AF Hunter

This morning I went to the stand for the first time this year. I was sitting in the stand by 5:30 AM and waited for 30 minutes prior to sunrise. I started grunting and rattling just as the sun started peeking over the horizon. At 7:15 AM a big old 8 pointer wandered into my area. I grunted a couple of times and he stopped and looked into the woods I pulled the trigger on the crossbow and let the bolt fly. He turned and ran into the creekbed across the lea. I was sure I had hit him and sat there and thought about all the posts I had read on this forum. After 30 minutes, I climbed down and went looking for the bolt. I found it stuck in the ground about 60 yards from the stand. Not a drop of blood on it. I went back and climbed back into the stand and as I sat down, I noticed a small limb between me and the meadow that was now hanging by a thread. So, I missed the deer but killed the twig. I recocked the XBow and started grunting again. After the first grunt, I heard that buck blow three times and knew he wasn't coming back anytime soon. I continued to grunt and rattle every 15 minutes or so and at 10:30 a small 8 pointer wandered into the woods and settled down under my stand. At 11:15, a doe walked into the woods and the small buck started chasing her around the tree I was in. After what seemed like an eternity, the buck stopped on the hillside (about 12 yards away), and stood there grunting. After a short deliberation, I decided I needed to get a deer under my belt (archery wise) and took aim. As I sqeezed the trigger, the left limb of the bow smacked the tree I was in. The buck did a mule kick and then started walking after the doe again. I watched him walk out about 150 yards and lay down. Since he was out of sight, I got down to retrieve my bolt. When I found it, it was streaked with fat and blood. I then noticed my bow string had snapped several strands from hitting the tree. I decided to back off and talk to someone who had bow hunted for years. He looked at the bolt and told me that I had probably just knicked him under the brisket. I decided to go look for the deer anyway since I had shot him. After a three hour wait, I walked over to where I had last seen him and there he was. He lifted his head a little and then let out his last breathe. His rack is small, but he'll still be good eatin'. Pictures to follow after I shower and download the photo.

Hunterbrum

Congrats on the buck.

AF Hunter

Thanks....Here's the lil bugger. BTW it was a double lung shot.

Pa Trophy Man

Congrats

PA Hardwoods

Congratulations, no matter how big or small they are ALL trophies.

AF Hunter

Thanks all. BTW to those who responded to my survey whether or not I'd get a buck this year, I have to say:

1. No matter how small the rack, he's still a buck.
2. There was no damage to my truck in the taking of this buck.
3. He's definately not a slickhead.
4. I didn't get skunked!

RDHunter

Nice buck congrats

NCHuntnFEVER06

Congrats !!!!

buckhunter14

NIce

one on one

nice one