He's not huge by any means but he has a nice size body and nice little rack, especially for my first bow buck.
The story is this: Last night, I got off work a little early and thought I'd try to sneak in the last couple of hours of daylight in our woods. As I was preparing to get into my ground blind, I noticed something moving off to my right. I froze and spotted this buck at about 30-40 yards out. He's just staring at me, so I look away as if I don't notice. I had an arrow nocked. I aways do on the way to the stand or blind. And I slowly turn and take a few steps forward, drawing as I do. I settle the pin on him as he's still standing there and release.
He jumped and ran about 50 yards. I thought I hit him but I can't see any entry or exit hole. Then he started hunching up his back and staggering away and I thought, great, gut shot. I watch him bed down in some light brush about 100 yards away now and so I back out slowly.
I went back to the house and then headed out again an hour later, moving, veeeery slowly. I know that probably wasn't enough time but its kind of warm here and I was concerned he might go into the corn across the road. So I had thought, if can get close enough, I'm going to empty my quiver before I even check to see if he's expired.
I finally get to the brush and he's not there but there's blood, a lot of blood everywhere. And its headed toward the road and the cornfield. But right as I get to the edge of the woods, the blood stops and there he is laying in the tall grass right beside the township road.
Turns out I nailed him right through the neck. Not the shot I wanted, and the opposite of what I thought had happened. Not sure exactly how that happened. Bow shot fine today. I must have fliched or the arrow could have deflected. Regardless, he bled out fairly quickly I believeand stopped right before the corn.
I am more excited for my four year old than anything. He kept saying how happy he was and stroking the buck's side. When he climbed on top of the buck and lifted his head up by the antlers, that was too much for my wife who told him to "get off that thing!" lol.
A wonderful evening in Minnesota. Thanks everyone for the great conversation and insight on this board.
First Bow Buck Down
