My 2nd '06 Deer.....the story
I have JUST gained permission to hunt 2 small woodlots near my home…..and I thought I’d slip in their yesterday (1st time in there) to see what might be moving through there….and which direction they were moving. We’ve seen deer on this property before…..but we’d never been in the woodlines. I saw some good sign (tracks, and plenty of them….along with good, worn trails) and I picked a tree that I could get my climber up that had some pretty good cover.
I’d just gotten up the tree……and I hadn’t even had time to get my bow up when I heard the tell-tale crunching and something approaching. I got my body up against the tree (I hadn’t even had time to get seated for a minute)…..and stood still. Sure enough……it’s a deer. It had followed my trail all the way to my tree……and was trying to figure out why I wasn’t there. It stomped……looked…..sniffed (I sprayed down GOOD)….stomped….stomped some more…..looked around…..and after about 10 minutes….it walked off. Whew.
I finally got my bow up…..got my release on……got my bow hook hung…..got settled in……and sat down for a minute. I hadn’t been sitting 10 minutes when the deer came back. I stood……..I waited for a good time to draw. I waited ‘til it got behind a tree (I had a tree in front of me which was PERFECT)……and I came to full draw. I settled the pin for a good target….and sent my arrow. It connected a little high….and I spined it. I watched this deer drag itself about 5 yds before I had another arrow nocked…..and I sent it. Perfect shot (the second one). Recovery was about 10 yds……but not before I heard this little deer cry…..and not before I sat and watched it expire…..and take its’ last breath. I can say I’m OK with everything that happened…..but I don’t ever want to witness that again (I pray). It was over in 1 minute.
I thought this “deer” was a doe……but it ended up being a button buck. For that…..I’m a bit remorseful……but there were other factors involved. It was my first ever encounter with a piebald. I field dressed him with my son…….skinned him……cleaned him…..and I have the hide in my freezer (as of this morning) to go to the taxidermist. I thought it was a smallish sized doe…..but I’ve only been hunting a year, now…..and he was by himself. He’s not the biggest deer in the world…..but I shot him….and I processed him…..I’ll eat him…..and I’ll have the hide to remember him by forever.
Here’s a photo (see below)of my ’06 piebald.