My first deer: 18 years old, had been bow hunting for four and gun for two. I shot it with my bow. I had practiced hundreds of arrows even from the stand I was hunting in and could group arrows in the bullseye every time, but that day was different - a live animal! I fell asleep in the stand and woke up to a nice 8pt on the pile. I gut shot him at 14 yards! Not knowing anything about hunting, I got down after only five minutes and started trailing his blood. I kicked him out of the fence row he was bedded in only 80 yards away. I tracked after him immediately (duh!), only to push him further. It got dark so I went and got my dad to help. After a few hours (by my dad' s recommendation) we went after him only to bump him again. At the time, the dog was barking tied up outside the house over 500 yards away downwind. That dog seemed to know what was going on. My dad suggested we get the dog. The dog had the deer in minutes and actually ran the deer back toward us and into a pond, then went and got my dad. My dad said he would go check it out while I continued to track. Minutes later I heard a gun shot. My dad always carries a pistol and this night was no exception. The dog took my dad to the deer standing 5 yards out in the pond. The deer charged my dad when he showed up so my dad shot at the deer to stop him (and missed). I ran to their location to see the deer standing in the pond still alive. I double lunged him with another arrow and he swam across the pond about 15 yards and dropped on the opposite bank. He weighed 150 dressed. Worst deer story I' ve heard and one I' m not proud of, but we got the deer. Never gut shot one since.