So, the Iron Mace is 1-for-1 on the season.

That was a 35-yard pass-through shot that entered high on his left side, maybe the 4th rib from the back, catching the top rear lobe of the left lungand exited right behind the shoulder pocket lower on his right side, centerpunching the opposite lung.I couldn't have hit him any better if I drew the entrance/exits with a Sharpie Marker.

Speed Pro 5.5, 85 gr. Montec, (285 gr. total) - buried in the ground on the far side. (Eat that Dr. Ashby).

I've never shot a deer over 27 yards, but this new setup let me take the shot. That was the desired effect. I shot him last night at 6:15 over a scrape, but didn't recover him until first light today.

I was hunting an inside cornfield edge that runs into a dense thicket that winds up behind some residential housing. It's a great pinchpoint, and I always have good activity in there. I was careful in there this year, only hunting that stand sparingly, with good wind, keeping it fresh.


I had a really tough shot, it was off the right side of the stand, so I had to be careful my bottom cam didn't smash my climber seat (like last year),and I had to stoop down to clear some branches that were in the way. Awkward, but you've gotta take what's given.

After centering the pin on the biggest part of the vitals, I leveled my bubble and turned it loose. Sounded like a hit, but I knew I missed after seeing his reaction.

He jumps and walks 10 yards into the corn, and starts looking around, feverishly. Naturally, I nock another arrow and start to draw again. He busts me and runs like a maniac out of there, blastingthrough about 75 yards of corn, andemerging in a goldenrod field. Then, he casually angles up a hill, maybe 100 more yards (walking and wagging his tail the whole time), and starts standing around at the field edge. Eventually he walks into the woods.

I was crushed. Crushed. Hundreds of hours scouting, endless practice, thousands of dollars in gear, 40 hours of stand time - down the toilet.

Manically depressed, Iclimbeddown at dark andwent up there to grab my arrow. It's soaked in blood, and absolutely buried in the dirt.My mind was going 100 miles per hour...

There was no visible blood trail leaving the scene, so Ibacked right out and went home. My first thought was gut hit. Blood looked a little watery, but that could've been my imagination.

Sleepless night.

So this morning, I go back in there, and walked up to the field edge where I last saw him - found a little blood. Followed it another 30-40 yards, and there he was, dead as a stump.

In sum, this deer traveled close to 200 yards on 2/3 of a single lung. I really don't know if he knew he was hit. Crazy.

These are all the pictures I have right now - was in a rush to clean him out and get to work on time. I'll take some better ones tonight.

Not a huge buck, but a good deer for the area I hunt. I'm just happy to break the curse - 2 years without a decent buck, and all the bad luck a guy could ask for.





Here's a picture of a deer that I took through my varmint rifle scopein the same area in July. Same deer?



Looks like a few Keystoners will be heading west to neighboring Ohio here in the not-so-distant future.

I love it when a plan comes together.