Small buck last October. Nothing felt likely - got to the stand late.
But in the quiet aftermath of the sunrise, the morning turned around. It was my 3rd hunt ever but my first time being out in the rut. In the distance I hear the crack of antlers clashing - another first. Then, does run by, chased by bucks, all a blur past me.
A little after all that activity this little buck wanders into view. I am ready (unlike my very first hunt where a doe walked right under my stand before I could get bow into position and I had to watch her walk away!)
I watch him come closer and closer in that wandering way, he's taking his time. Once he makes a sneak turn behind a tree almost fooling me into getting busted.
Then he starts making his way towards prime open area. He feeds a little with his head down behind a tree as I wait for him to continue to that shooting lane I had visualized when I suddenly I realize - "I can shoot him right now!"
So I slowly draw my recurve and let it fly!
Thwack and he is off. I can see arrow sticking out. Shot was high and back. But it is in him.
After about 30min got down from the tree and back to the house. 90min or so later we start a track - find the arrow in parts, blood on feathers. It must have worked its way through? Not foamy blood, not dark... good blood but it fades and after a couple hours we head back for lunch and to rest up for another session. Obvious now that we rookies pushed him.
Head back out to track around 3 maybe? Not sure anymore but after some low moments of despair, around 5pm we find him near a bedding zone. Quite relief. Luckily my "gut" shot missed the yucky guts - no intestines were burst. Did get two holes.
Pulled out the phone to review a gutting video as we went to work, keeping the heart (shoulda kept that liver!), then dragged out.
I owe a lot to my buddy for tracking assistance.
Ate the heart the next night with my 6yr old son. Later the backstraps would be the first meat my then 6month old daughter ever tasted.
Southwest Spyder recurve - 50lbs, Easton 2219s with 225grain Van Diemans on the business end.