The way-yay-ting is the hard-est part...

[MBullism]

Had an awesome day on stand today, saw bucks chasing, had two deer at ten yards (albeit running) and managed to send an arrow down range. That's where it gets sticky. About 4:15-4:20 a nice six point (least I think he's a six) shows up as if by magic and is walking the line at my max range, +/- 30 yards. My setup to that side only has two clear lanes and he's all but in one before I even know he's there... He stops partway to the second lane and, while he doesn't look my way, I get the feeiling he's getting hinky... He continues into the second lane and pauses for me as if by command. The sight picture looks good, the release feels good but at the trigger this hinkky deer twists and jumps, much to my dismay. the lights fading, the deer is exploding and I hear a tremendous "crack"...I actually originally think that I've hit a tree or a limb or something besides deer the noise is so loud. I never actually saw the impact, nor the arrow fletching as he exits. He races off about sixty yards, tail down, back arched and humped up. (I think this is good) He stops for maybe thirty seconds to survey the situation and I catch a glimpse of my fletching as he turns, he's carrying my arrow. My only glimpse seems as if there's a lot of arrow sticking out (I think this is bad), but I can't see very well. he then runs fairly well uphill (I think this is bad) but in the direction of the heaviest nearby cover (I think this is good) and I never hear a crash (I think this is bad). As the light is fading I climb down immediately to mark the spot he was standing when I shot. I see no obvious blood, but it's dark and I don't want to spoil anything that is there to see. Paced it off back to my tree, 32 steps, somewhere about 28 to 30 yards. Packed up and backed out. It's gonna be plenty cold tonight with no forcasted rain, i plan to be back in tomorrow morning about 6 to see what I can see...

THE WAITING IS KILLING ME!


I'm spoiled I guess, I usually release the arrow, watch a short run and watch the tip over...
This waiting til morning so as not to push him stuff is for the birds, but I&#39;m sure I did the right thing backing out. The shot felt good from start to finish but my obvious concerns are the jump the string dance, and the loud crack...obviously bone... No way to tell til morning, but I&#39;ll be up with the TV tonight going over the whole thing in my head again and again and again and again and again and again and.... http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-ren.gif

[skipnoid]

Dude!

It&#39;s 8:45 AM on Sunday ... Hopefully your on the way to the check station!

Good Luck!

[MBullism]

SPITFIRES ROCK!

(That&#39;s all I have to say... saved my bacon, er, venison)

139# six point http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbs-up-ani.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif I&#39;ll be back with my epic bloodtrail tale in a bit....

[MBullism]

Not too far from wrong, Skip! 8:10 I&#39;m home, 8:30 I&#39;m headed to Jerry&#39;s!

O.k., so I managed to get some sleep last night. Truth is I was spent…physically and emotionally. I hate not knowing. Set the alarm for 5 am, and find myself wide awake without the alarm at 3:55.… the plan was to be over my neighbors house at six, 4:45 I hear him pull in my driveway-

We get to where I made the shot last night just at first light, I kinda layout how things unfolded and we start at the marker I left last night and start to weave up and down the side of the ridge where he made his hunched run…45 yards of nothing http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-ren.gif About 45 yards from the point of impact my buddy finds one little maple leaf with the slightest of bloodspots….and a tiny chunk of meat.…(more http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-ren.gif ) I’m not sure if we’ve made it to where the deer turned uphill yet, so we flag the spot and start ever widening circles…. At fifteen yards from the spot of blood I find more blood… LOTS more. It seems that while the initial hit had no exit wound, when he turned uphill and bounded off on his second run the spitfire broadhead kept working for me. Nice bright arterial blood, no foam, no stomach, no nothing, just bright red. Long story short, 250 yards later I’m standing with my hands on his rack, total distance maybe 300 yards or so. The whole trail has taken 20 minutes, half an hour at the most. He still has my arrow with him, nonetheworse for wear…in his hip! The loud “crack!” was pelvis, just in front of the ball. Worst /best shot I ever made (“best” in quotes, tongue in cheek, only because of a successful recovery). It&#39;s certainly not where the pin was when i sent the arrow on it&#39;s way. The broad head made it through the bone and opened ( I knew there was a reason I went to the heavier arrows and pull 68-70 pounds), made it all the way to the skin on the other side. When he turned he must’ve caught the arrow on a sapling and the leverage made the blades work. I knew he jumped something wicked at the shot, and it was the farthest shot I’ve taken, but I hadn’t imagined based on what I saw that it was that far back. No matter, he obviously bled out quick. No regrets on waiting overnight, though. That spitfire covered my arse, IMHO.

He’s a nice shaped symmetrical six with one little tip broke, all of sixteen inches wide and average tine length- and I spent the extra time to cape him out… he’s on his way to the taxidermist. After years of spikes and does, my first racked buck (especially with a bow) goes on the wall, and the Mrs. doesn’t have a problem with that. I’m gonna take him to the same guy that did my neighbors eleven point from last year. Nice job on that one-

I get to hunt next saturday, then 10 days in PA with 1+2 tags, and then one saturday of MA shotgun when I get back. If I don’t see another deer this year you’ll still have to pry the grin off my face with a crowbar come Christmas! (and it’ll still have to come off in pieces, lol)

<<edit>>
unfortunately, I told the Mrs. that if/when i scoed, the beard would come off... http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-shakehead-blue.gif Oh well, a deal is a deal... where is my razor?)

[skipnoid]

ALRIGHT!
http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif
http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif

[Brian S]

Great story, glad you found him. Was his stomach bloated when you found him in the morning. I found one that had sat over night in Utah a few years ago and he had quite the pot belly.
Brian

[MBullism]

Thanks Skip, I needed that, LOL. Not to make him sound bigger than he is, but he looks like an average main frame 8 without browtines. Now the work starts. I feel 10 pounds lighter without the beard.. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-sideways-laff-aqua.gif

Brian - Nothing going on with the bloating (though his neck was swollen a bit!)...he was only about 100 to 150 yards from where I last saw him as he ran. That distance and the amount of blood I found on the way there makes me think he was probaly dead before I made it out to my truck that night. Temps were in the upper thirties when I shot and well below thirty overnight. I don&#39;t think he froze at all, the core of his gut pile was cool, but not cold. I don&#39;t anticipate any meat loss from his stay overnight though. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif

Called the taxidermist today, going to peruse his studio tomorrow at lunch and make sure the rest of his work is as good as my neighbors hoss. He&#39;s listed on the northeast big bucks club website and does this full time for a living- i&#39;ve got high hopes... This is a process I&#39;m definately unfamiliar with, but totally stoked to be figuring out, LOL.

[skipnoid]

Hey MB,

Way to go! I guess you caught his femoral artery? I whacked my nicest archery buck that way a few years back. I somehow hit him back, but he sprayed blood all over the place anyhow!

I&#39;m really psyched for you ... Glad it all worked out perfectly!

Don&#39; forget to post some flicks http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-dancin-red.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-2drunks-singing.gif

[MBullism]

Thanks- boss... As soon as the film is back you know I&#39;ll post a pic... I sent you a PM about the femoral thing-

M

[skipnoid]

So where are the flick&#39;s?

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-biggrin-aqua.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/banana-man-yeah.gif