Hey guys,
This evening I decided to take the 4-wheeler for a little cruise around my property just to see if I could see any deer. As I crossed a creek and was making a hard turn I had to slam on the brakes as a buck was laying right on the trail, I slid and stopped just a few feet from him. I was amazed that he was just laying there so I shut the quad off and just watched when I noticed that his back rightleg was broken badly but it was a low break, right about the hoof (I am guessing he was hit by a car). I started the quad back up and he tried to stand up but fell down. I came home and grabbed the camera and went back. I drove right up to him again and snapped a couple pics of him and as I was leaving I watched him, he finally made it to his feet and he stumbled about 20 yards and bedded down in some golden rods that border a field. I was thinking about "putting him out of his misery", but I think that I am gonna let him go and check on him later, he doesn't look too banged up beside his one back leg and I am hoping that he can recover from it.
The sad part is that I have been watching this buck all summer and fall. He is a 1-1/2 year old 4 point that had a pretty wide rack. I have a bunch of game camera pics of him throughout the summer and fall, and I saw him pretty much every time I sat in stand this year. It was almost a given, if I was in the area he would come visit. I had him bed down beside me several times and he really helped to pass the time in stand. I am hoping he makes it, its a sad sight to see such a beautiful animal in such a sad state, especially one that has some history with you.
Here are a couple pics of him this summer and fall....
And here he is tonight, as you can see, his one antler was knocked off......
