Originally Posted by hardwoodhank (Post 4103766)

I've had more luck with my bow this season, but no doubt that if I had a rifle or my smoke pole I would have been dragging him out Saturday without a really nice shoulder mount, because there wouldn't have been much left of the front of his head if I took the head shot. Even the neck shot wasnt a guarantee, he was barely visible except for ears and a real nice rack. It would have still been a blind shot to go for his body, and he was a haus of a deer. I can see a wounding shot where he still goes out the other side of thicket left to die. No way to get to other end without a mile trek around the deep ravine and 7 ft tall briars and straw grass.

He showed up like clockwork this morning but wind was different, or he knew I was there and disappeared in the power lines before daybreak. Left me with a little spike instead, so with 20 degree temp, I didn't come home empty handed.

I know his core area and will be hunting him this season, and if he gives me an opportunity I would love to put an arrow in him rather than bullet. If I shot a firearm in this honey hole, it would be cleared out for a while. That's another reason I chose my bow for this kind of hunt...stealthy!