My wife was coaching classes at the gym this morning so I got a late start and didn't hit the woods until 0700. I took advantage of the rain and wet ground and spent most of the morning just slipping around the edges of bedding areas and hunt/scouting. I sat on the ground for about 30 minutes down wind of a thicket and had a big spike come through. Other than that I didn't see much but did see some good fresh rubs and scrapes. I eased out, tossed the bow in the truck and headed home. I pulled in the driveway at 1045. Cayce had the kids out running errands so I grabbed my bow and headed out behind the house to check some stuff there since it was still early. I made my way down a small creek, crossed a thick grown power line that was full of beds and crossed over into the next block of woods. I eased up the hill paralleling the power line and was going to cross back over and loop around and back to the house. I got on a well used trail and was taking a step about every 30 seconds. 10 yards into the thick power line I jump a deer about 5 yards from me on the up wind side. He runs out about 10 yards and stops. I can see the tops of his tines but no head or body. He's burning a hole in the thicket trying to figure out what bumped him. I knew he would try and circle to get my wind. I knocked an arrow and had one hole to my left to shoot through if he went low. If he circled high I was done for. After a 5 minute stand off he made his move and went low. I drew and true to form he took two steps and stopped just at the edge of the hole I had to shoot through. Another stare down at full draw. Finally after a minute or two he took another step, then another and was in the middle of my shooting lane, quartering to, at 8 yards. Top pin at the base of the neck just in front of the shoulder and I let it eat. The arrow hit pay dirt but it was so thick I couldn't see him after he ran 10 yards. I wanted to convince myself I heard him crash but without seeing him fall I wasn't sure. I crawled over to where he was standing and there was enough blood at the point of impact I was confident he was down but again without seeing him fall I wanted to give him some time. I found my arrow and stood it up so we could find that spot when we started tracking. I backed out and went to the house to calm down, get some coffee and grab Cayce. 45 minutes later we were back at the POI and on blood. Turned out I did hear him fall and we easily found him 30 yards from the last place I saw him. He was a war horse of a deer and was scarred up from nose to toes.

IMG_0150.jpg

IMG_0160.jpg

IMG_0162.jpg

IMG_0163.jpg

IMG_0164.jpg