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On an previous hunt I'd spotted four does in this clearing not far from my truck and I was looking for a new spot to hunt. Today I decided to put 10 steps in my bag and went to the corner where I thought they were coming out. I found a nice apple tree about 20 yards in and a lot of thick choke cherry bushes all around it. It had heavy deer sign in and around the apple tree with a heavy runway that cut through a small clearing
A lone Black Cherry tree stood 15 yards downwind/South of this and there was a small opening through the thick about 15’ up. I didn’t make too much noise but wasn’t dead quiet getting setup. It was very tight quarters with lots of wild grape vines all over this black cherry tree. I had leaves/green all around my stand and thick all around except my one small shooting hole.
I’d just gotten settled in and wanted to lower my stand about 6 inches. I’d have to duck down to get a shot to the runway and I didn’t want to cut the limb to my front. I was getting my soft grunt call ready and made a few soft grunts and slid it into my pocket and was just getting ready to move my stand down when I heard a twig snap. I spotted a deer slipping through the choke cherry bushes headed away from the apple tree. Not sure if my grunting had anything to do with it but deer were in the area and I wouldn’t be messing with my stand now.
About 4 minutes later I heard something coming in from my right rear. I spot a deer slipping in towards the apple tree and it looked like she would be going through my shooting lane. I grab my bow and squat down in from on my treestand seat and came to full draw. Moments later she appears in my shooting lane, I put my 15 yard pin on vitals and shoot. Shot looked to be a touch higher than I like but good. I look and listen but hear nothing. I sit tight for a few and nock another arrow just in case I get lucky.
A few minutes later I spot movement under the apple tree. It’s a mature doe feeding on the leaves. I stand up looking for a shooting hole but she’s not in the right spot. Then she starts walking out directly towards my opening and I come to full draw. She appears in my lane and my shot is gone. I had a little to no blood on the one deer and opted to pull out and wait a few hours. I come back to find her only 15 yards from where I shot her but she’d made a quick turn in an unexpected direction. My shot was good but I was surprised to find the exit hole well back. It was a broadside shot but my arrow hit the back side of a rib and deflected back almost a foot. Because of this I hit one lung, liver and gut.
It still amazes me what can happen even on a well placed shot.
A lone Black Cherry tree stood 15 yards downwind/South of this and there was a small opening through the thick about 15’ up. I didn’t make too much noise but wasn’t dead quiet getting setup. It was very tight quarters with lots of wild grape vines all over this black cherry tree. I had leaves/green all around my stand and thick all around except my one small shooting hole.
I’d just gotten settled in and wanted to lower my stand about 6 inches. I’d have to duck down to get a shot to the runway and I didn’t want to cut the limb to my front. I was getting my soft grunt call ready and made a few soft grunts and slid it into my pocket and was just getting ready to move my stand down when I heard a twig snap. I spotted a deer slipping through the choke cherry bushes headed away from the apple tree. Not sure if my grunting had anything to do with it but deer were in the area and I wouldn’t be messing with my stand now.
About 4 minutes later I heard something coming in from my right rear. I spot a deer slipping in towards the apple tree and it looked like she would be going through my shooting lane. I grab my bow and squat down in from on my treestand seat and came to full draw. Moments later she appears in my shooting lane, I put my 15 yard pin on vitals and shoot. Shot looked to be a touch higher than I like but good. I look and listen but hear nothing. I sit tight for a few and nock another arrow just in case I get lucky.
A few minutes later I spot movement under the apple tree. It’s a mature doe feeding on the leaves. I stand up looking for a shooting hole but she’s not in the right spot. Then she starts walking out directly towards my opening and I come to full draw. She appears in my lane and my shot is gone. I had a little to no blood on the one deer and opted to pull out and wait a few hours. I come back to find her only 15 yards from where I shot her but she’d made a quick turn in an unexpected direction. My shot was good but I was surprised to find the exit hole well back. It was a broadside shot but my arrow hit the back side of a rib and deflected back almost a foot. Because of this I hit one lung, liver and gut.
It still amazes me what can happen even on a well placed shot.
