so I got out tonight for about 6 hours. About 5 oclock or so I see something headed my way out of the standing water swamp. it is a small spotted fawn, i sit and watch it for about 20 minutes until it heads 8 yards away from on its way toward the cornfield about 100 yards away. about the time I settle back down in my chair i see more movement from the same direction the fawn came. here comes to large toms, one with a beard that looked to be a foot really something special. nothing else till about 5 minutes to 7. here comes a line of deer toward me. all does. in MD you can kill 2 bucks with the bow but you must kill 2 does before you can kill a second buck. so i get situated. the lead doe stops at 24 paces. i draw and let it go. oh no!!!!! i hear a knock right before the arrow hits the doe. It hit a branch right before impact. I hunt a swamp edge that is only huntable from the ground and you must pick your spots at that. the does jumped and ran about 45 yards and stood there. the other 4 deer that were with it ran back to the swamp. the deer that i shot must have followed them. my fletching had only minimal blood at semi dark at that, makes me believe that after the arrow bounced off the branch it must have struck the deer in the liver. a blood trail was almost non existant.darkness got the best of me and i would need hip boots to head into the swamp. I am upset about this . I dont like to waste animals and feel that even if i can find it tomm morning that the meat will already be ruined because of the temp right now. I feel awful about this but idont know what I could have done differently. When i took the shot i believed it to be an ethical one and never saw the branch it must of hit. this is not how i hoped to start my season off!