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The best of hunts, the worst of hunts......

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
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Springboro
So Saturday morning I get into my ground nest and at 8:50 a doe comes by, following the game trail just below my position.
She came from the left and walked steadily past, in a quartering away direction the whole time. I'm thinking "great, I get to burn this doe tag..." I raised my crossbow, aimed and shot.
Hit her a little higher than I wanted and the arrow did not pass thru...she took off down the hill with the arrow sticking out...she started wobbling then crashed about 50-60 yards. So I pulled out a snack, had a drink of water, waited just a few minutes, and started down the hill to see what I could see. As I eased down the hill, I was happy to see her down....
IMAG0073.jpg

But as I got up on her my happiness turned to shock....
IMAG0074.jpg

Yep, I'd unknowingly shot a little spike....too small for me to see hidden behind his ear as he quartered away, and at 5.50" long he took my buck tag. Needless to say, I felt like I could puke....all my hopes for the potential of the new property I'm hunting put on hold until next season.

Say hello to Bernie, the bucketbuck of 2012
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finelyshedded

You know what!!!
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31,855
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SW Ohio
Congrats on the deer Dan! That would be a kick to the dick! Love the sign with the bucket. You can still get out and wack a doe or hunt with a camera and scout the deer movement from here on out for next season. That's what I'm going to do. Congrats again Dan.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
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10,640
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Springboro
I misjudged the distance on the shot....it was a little higher than I'd hoped and I thought it was a bad shot (till he crashed and didn't get up). I was just glad as he took off that it wasn't a spine shot. My first thought was "I hope I didn't mess up the backstraps." But I was a little surprised that it didn't pass thru. I was anxious to clean him and inspect the internals to see what had happened. I wasn't able to make sense of what had been damaged when I field dressed him. But when I skinned him and worked the carcass I got my answer. There was no exit hole, but an area that looked like it had been damaged - when I cut away the outer layer of meat from the ribs there was a small hole beneath it
IMAG0080.jpg
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So I put an arrow thru the entrance/exit holes and this is what the shot actually turned out to be (better than I thought)
IMAG0083.jpg
 

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,707
191
Mahoning Co.
Been there and done that so I feel your pain. :)

The plus side is now you have a funny story(over time you'll see the humor in it) to tell about being a dumbass. Enjoy the backstraps!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
The two bucks I had the most shot opportunities at this weekend were a busted off half rack and a spike. I don't know what there was about that spike, but I was soooo soooo tempted to stick an arrow in him. Maybe it was my way of saying screw this season. Now I almost wish I had tagged him. Then we would be on the Spike Gang together.

Congrats on the hunt anyway buddy! I know the EXACT feeling you were referring to. lmao
 

woodyw333

Junior Member
596
51
Cincinnati Oh
Its meat in the freezer! thats how I would look at it.. Yes it sucks ive been there done that, but its too late to do anything bout it now, other than enjoy the venison..
 

Mike

Dignitary Member
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15,840
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Up Nort
No biggie Dan. Meat is meat. I called in a spike last night and almost said screw it like Hicks.
 

Riverdude

The Happy Hunting Grounds Beyond
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10,254
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Ashtabula, Ohio
Way to go my brother, I am still laughing with the story you told me, I could just see you in my mind when you walked up to him. So happy for you my friend.

P.S. No pictures of slugger????? :smiley_bril:
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
Can't eat the horns man.

I'm sure the deer gods smiled at you for doing the right thing and giving up your buck tag. Karma man
 

Curran

Senior Member
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Central Ohio
Oh well... There are more positives to it than negatives Dan. Like FS said, you can still wack a doe, scout the new property for next year, essentially letting all the buck get another year of growth, and your freezer is stocked with lean, protein rich, organic venison.

Love the bucket pic, Bernie seems like the perfect name for that guy.

Congrats on a successful hunt!!
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
Just tell your friends you shot an 11 pointer.
All kidding aside I can see why you didn't see the antlers.

11 pointer - lol....seriously, I thought it was a doe. And I was calm, even though it happened kinda quick. I guess if I'd have stopped him he would have looked at me, but even then I still might not have seen because I'd have been focused on the ribs, not the head. I thought it was Bernice, not Bernie.....jug-eared mofo

P.S. No pictures of slugger????? :smiley_bril:

Slugger in all of his glory, doing what he was born to do...
IMAG0077.jpg


Hey, it'll eat good. A deer is a deer man.

Thanks for the encouraging words, You guys are absolutely right, it IS all good. I'm absolutely fine with it, although it was funny how the whole weekend was so great and frustrating at the same time. Honestly, I stood there staring for a minute with the angel/devil on opposite shoulders and thought about giving that spike a kick, but then physically shook my head, called myself a dumbass, and thanked God for the harvest and the opportunity. I'm just glad that Jesse and some of you other guys knocked down some bigguns.

There's a lot more to the story of this weekend but I can't post till tonite, gotta go to work. Long story short, this property is a gold mine, I'm really lucky to have come into it.
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
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9,358
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Hardin County
Congrats on the deer Dan. That would be a little disappointing, but like others have said, there are a lot of positives to this as well!
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
Congratulations on your kill, I also respect you for tagging it properly.

You will kill a big buck next year and the year after........
 

xbowguy

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29,629
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Licking Co. Ohio
I have to commend you for doing what is right. Knowing you personally, you are no dumbass......you simply made a mistake and manned-up to it. You did what an honest sportsman would do and that say's a lot........May not be bacon, but still a pile of great eating.