Strange thing is, it looks like she's only 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 years old. She sure is small to have picked me off so many times. She was still lactating, so I'm guessing that either someone shot her fawn or a predator or illness took it.
I got home from work at 4:20 and ran in and showered down with Scent A Way soap, dressed, grabbed the bow and scrambled the 10 minutes to the spot where I'd seen her come out into the clearing. I had already checked the wind forecast and I picked a red oak 20 yards from the entry point on the downwind side. I went and got my stand from the previous location and hurried back, strapped it to the tree and up I went. 30 feet. I had good coverage everywhere except in the clearing, but I figured that once she got there it was too late.
This time I hung my Summit Viper facing away from where she should come from and committed to standing with a big red oak to hide behind.
At 6:00, I saw movement off to my right a bit and saw that it was a doe. I glassed the area good and she was alone - and headed to the same spot. 30yards out she stopped, looked around and then looked up and looked straight at me. I'm standing there thinking, how in the
is this possible? I'm 30 feet up, camo'd head to toe, glued up against the other side of the freaking tree and she still looks me over. This time, though, I've got my head turned, ball cap down and I'm peeking out from under the bill. After checking me out for 30 seconds or so, she starts walking - straight to where she should.
As she went under the dense canopy of a small tree, I came unglued from the tree, re-positioned my right foot, came to full draw and pre-aimed at what I already knew was 20 yards. I closed my left eye, centered my pin, then opened both eyes just as she walked in front of my sight. I made a soft, silent whistle and she stopped - totally broadside. I settled the pin and touched the release. I saw the blazers streak in for another perfect shot - right behind the front leg and a little higher than normal because of the steep angle. Perfect. She went airborn, hit the ground, wheeled and took off down the hill. I called my wife and she jumped on her four-wheeler and rode over to help me track it.
Naturally, the doe made it all the way to the bottom of the hill (the steepest around) - a good 100 yards, but she painted a trail all the way there. I'm colorblind, and I tracked it most of the way. I guess she got one last good one in on me, 'cause that was a STEEP 100 yard drag through some thick stuff. I was huffing and puffing and my wife was right there with me - calling me a wimp.
I have a pretty lousy picture I took with my junky camera, and it makes her look smaller than she really is (the doe, not my wife), but I still don't know how to post it on here.