Post by LongSpur39 on Oct 6, 2010 17:29:57 GMT -5
I remember that particular cool and crisp november morning very well. It was my first true introduction to the craziness of the rut. I had built a small platform in the crotch of big white pine. It was barely big enough for my feet and it was around ten feet off the ground. The way the one trunk ofthe tree had split it had a flat spot big enough for me to sit down. I slipped in there just as light was breaking. I kept hearing twigs snapping off in the distance.But couldn't see anything. Eventually as the sun came up,I started seeing deer. The first was a big old buck. He went into some thick pines and all these deer started running in every direction. A single doe came runnin out of there,and ran toward me. the big buck was right on her tail. I was shakin so bad that when they went by me,I didn't dare move. After they got past me,i drew my bow and the buck started to chase just as i let it fly. I shot 4 feet behind him. I was shaking so bad I had to sit down. But i was also excited I had shot an arrow at my first buck. For the next two hours I saw buck after buck go through the area. They were just out of range or moving to fast to get a shot. At around 9 or so,I heard a deer walking down below.the sound was getting louder. Then all at once this 4 pt stepped out of the cover. I went to draw my bow and couldn't.The way I was standing there was a limb directly behind my right shoulder. So i slowly tried to turn my body. He started walking to my left and away from me. I had no idea how far he was. I wasn't that well accomplished with judging distance. He began to quarter ,I was able to draw now. I released the arrow and watched the xx75 2117 shaft bury itself below his spine and a bit far back. I waited a whopping 15 minutes and couldn't stand it anymore. I found where i hit him.there was hair and blood. Then I found my arrow the red and yellow vanes were covered with dark blood. I began tracking him. I tracked for nearly 30 minutes and no deer. I went in a circle and found him wedged between two trees.He died in midstride. A thick bodied forkhorn. A day that no matter what, lives in my memory.And everytime I go through that spot it comes to mind. The distance of the shot ended up being 28 yards.I'd only practiced out to 30 yds at the time.
