2006, my first year, mid season first legal buck i saw from stand came by trotting/quick walk...buddies knew i was hunting and where i was and thought it would be a good idea to squirrel hunt the next farm over and "try to send the deer my way" only 2 of them..but it was enough to send the deer my way thats for sure.

i put legal points on his head and knew he wasnt anything id pass up...heading right for the last shooting lane..i was already standing, bow in my hand ready to roll because i had does come into the setup..head towards where the buck came from, then they came back a minute later and the buck was a half a minute behind...

i hit full draw, he hit the last lane..20yd shot.."BAH" he froze and my arrow was loose..sent it straight for the center of his chest..i was in a stand, but he was on the hillside and closer to my height than normal(hunting a saddle) watched the arrow flying perfect...right where i wanted it to go...right in the center of his lungs...right as the arrow was about to make contact, he dropped to bolt...i couldnt believe my eyes. had no idea what kinda hit i was dealing with. lighted nock went out..i thought i still smoked him and had a pass through. watched him run off hard...

i knew he was dead or it was going to be a high hit with nothing at the end of the trail...called the buddies, ran to the store for a pop and to calm down and met up with 2 buddies to help me track. dark fell and we took up the track...an hour-hour and a half after the hit. 10yds from the hit i found my arrow..couple inches of blood and 2-3 inches of shaft and the muzzy were gone...the light blew out of the nock and was never found...400yds of pin drops and 4hrs later found us with the trail lost for good...searched an hour or 2 and never picked it up..rain came and we called it a night...

i gathered everyone i knew..we searched for hours the next day searching for the body. covered every nook and crany...no buck. i almost put my bow up for sale..i was sick.

lesson learned...dont shoot alert deer...

tfox is right on...aim for the heart if they are even remotely alert...