It's October 9th, thanks giving here. I took the first week of October off work for the opening of archery season here in Ontario. It was a slow week for me. I saw three deer last Thursday night but never had a clear shot lined up. Those were the only deer I saw until tonight. It was the last fading few minutes of light and I heard some movement getting closer to my tree stand. I just told myself to be patient, I have to go back to work tomorrow so lets see how this plays out. I finally caught a glimpse of movement. It was a doe and she was cautiously approaching my stand. I could hear her fawn a little farther back. This doe knew something was up. She looked up at me several times and stomped her feet. She was very nervous. So was I. This has happened to me before though. I stayed absolutey still and eventually she calmed down. Her fawn came into view as she started to move closer to my stand. She finally came broadside at about 12 yards. I raised my crossbow and had her in my crosshairs but there were branches in the way. By now the fawn was literally next to the tree I was in. I made a bad decision and swung my crossbow towards the fawn to take a shot. The doe busted me right away and both blew out of there even before the cross hairs settled on the fawn. I was extremely dissappointed with what I had done. This was my last night and I blew a good oppurtunity I had thought. To my utter amazement the doe ran off but circled back to my left. She stood broadside again this time at 20 yards. I was at the end of the last available shooting light. I decided to chance it and raise my crossbow. She was looking directly at me. I put the crosshairs just behing her shoulder and let fly. I heard a thwack! But was it the right kind? To my utter disappointment again it sounded like my arrow struck a tree.. I watched her run off. I stayed on my tree stand for what seemed like forever and then climbed down. I went directly home to grab some flash lights. I waited an hour and headed back into the woods. I walked to where I thought the doe was standing at the shot and started to look for my arrow. I found it almost right away...stuck in a tree...with blood on it! A wave of excitement passed through me again...to be once again followed up by disappointment. I pulled out the arrow and took a close look at it. I was shocked to see what to me looked like some gut material. I sniffed the arrow and to me it smelled like stomach contents. I immediately marked the spot where I found the arrow and headed back out of the bush. When in doubt back out. I'm heading back at first light tomorrow to look for her. It has been such a roller coaster of emotions for me tonight. I'm sorry for the long post but it feels good to get it off my chest. I'll let you know how it goes.