Well today was a day that I experienced both of them.  It started this morning hunting the only stand I have set for a NE wind.  I got to the stand late.  After what was a crazy morning (another story in itself). I was tied into the tree at sunrise. I was still trying to get my gear situated when I happened to look to my left.  100 yards out in the field is a deer that looks like he is cruising. He comes to the woods edge and looks in. He sees nothing he turns to  walk the fence edge. I notice some antlers they look decent.  In my mind I am thankful just to see a nice deer and listen to him walk what I think is away.   Then I hear him jump the fence heading what sounds my way.

It sounds like he is walking towards me and getting closer. He steps out and I see antlers.  I ignore them.  You see in my family I am the one who is known as "brown its down " guy and hold the record for the smallest deer killed that did not have spots.  The deer comes a little closer to me and turns broadside. I tell myself to find the gap.  Away to focus my mind on aiming. I hit anchor find my gap and

Release. The arrow fly true and it hits were the little one inch circle is that is either a 11 or an x on a 3-d deer target.   Right were I would walk up and place the arrow if I could.  I am concerned thow. My arrow did not pass threw.  I draw 58 lbs and have an honest 31" draw length.  I shoot full length 340 FMJ with a four blade Magnus buzz cut. I usually blow through deer.   I listen and as thee deer runs away I hear the FMJ break.  Knowing what I saw , I set back and wait 30 minutes.

Still looking ???    

After waiting my thirty minutes. I text my dad.  You see we try to be apart of each other's hunts as much as possible. This started with my first deer in 87 and has continued ever since. We decided to meet at my truck to talk things over before starting the trail.  I couldn't help but to walk over to the brush and look to see how much of my arrow was out of the deer.  It looked like 9" of the shaft and buzz cut were still in the deer. I am not sure how to take this so I head to the truck. Dad and I arrive about the same time at the truck  and start dressing for the tracking job and talk the scenario over.

 Hope'n for the best.

The tracking is very difficult the first 200 yards. Little blood to follow and 2 hrs   I am questioning what I saw on impact. The blood has some strange particles in it but does not smell of intestinal mater. If I hit the paunch my arrow would blow through.  Not much past two hundred yards we find a bed that is full of blood and this strange material.  The trail leading from this bed has more blood in it than the first bit by ten fold not scientific just observations.  We pick up the pace. Not far down we see the buck.  He is not moving well and  the tail is twitching very rapidly.   Now I am really questioning myself and beating myself up more than any person ever could. We back out and go eat lunch.

I don't eat much.  I even try to take a nap but abusing my body when I was younger was catching up.  I started stiffening up and getting severe cramps.  We needed to get back on the trail. A hundred yards from where we last saw him we see him bedded. I look closely and it appears that he is alive although he does not appear to be breathing.  I start a stalk and when I get an opening I take a shot.  The purpose was two fold 1 if he was alive a second arrow would not hurt anything 2 if he was dead we would know instantly.  The arrow made impact no movement he was dead and stiff.

Relief!!  I look at the entrance wound it was right where I thought it was.  Tag filled out,pictures taken.  Now time for an autopsy. Dressing the deer takes over three times as long as usual.  The right lung was completely deflated, liver hit, the diaphragm had two large broad head holes in it , one of the stomachs hit. Broad head was half way out the other side. It was like the arrow done a horseshoe in side the body.  

Lesson learned:  just because it looks like a perfect shot doesn't mean that it is.   More time before tracking is always better than less. It helps to have another tracker/set of eyes/opinion. Most importantly never give up.  

I want to thank God and my Dad for helping me today.

If someone knows how to post a pics I can text them to you.  

About my buck he is my biggest with any weapon.  

The bow was a Hoyt Buffalo.  My dad is retiring this spring after 45 years at the same job,he is getting the bow for next year .  He wants to try his hand at this traditional bow hunting thing.   A good bow to pass on hopefully more memories are made with it.

Congrats on the recovery! Got any pics?

I got pics. Just don't know how to post them

Congratulations glad it worked out, way to stick with it!

In for the pics , Congrats...

,,,Sam,,,

Way to stick with it, good on you.

Way to stay with a tricky trail-congrats on the buck.