virginiashadow

Well my am hunting plan worked to perfection(it doesn't happen very often in my world).,,before I went to bed last night I was reading a book, a thought hit me and decided to move my stand 40 yards to the west. I had seen a nice buck there two days earlier. About 7:30 I rattle ever so lightly. About 3 minutes later a beautiful buck comes walking down the ridge followed by a doe. He comes right at me, I come to full draw when his head is behind a tree at 20 yards....he keeps coming and I can get no shot. I am on full draw for probably 60 seconds. He stops at 8 yards, turns perfectly broadside and begins to walk into my shooting lane. He stops. Turns the other way and goes back left. I have a small shooting window and decide that the shot looks great. What I didn't realize is that my body was twisted up a bit and not in great shooting form due to the erratic movement of the buck. I let the arrow go on what I thought was the vitals...it hit smack dab in the middle of the buck's body, both parallel and horizontal. I saw him run about 50 yards and then bed down.

I waited 2.5 hours before backing out of my tree stand, only moving when the wind would blow hard. I saw him get up and stumble/bed down 4-5 times over that time period. He didn't look good. Everything inside of me wanted to end that bucks suffering, but I knew I would blow everything I worked hard for if I rushed it. I backed out at 10:15 and shot the buck at 7:40am. I truly believe he is paunch/liver hit. I am gonna wait until 3:30pm, a full 8 hours after shooting him to enter back into the woods and try and find him. I just need some encouragement. It is gonna be a long 4 more hours!!

shadow

RTA47

I don`t think that buck is going to be hard to find at all.
Sounds like you did everything right. Congrats When you find him let see some pics

virginiashadow

RTA--when I find the buck it will be the first deer I have ever taken a picture with since I started hunting 15 years ago. I am gonna ask my wife to take the picture. I have always been superstitious about disrespecting the deer that I have killed by taking a picture with them...my mind has slowly changed over the years and I decided that I was going to take a picture when I harvested a nice buck. The time is now.

shadow

Montyo976

Sounds like you made the right call. I'm sure you will find him very close to the last place you saw him bed.

buffhntr

sounds like liver he will be dead just be patient I would also sneak back in there with a bow in hand just incase he isnt dead you could slip up on him and finish him off good luck

RTA47

Glad to hear that you have change your mind about the pic.
When we look at the pics of other hunter`s and there succesfull hunts its alway to the upmost "respect" Never ever disrespect, no matter how big or how small.
Shadow: Congrats buddy on what sounds like a fine buck and a successfull hunt.

DaveH

Shouldn't be too hard to find. He may move a couple more times, if at all, but he should be close to where you last saw him. We're looking forward to the pics.

gutshot

I would say that if he bedded that quickly and gotup and kept bedding that when you do go back he won't be far. It's good that you backed out.

adidazman15

Great work, I'd knock an arrow and sneak up on him as quiet as possible just in case he has some kick left. Post pictures!!!!!!

buckhunter14

I would wait as long as you can, what is the temp? Also, be ready when you do sneak up on him, to get some great pictures!! Congrats!