Got off the Schneid

[Rather_B_Fishing]

Saturday morning, got on the stand about 6:15 AM.

Nothing happened until 7:10 when I heard an alarm distress snort off to my left and slightly behind me. So I look down the trail to my left, and after a few seconds a doe comes out about 60 yards from me. Well that is too far so I just watch her. She checks her backtrail, then looks in my direction before proceeding across the path into the woods. It was windy and the woods were loud with sounds of swaying and bumping branches and leaves - so much so that I didn't hear the doe walking thru the woods until just a fraction of a second before she came out onto the path.

Things settled down then, and I got cold. So, to get some circulation in my legs, I stood up, leaned back on the tree and put my hands in my vest pockets.

I guess I was taking an extended gaze down the path to my left, because when I slowly rotated my head back to the front, I saw movement! It was a doe walking straight at me. There was a large tree between me and her, but she was no more than 15 yards away. She kept coming, going to her left (my right) around this big tree. I thought "Darn, she's going to my right" (I'm right handed). Then I thought, just squat so I can get my right arm under the safety vest tree tether strap. I then went on auto pilot, I grabbed the bow turned to my right, squatted down and came to full draw. She kept walking and I settled my pin right behind her front shoulder, and let it rip!

She was only 8 or 9 yards away. After letting the arrow go I immediately heard a thwack, and saw a quarter sized circle of red on her where I hit her. She kicked up her back legs, then ran full speed ahead through the woods for about 3 seconds, thean paused then ran off again for about 3 more seconds until I couldn't hear her any more.

I sat down and collected my thoughts. I hit her a little further back than I wanted to. I should have tried to stop her with a bleat, but it all happened so fast that I didn't think about it at the moment of truth. I figured I hit her possibly at the rear of the lungs or in the stomach. I looked over to where I thought the arrow would be but I didn't see it. I nocked another arrow and waited.

40 minutes after the shot, I quietly climbed down and looked for the arrow. I couldn't find it, but I knew I hit her hard. I could also see that she ran off my father in laws property onto the neighbors. Hopefully she didn't cross the road. So I went back to the house and got my brother in law to help me look for the arrow. After we couldn't find it, we backed out, then went to the neighbors to get permission to track on their land. They said OK. Then we waited some more.

About 3 hours after shooting her, my brother in law and I got on the trail. We found good blood about 20 yards from where she was hit. The blood had chunks in it, so I knew I hit the gut. But I hit her hard and figured she'd be dead by now. We continued finding a good blood trail, and 50 yards down the trail we found the arrow covered in chunky blood. At this time, my father in law met up with us to help find her. We stayed on the blood trail, it took 2 left turns, then we found her in some high grass expired. Success!

After a short drag to my father in law's truck, we took her back to the in laws property to field dress her then hang her. That night, after registered her, I dropped her off at the butcher.

She's not huge, but is the first one I killed and recovered in time to get the meat. This will always be a special memory to me.

Can someone help me post the picture?

Also, based on a verbal reccomendation, I took her to Bakken's to be cut up. Does anyone have an opinion they would like to share about this place? It is on Highway 65, a little north of Cambridge, right next to a tractor place.

[jltimm]

Congrat's on the deer! Bakkens is really good IMO. Been bringing my trimmings to them for over 10 years.

[DonBo]

Way to go! Waiting is always a good bet on a less than perfect hit. It is also a very hard thing to do. Good job!

Email photos, I'd be happy to help post them.

[Cheetah]

For such a close shot, trying to stop her with a bleat or grunt might have just spooked her into running instead of just stopping. So shooting while walking was a good choice if you ask me.

Congratulations.

[DonBo]

Here is a photo of Rather B Fishing's first deer.

Way to go!!!!

[DonBo]

For such a close shot, trying to stop her with a bleat or grunt might have just spooked her into running instead of just stopping. So shooting while walking was a good choice if you ask me.

Congratulations.

I have never had a deer bolt at a soft grunt. I stop every one this way. Anyone else?

[Deitz Dittrich]

NIce deer, I have had them bolt after a soft grunt, but it could have just been the deer. I would rather not shoot a walking deer.

[96trigger]

Does especially can get spooked by a sound, especially if it is that close and they don't know where it came from, their first instinct is to always create some distance. Then they get curious.

[Powerstroke]

Congratulations!!! You made all the right moves in my book. I think a walking deer is okay as long as its a slow walk. Obviously stopped is best, but it always depends on the situation.

Way to go on your first deer with the bow. Any deer by stick and string is a trophy to me.

[harvey lee]

Congrats.

As far as walking deer goes, with the rifle yes, with the bow, I will more than likely not shoot. I usually whistle to stop them and that seems to work very well for me.

[deerminator]

Nice. Congrats!!! I remember the first bow deer. It is awesome. I haven't even taken that many with my bow, but I sometimes already forget whan an accomplishment it is. Congrats again and good story.