SeaBee77

The date was Nov 10 and the weather was in the low 30's with a great rising Barometric pressure. It was a day I knew I had to be in the woods. I planned to hunt one spot for the morning hunt around a specific bedding area and planned to move at lunch time to another area for the evening. I got settled in just before daylight on the downwind site of a specific bedding area hoping to catch some bucks cruising and scent checking for does. It turned out to be a slow morning with a couple does walking a fence row and a small buck shortly after. I climbed down at noon and grabbed lunch before I headed to the next area. I got into my stand just after 1:30 on a nice draw that leads down from some fields and thick cover where does bed regularly. It wasn't long until I had some action. I wasn't in my stand 10 minutes and I had some movement to my left. It was a small 6 pointer moving toward the main draw. I grabbed my grunt call to see if I could get him to respond. I do this often to try and gain some practice and knowledge of how they react. His reaction was not favorable as he was not having any of it and blew at me and trotted off. Minutes after I see another small buck on the same trail. I watched him for awhile as he rubbed a little sapling. After he trotted off around 230 I hit a lull in the action. It wasnt until around 340 that I would see another deer. This time it was a small doe that came right to my stand at 10 yrds. I'm hunting public land where its earn a buck so I need to shoot a doe before I can kill a buck. So with it being the prime of the rut and not having been able to hunt due to work, I'm really desperate to get a doe down. This was the perfect chance. I drew back and let my arrow fly only to have it hit a small sapling and miss. I was pretty angry at myself for not being more patient and letting her walk past me for a wide open shot. That anger didn't last to long as I had another chance at a doe about 30 minutes later. She came out of the thicket and right across the draw to give me a 30yrd shot. I drew back, stopped her and let my arrow fly. This time it hit its mark blowing through the shoulder and out the other side just behind the opposite leg. Taking out both lungs she didn't go far and fell within sight. Yes!! I have my doe down I tell myself. Now I don't have to worry about not being able to shoot a big buck if one would come by. Thank God I was able to connect on that doe because not 10 minutes later a stud was on her exact trail. He was on the move moving fast with his nose to the ground. I stopped him perfectly giving me the exact same 30yrd shot. I let my arrow fly and it hit its mark just behind the right shoulder in the kill zone. He bolted out of the area in blazing fashion. I was shocked to say the least. I just shot my biggest buck to date and i knew I had a good shot. It was only 430 and I still had an hr and a half till dark. I sat it out to give the buck time before I climbed down. My nephew met me in the parking lot to help me get my doe out and to help track my buck. We get my doe field dressed and pulled down to the main walking trail and then head back in to track my buck. I could barely contain myself I couldn't wait to get my hands on that rack. That excitement would shortly turn to frustration. After only about 70 yrds we lost blood. Just before last blood we found a pretty big pile of really bright thick bubbly blood. This was reassuring what I had already known that I had a good hit. This was a lung shot for sure. We backed out and came back the next morning. This time I had my brother join us to help find him. We searched for hours with no luck. We had grid searched and walked the creek that ran through the area with no luck. I was sick to my stomach as we had to call it quits because I had to get back to town to get my son. I just kept telling myself how is this possible. How could we not find this buck. We loaded up and hopped in my truck and started backing out. As I was backing out I noticed a hunter going up to my nephew's truck. I rolled my window down and asked him how his hunt was and if he had seen anything. His comment would change everything. He said I found his buck. I said to him that's not his buck that's mine!!! You cant be serious I said to him. He says no I climber up in my stand and looked over my shoulder and their he was. My nephew had run into him walking in to hunt and thank God he told him we were looking for a big buck. If it wasnt for him I would have never found my buck. After finally getting my hands on him the shot was just what I thought it was. I hit him right behind the shoulder. He was a little quartering toward me, so the arrow took out one lung and the liver. He ended up going well over 500yrds and up the steepest ridge in the area and dying on the top of the ridge. If it was not for this hunter giving up his hunt to make sure I found my buck I really don't think I would have recovered him. What an amazing guy. I haven't stopper smiling since. So here he is 😁😁

SeaBee77

Having issues getting pictures to load??

FlaBoy18

Bocajnala

Glad it worked out and you found your buck.

As this shows, a deer can go a long way, and last a long time, on a single lung shot.
I PMed you regarding the pictures.

-jake

SeaBee77

Finally got them to load.

Bocajnala

Now that's a great buck!!





-Jake

SeaBee77

I use montec's

FlaBoy18

bronko22000

That is a real bruiser. Congratulations. Its nice to see there are some hunters out there with morals. And your story could have turned out a lot worse. I know we get anxious to "get our hands on our deer" but after over 50 years of archery hunting and losing a couple buck myself, I have learned to wait before tracking. If I don't see my animal fall I wait a minimum of one hour before tracking. If its already dead, it won't get any deader. A dying dear that you jump will likely not leave a blood trail as the wound will have clotted up.

Arrowslinger2