Heavy 8

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.

big8

Trail cam pic of just before I shot:

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Trail cam pics from earlier:

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