moment before they returned. A few minutes later the doe that the buck was chasing ran through the feeding area, I was pretty sure it was her as she was a little darker than the other does, not melanistic but a couple shades darker. I figured the buck was still chasing her since she didn’t stop at the feeder.
I stood again and positioned for a shot in the direction where she stopped. I heard him coming from my right and behind as I had my back to the feeder, still not a good look at him but I came to full draw. I had ranged the brush where the doe stopped earlier at about 30 yards. He pushed her a little bit and stood in an opening where she had been and looked back my way. I was still trying to decide if he was a shooter, but I knew it was now or never. To be honest I don’t think I repositioned to look through the peep from looking at the deer, that and he started to move. I rushed the shot.
When I touched the trigger, the nock lit up and the FMJ flew, I knew right away the shot was off... way off. My heart sunk. Not even liver or guts, I center punched the right side hind quarter. The arrow almost made a complete pass through, hanging by the fletching on the off side. It was then that I noticed the blood spurting and running off the shaft.
I tried to nock another arrow, but my nerves wouldn’t let me. The deer took a couple of steps and it was in the brush, I could still see him but there wasn’t an opening for a follow up shot. I could tell he was hurt by his slow and labored walk. I watched him until he went behind some thick brush and I never saw him reappear. I had high expectations that he laid down there and took his last breath.
I waited until about 6:15 to climb down, I wanted to see what I could with the last bit of daylight. I eased around the brush where I hoped he would be but was disappointed to find that he wasn’t there. I then back tracked to where he was when I shot him and saw significant spots of bright red blood. I decided to back out and give him some time and get some help with the track.
I went to the house and told my father in law all I could remember. I told him that I messed up so bad that I think I actually killed the deer! I kept thinking back to the arrow hanging on the off side, blood spurting and running down the shaft. The deer had to be dead.
We ate supper and decided on 8:30 as the time to head out. That would be about three hours after the shot. I knew there was a flat white rock covered in blood near where the deer was when I shot him. It didn’t take long to find the rock and other blood in the area. We started heading in the direction the deer went. It was a classic blood trail, finding the blood covered arrow about 20 yards in, large spots/puddles where he stopped, spots and splatters where he was on the move. I don’t think he went 80 yards before piling up. Looking at the scene I’m sure he was dead when I got out of the tree.
I center punched the right side ham, the arrow passed through near the **** cavity and exited a little lower on the left ham. I caught femoral arteries on both sides. Only by the grace of God did I kill this deer as humanely as I did.
After we got him to the house we gutted him and left him hanging overnight to skin the next day. The hind quarters were devastated, the Montec G5 definitely did it’s job, I don’t know how the deer took another step!
I was lucky this time. I’m going to shoot a lot more and hope to be able to use this as my teaching opportunity to not get caught up in the moment. I can sit and watch deer all day at ten to 15 yards, but when I pick up the bow to take the shot that adrenaline kicks into overdrive! I hope I never lose that feeling but I also hope to get a little better control over it!
Sorry about the few sideways pics, I couldn't get them to upright.
The results speak for themselves..
by a famous (to some) poster. But, no joke, the big artery in that ham will bleed them out pretty quickly. You did recover him and that’s the main takeaway...
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