Shot a buck at about 7 PM Thursday10/22/15. Looked like a perfect shot. At the time, I was absolutely positive I hit him perfect and the off shoulder prevented a pass through. Good light. 10 yard shot. Stopped him with a bleat. No crash which was concerning due to dead calm conditions.
Gave him 45m to an hour. No blood at the scene or where the arrow broke. Arrow broke off about 4-6″ from the point. Clean as whistle but sitting in water. The arrow looked consistent with a shoulder hit but there was no blood or hair at the sight and I was still confident in the hit I saw.
Looked on hands and knees real hard and could find no blood, hair, or tracks allow the path I watch him exit. Still positive of the good hit but confused. Morale low. Confusion and frustration high.
So I start really focusing on where I last saw him leave the creek bed. Pulled out my compass and started working that direction carefully. This is also into the wind and he smelled to high heaven like a rutting buck so I thought I might get a wiff. Did this for a long time and I finally stumbled on some blood while checking a runway. That was the first
blood I had in an hour of looking. Once I found blood, it was a good trail and he was piled up right there. Found him about 10PM.
Hit was just like I thought. I think I got the stuff above the heart. Pretty much where I’d like to hit everyone. Leave the pump, take out the plumbing. Couldn’t see a hole in the heart or lungs. He went about 70 yards before I found blood. Only another 30 after that. Still confused on that. I was real close to calling it a night and working on a plan
to do a body search in the daylight.
Glad I trusted my eyes and my gut and stuck with it last night. I think I was in bed about 1:30. Wrestling this thing about killed me. I’ll be happy to go back to shooting 80# deer after this pig.
First buck with shooting with a tab.
60 @28″ Tall Tines. 400 Easton FMJ. 250gr Grizzly.
Trail cam pic of just before I shot:
Trail cam pics from earlier:
