Wonder how many Mods came in thinking they were going to have to delete a thread?

Well folks, I just want to let you know that I appreciate all the help you've given me over the past 8 - 10 months, it finally paid off on September 3rd. My internet has been down for a while now and I haven't been able to post anything about it.

I filled my doe tag and have the rest of the early season and all of the late season to try for a buck. What an experience it was though. Adrenaline seekers look no further, I thought I was going to fall out of my stand. I got the shakes when I hunted with a rifle, but what I got this time were darn near convulsions. I don't know how to explain it really, I felt more connected to the animal than any others I've taken with a gun. It was the third day of the season, I had been hunting an alfalfa field in the evenings. My stand was set up about 70 yards from an apple tree right on the edge of the field. I knew there was a buck coming out in the area which is why I had been hunting this corner more often than any other. I had seen the same doe come out both of the previous nights, but elected to pass up the shots. We had been running low on meat and were in between paychecks back at the home front, so when she came out the third night I told myself that if she presented a shot I'd take it.

It took her nearly 45 minutes to zig-zag her way from the apple tree to one of the trails within my comfortable shooting range. Her head went behind a rose bush at 40 yards, I drew then. She stepped out from behind the bush but I kept telling myself to wait a bit longer, that the trail would cross a barbwire fence at 30 yards, and that I'd take the shot after she'd hopped over. When her feet were firmly on the ground again I released. From there I don't know what happened, she took a step, turned, or the breeze that had strated to blow caught my arrow. Long story short, I made a bad shot. I recovered the deer, but the shot was about 7 inches behind where I was aiming.

After the longest 30 minute wait of my life and a short tracking job, I found my deer, piled up under a pine tree.

I hate to admit it, but the night before I had washed my pack with my disposable camera in it so I won't have any pictures to show. I just want to thank everyone for the help, it didn't go to waste.