This all started yesterday afternoon about 4:45. I was sitting in my favorite south & east wind stand near the west side of my 40. It was a very quiet afternoon and no deer were moving, at least none that I'd seen or heard. The leaves were dry and a squirrel sounded like a horse walking. There was a sudden flurry of noise and motion about 50 yards to the east and a large deer went tearing through the woods like its tail was on fire. At first I thought it might be a doe being chased by a buck, but as I replayed the scene it seemed more like a buck body shape that had flashed by.

Within a minute, I head grunting and a bigger shape followed the same trail at speed. As this one went through an opening I saw white antlers - big ones! Not 5 minutes later the same scene replayed from a different angle, they had looped all the way around me through an open field and went by again at 50 yards with the big buck much closer to the smaller one. There was sounds of a scuffle about 100 yards away. I grunted and rattled. 5 minutes later the big buck came in and passed at 25 yards at a fast trot then angled away towards the direction the scuffle sounds had come from. More fighting sounds and sticks breaking.

This morning I snuck back to the same stand at first twilight. One the way in I found a shed only slightly chewed from its year on the ground. I took this as some kind of good sign.



Nothing moved this morning. I enjoyed my sunrise view of the woods and contemplating Thanksgiving and how blessed I am to have family, friends and time in nature. About 9:00 I got down and headed for home checking another stand near the area where the fight sounds had been. I was looking around from the base of the tree where this other stand is hung and suddenly realized I was looking at antlers not 15 yards away in the grass.

OOOH! Is there a stalk and a happy ending coming up???????

AND,AND.............??  :confused:  
Chort

Dew had softened the leaves and I was moving quietly, but not so quiet as to walk up on a bedded deer. As I watched, the bucks head would sink and then pop back up like a person trying not to fall asleep. It occured to me that this might be the smaller buck from last evening and that he may have been injured by the bigger buck.

I watched for a few minutes and even took out my camara and snapped the above picture. I am a believer in finishing off hurt game animals and have often shot deer that had been hit by cars or other hunters. The greedy half of my brain argued that with only one buck tag to use until after the middle of December I should not waste it on this 2 year old while the big one runs loose on my place. Thankfully, I had remembered to start my day with a request for my Higher Power to direct my thoughts and actions, so the argument was soon over.

I carefully shuffled a couple feet left and picked an opening through the grass. 48#'s of Dryad osage blank bow sent the poplar shaft true. The big Magnus I cut a swath through both lungs. The buck jumped up, ran 20 yards and crashed.

Congrads Shaun! awesome hunt. Backstraps for supper!!!!

HOW ABOUT THAT! Congrats Shaun...happy for ya.

Now that's the way to celebrate Thanksgiving!  

cool lee oHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH way to go bud!                          

I knew it!! Way to go Shaun!!

Shaun, Now That Is Cool!!! On the ground...Between stands. Gotta Love It!  

Congrats and Happy Thanksgiving!

>>----->  mike  <-----<<

Nice arrow placement. Great story and a good buck to boot.

You told that story very well!  Nice going!!

By the way, was there any injury to the deer?
(from the fight)

Dang that was a great use of natures bounty.  And a great use of one of our blanks.

Congrats!!

Mike

Awsome Job Shaun!!!And of Course to give some Credit where Credit is Due, Wingnut y'all got it goin'  ON!!      
 NICE DEER  Shaun!!Was the Antler of Your Buck?   :confused:

Thumbs up for you shaun, sure enjoyed that campfire story, great hunt with such primitive weapon and what a shot.

              Way to go. Great shot!!...........Chort

Way to go Shaun.  Congrats.  

Nice shot Shaun. Was it wounded or no? You done good!

Autopsy (cleaning) found infected area at the brisket involving the lower lobe of the lungs and tissue around the heart. No visible external wound. Either a car hit or more likely damage from buck to buck fighting. Meat not salvageble but hide and antlers saved. Time to hunt does till my "late season muzzle loader" (legal to use bow) season starts after the shotgun seasons. Felt like the right thing to do even suspecting the outcome as it was. Thanks all and have a wonderful Thanksgiving day.

How sweet it is!!!