Heck of an afternoon.

[soup]

I left work around 2pm to get in the stand and hunt the afternoon. I got to the stand around 2:30 and realized it is way to hot to be in this tree.

For a few hours all I heard was squirrels and the loudest chipmunks I've ever heard. All I kept thinking was.... Oh how I wish it was squirrel season.

Around 5pm I've not seen anything and considered moving my spot to the woodpile in hopes I would catch a deer running along the woods line again. After a few minutes thinking about it I decided I would stick this out until dark at this stand location.

Just before 6pm I hear the loud crunching sound of leaves behind me and think.. oh goody another squirrel...

I turn around and see a large body and some antlers. A buck! cool! It's the borderline 6 point I've seen on the trail camera. Cool! I watch him feed along a trail that leads down toward a small stream. I try to call him a little for practice but he wants nothing to do with it. Just continues to feed and goes on his way.

I turn back around and I see two doe, one large and one small make their way up to the woodpile.. I think Fantastic! way to miss another opportunity to be in the right place at the right time... Dummy should have moved like you wanted...

So I watch them feed along the trail but something spooks them. Not sure what it was but whatever it was made the large doe turn and head back rather quickly into the woods patch down and to the left of me. The smaller doe followed along with another deer I hadn't seen.

They were heading up to a corn field so I figured they would either wait it out or swing around towards me to come up another way.

6:15pm comes and now I could have had my limit of squirrels and rabbits had it been the season...

I start to hear rustling in the bushed behind me and to my right. Here come the 3 doe!!

The trail they are on takes them through some heavy raspberry bushes and some thick thorny bushes. It creates a tunnel until it opens up right under my stand.

I see the first deer coming through. Looks like a nice size, no headgear... good to go! I decide I will take the first one if a shot presents itself so I don't run the risk of getting busted by the other two if I wait.

6:20pm First deer comes out and and turns semi broadside but facing away from me. I'm looking at its right side. It's 15ft away and starts feeding. The other two are making there way through the bush tunnel so I draw, line up the sight relax and let fly. Clean through! The deer jumps and takes off running. I watch it run through the grassy area and back into the woods near the wood pile. The other two are in the bush tunnel. One starts pounding the ground with its hooves. They did this for a few seconds then turned and headed back the way they came.

I waited in the stand for a while trying to calm down, going over everything that happened. I can see the arrow in the ground. It must have hit the deer weird because It was in the ground at a different angle then it went in. It was almost like it made a weird turn inside the deer. The lighted nock was almost pointing away from me towards where the deer ran to.

I get down off the stand and go check out the arrow. Blood... and hair and...oh no! POO!!! wth!! I know I hit this deer well. I keep going over everything in my head. I know I made a good shot. Everything felt right.

I start following the trail I know it went down seeing if I can find any blood at all. About 20 yards away I find a good splatter of blood on the ground as well as poo bits...

I think fantastic, way to go dummy... By this time it's getting really dark so I get some neon zip ties. I start marking the trail of blood from the stand using the zip ties.

Sticking a zip tie in the ground or on a branch at every blood splatter. I keep thinking "I know I hit the deer in the right spot"

I follow the trail past the woodpile and into the wooded area all the while marking my trail. I'm seeing poo on the ground on the left side and blood on the right as well as blood higher up on some branches and leaves now. The thorns are getting really thick now and the blood is more prevalent. I'm crawling through this stuff on my hands and knees following the trail. I come through some really nasty thorns just about 100 yards from where I shot it. I crawl around a bend and there it is on the ground dead!

I knew I made a good shot!

Upon field dressing the deer I found that the broad head had just nicked the front of the intestines and hit the lungs and vitals and ricocheted off the left shoulder blade and then exited through the lower left side of the deer. The poo had plugged the wound and the cavity was filled with blood. I guess the angle of the shot was a bit more than I had anticipated.

I was however a little disappointed with myself when I found out the deer was an antlerless buck. Two tiny nubs on his forehead and the associated man parts... neither of which I saw prior to the shot. So it was bitter sweet.

It's my first archery deer harvest and apparently... my first archery buck.

This is the only photo I took as it was really late and I had a lot of work to do still. This photo was what I sent to my buddy via text message prior to tagging the deer and field dressing. (obviously)

[ettorment1916]

Very nice deer. Great story and congrats.

Shame it was a button buck, but that happens so don't beat yourself up about it. I mistakenly shot a button buck many seasons ago with my old 30-30 Winchester. It happens.

You harvested a fine deer, have a hunting story to tell, and will have meat in the freezer....that's a win-win-win in my book...!

[bigandy1966]

Congratulations! Well done! Good job seeing the shot to its verifiable conclusion. The arrow angled in gradually from Right to left. It happens, You get all twisted up with adrenaline and sometimes things happen between release and impact. Deer are quick little buggers and your arrow is not supersonic. That fraction of a second of arrow flight time is enough to make them jerk in response. But Nice tasty deer none the less. I have not been out this year yet, work schedule has me working messed up hours, so I am jealous.

[A-5]

Redemption! First deer with a bow you deserve it enjoy the backstraps!!!

[disturbed]

Congrats on the harvest.Try not to beat yourself up over the button buck issue. It happened to me with one i shot last year.Deer looked big through the scope on 14X.I shot it and when i retrieved it there was 2 tiny little nubs on its head.Most tender deer i ever brought home!

[OnHoPr]

There are particular instances where it does happen with the button buck even though you say to yourself that could of been a nice 4 pt next year or 6 maybe 8 pt in a couple of years. It will subside but will still be in the consciousness of memories. Though when them backstraps are on a plate, ummmm these are pretty good. I have always told the non ever harvester to kill the first deer they see that they have a good shot on and that there is a tag for. It is rare to start out killing monster bucks and keep those type of stats, especially on public land. You did good for your first.

[GrumpyBear]

Congatulations and good job following up on your shot.Two years ago I shot what I thought was a doe on a powerline,was a button buck instead,obviously it happens.

Enjoy him,I hope he is as tender and tasty as mine was.