Well it started out pretty uneventful. I climbed a small hill and sat there in tall grass as it overlooks a soybean field. It offers a great view with timber 100yds to the west and timber 150yds to the east and the 40ac of soybeans 300yds due south. Tall grass all around the small hill. I just glassed hoping to spot one coming out into the beans and work my way into a shooting position.

Sat there about 2.5hrs and saw nothing as it was getting about 20 minutes before dark and figured I would work my way along an old trail the tractors use through the woods to get to the fields. So I left off the hill in a different direction than the way I came up and about 30yds down the hill up jumped a big doe that had been laying about 60yds west of me and I never saw her till then. She bolted off with no chance of a shot.

I figured well I will work my way along the trail anyway back to my house. Went about 3/4 a mile slowly and starting to get very dusky and I turned to my left and in the edge of another field stood a doe just looking at me about 50yds away. I thought well a doe eats just like a buck so I slowly pulled up on her as she just looked at me, squeezed off the shot and she ran about 15yds and bolted into the wood line. Figured great I just wounded her and will have to trail her in the dark. I sat down and waited 10 minutes and reloaded and headed off.

I didn't see any blood and thought I know I hit her and thought it was a good shot. She acted hit, well I went into the wood line where I saw her go in and nothing......light is really fading and in the woods have to use my small flash light I carry. Come back out and start over looking for her and I look left and there she is 5 yds from where I "thought" she went in. Her chest totally ripped open obviously dead and insides hanging out.

Bullet entry low, 3 inches from bottom and 5 inches back from front shoulder. So I gutted her and dragged her up to my house about 200yds away.

I was using BH209 120gr & 240gr XTP's and I have to say with the injuries inflicted I am shocked she did not just drop. Completely passed through but her chest was ripped open/split 8 inches.

It has been years since my last ML deer taken and night and day difference than my 54 hawkens I used last time years ago.

I plan to grind her up with bacon scraps for chili mix......I actually do not like deer unless its in sausage or chili.