I didn't tell the "rest of the story", last night forseveral reasons. 1....Nobody asked about the other deer I said I had in range. And 2.....it served no purpose, until now.
I don't tell this ...tootin my own horn. I'm not proud of the shot placement....but the story does give two lessons.
I shot my first doe at 5:33, last night. She went only 40yds or so and was dead in 10 seconds. Having her in sight....I settled back down to finish out my evning's hunt.
At 7:15 I had a HUGE doe, a yearling doe and a fawn come in. At the same time....I had a doe fawn come in from downwind of me. The big doe, the yearling and the fawn were heading down a trail that would have them come within 5 yds of me. The fawn caught my wind and got ALL of them "squirrely". The big doe backed up the way she'd come and crossed the creek to get downwind of me with the fawn. She could tell something wasn't right....but she soon crossed back and got upwind of me, again. She coudn't figure it out....but she was nervous. The yearling and the other fawn stayed upwind of me the whole time. The big doe stayed a good distance out....but the fawn and yearling were at 20yds. The yearling was behind a tree.....but when she finally stepped out....I pegged her at 23 or so yds. I settled my pin on her vitals and shot. I saw the shot hit her "back". I was crushed. She was antsy.....but she didn't move on the shot. I hit her back....and now I had a dilemma.
They bolted in the opposite direction of the doe I had down....and I contemplated whether or not to retrieve my downed doe or back out, completely. I decided (rolled the dice) that I could get the downed doe out....if I drug her a different route. I had a LONG drag to an area I didn't know....but I got her to a place I could pick her up. I left my stand attached to the tree......for reference. I never even looked for the arrow.
I took my son to school this morning....put on some tracking clothes....grabbed the binos....and went to look for doe no. 2. I glassed from the old logging road and saw nothing. As I moved towards my stand......on the line I tought she may have traveled.....I walked right up on her. Thank God.
I drug her out to the same place I'd taken doe no. 1.....and she's now on ice. What a night. I felt like crap and didn't sleep well.
Lesson 1......Don't shoot again if you don't see your first go down in sight. I learned this lesson, last year.
Lesson 2......BACK OUT on a questionable hit. I'm proud of this...but not proud of the shot placement.
Lesson 3.....It was probably 75deg. when I shot this doe, last night. Our evening temps got down to the low 50's. The meat is JUST FINE.
Here's the doe....and the entrance/exit....for reference. Again....not proud of the hit......but proud I did everything right to assure my best "chance" at a successful recovery, afterwards.
Doe no. 2 for the year is on ice. Some solace, there.
Entrance wound
Exit wound. I must have gotten the back of the liver....or I'm thinking I did. I didn't field dress this doe....because I felt like I was on a race against time. She layed for 13 hours.....and the only meat I sacrificed was the inner tender loins. She had only made it about 50yds, based on where I recovered her.
The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
Experience Is the number one best teacher out there, everyone learns from a prior expierence or someone else's experience. 
