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Five minutes later.

Ricer2231

Senior Member
Gunner and I had decided last night that from the looks of the forecast that sleeping in might not be all that bad an idea. We have hunted hard all week, up at 4:00 am everyday, sit for 4 1/2-5 hours, walk out to the truck to stretch our legs and eat our lunches we had packed the night before and then back into the stands until dark. We tossed the idea around about which farm to hunt, #1or #2 deciding on #2. As we go through town something told me to turn left towards farm #1 so I did. I look over at Gunner who was looking at me like what the heck and I tell him "change of plans". So we were heading in about 9:00 this morning. As we reached the top of the hill I whispered to Gunner that we needed to slip around the backside of the hill well away from the bedding area as to not give ourselves up to anything that may be in there. We circled around the hill and crossed the fence into our woods. My stand is only 100 yards inside the fence row and 50 yards south of the bedding area. We walked to my stand and I told Gunner rule #1 when you get in your stand is snap yourself in, rule #2 is text Don to let him know your snapped in and your safe in your stand so I don't worry. So off to his stand he goes and I climb into mine. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415309586.871747.jpg
As I step onto my stand I hang my bow and begin to mess with my Catquiver when I remember just what I had told Gunner so I stop and snap myself in. Then I hang my quiver and I think to myself" you know what I have pulled the same arrow from my quiver all week and today I'm changing my luck and snagging one from the other side." So as I pull my arrow from the quiver I catch movement out of the corner of my eye to my right and here he comes out of the bedding area. I turn slowly and lift my bow from the hanger and slowly nock my arrow as I keep turning because I was still facing the tree when he came out of the thick stuff. I get my arrow nocked and turned almost all the way around as he stops and looks directly up at me. Fugg! Game Over is all I can think but surprisingly he puts his nose back down and starts walking again. I'm trying my best to get my release clipped into my loop but the loop is laying flat against the nock. I'm trying and trying to do it with the end of my release but it just ain't happening and he's still walking. So I tell myself" twist the string and turn it before he walks away from you!" I get my loop turned and my release snapped on and give a grunt to stop him as I come to full draw. As always I had cut shooting lanes just about everywhere but where he came to a stop so I had a hole about the size of a dinner plate to shoot through. I squeeze the trigger and my arrow disappears into his ribcage.
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I was worried the shot was too far back but as I stop and think how hard he was quartering away that my shot was gonna be alright and should hit the far shoulder.
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I watch as he runs down the bank and turns up the hollow out of sight. I hang my bow up and set down to think about what all just happened and start marking points in my memory of things like where he turned, the last place I saw him and anything I could think of that might help us find him. Just as I'm looking where he went I see a deer coming down the hollow. I grab my glasses and see that it's my buck and watch as he beds down. As he lays there he's having a really hard time holding his head up and I knew the shot was good then. As his antlers just touch the ground he snaps his head up and he's back on his feet but he had a tough time getting up. He walks a few steps and I lose sight of him. I'm thinking he went around the little bank and I can't see him anymore. About 30 minutes go by and Gunner has made his way to my stand and
we head over the hill into the hollow to see what we can find. It's amazing how different things look like when you're on the ground as compared to perched in your tree. Gunner and I look for where he bedded and can't find anything. I keep thinking back about how he bedded down in some weeds but there's no weeds on the bank that I'm thinking he laid down in. I told Gunner to stay there and I'm gonna go back and get in the stand. So I'm back in my stand and directing Gunner to where I'm sure he bedded down earlier. Sure enough Gunner gets there and says " there's a puddle here"! So he stays there and I head down to him. He said "I got all kinds of blood here, one hell of a trail!" I'm telling ya Gunner can see that blood. So we work our way towards where I last saw him and find that he never made it around the bank he made it to the creek and just wasn't able to make it any farther.
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"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,739
274
North Carolina
Awesome story Don, glad you had Gunner with you too lend a hand.... I've always been lucky too have friends too help out when in need....
Like Rick said good karma was heading your way buddy....