First post, might as well start off right...

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:15 am

Well, yesterday morning, know that it would be the last day of archery season, I headed out to my area, and began by sitting a stand for about as long as I had the patience, after some does, and small bucks had fed past, I began to make a large loop, heading back to my car by still hunting along a ridge I knew big bucks to use for bedding. After about an hour, I was pretty wet from the rain, and, and wasn't seeing much, however, as I was beginning to head into the last stand of timber, I noticed a shed about 30m below me on a hill, I walked over to it, after putting it on my back, as I was turning around to start still hunting again, I noticed antler tips around 60 yards out sticking up over some grass. my bino's revealed this to be a 4x4 buck, I decided that if I got a chance I would take him, after working my way to 27 yards I began waiting for the buck to stand from his bed, and provide me with a shot, after a short wait the buck obliged, and stood, turning to offer me a slightly angled towards shot, as the buck stood, I had drawn my bow, placed the pin on his chest, however, right as I pulled the trigger on my release the buck pulled his leg back, instead of a clean lung hit, I heard the arrow crack into bone. The buck doubled up, and leapt off a cliff, pile driving himself into the dirt, however, he got back to his feet and started making tracks, I lost sight of him after 100 yards, but could see blood on his sholder. I made my way up to the spot where he had been standing when I took the shot, with no sight of blood, or hair on the ground, I was pretty worried, I did manage to find the last 12" of my arrow broken off, and in the grass, the arrow, as I suspected was covered in blood, however, with the bad shot, I was torn between going right after the buck, or waiting, and risk loosing the trail to the rain, after 30 minutes I made a slow loop around, without seeing the buck, I decided that it would be better to pull back, and wait for the buck to bed down, and then come back later. I headed out to my car, knowing that if I stayed in the area I would convince myself to go look for him, I decided I should get out, and stay out of the area, so I headed in to University to attend the lecture I had originally planned on skipping. Invert Zoology couldn't pass fast enough, when it was done I hit the parking lot running, I stopped by my house to grab my dog, as I hoped she might locate it by smell. Then immediatly heading back to my area. after picking up the trail, was able to follow it for about 150 yards, before the rain which hadn't stopped all day had removed all the sign. I settled in for a long night of searching, taking toilet paper, I began a grid search. After several hours I got a cell phone call from my friend matt, he immediatly headed out to help me look for my deer. Before matt could get out to my area, my dog began to act up, and growl at a stand of maple, and birch, expecting nothing more than a black bear I knew to live in the area, I was very happy to see my buck lying on the ground. Having left all my gear when searching, I headed back out to meet matt on the road, and bring him in, figuring it was pay back after getting to pack out 1/2 his buck, he could help me with mine.

Matt and his Roommate showed up, and we headed back to the buck, after some quick photo's, and a quick gut job, me and matt took ahold of the buck, and began dragging it while andy carried out all the packs, and my bow, luckily, there was an old logging road with grass about 60-70m away, which we dragged the buck down to the trucks. the buck was out and in the truck at 6:00pm, 11 hours after my shot.

Now, for the pics of my buck(I'm the guy on the left).

Me and matt laid a tape on the buck, it came out with a green score of 175" and change.

Kirby

Post by **MuleyMadness** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:22 pm

Kirby

What a neat story and a great 1st post. You definitely starting things "out right"

And that is one cool looking buck, those eyeguards are SWEET!

Congrats on one fine bow kill, I'm very impressed.

Thanks for joining and sharing the story/photos.

Arch · Post by **Arch** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 1:33 pm

Nice buck how long are the eyeguards

Kirby · Post by **Kirby** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 5:13 pm

the brow tines went 4 3/8" on the weaker side. I never even noticed the brows until he was on the ground and I walked up on him

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Muleymadness, lets hope its the first of many stories

Kirby