The old two track had been closed off and the place I wanted to hunt was about a mile back so I had a long walk ahead of me. I had studied the area and made note of the edges, saddles feeding and bedding areas. This spot had it all and would be great for an evening still hunt. I walked fast through the areas I considered "low probability" but kept my eyes and ears open for any deer movement. Eventually I entered the location I wanted to hunt.
The evening was one of those cool and calm classic fall ones that you just love when you are out hunting. The oak leaves that covered the ground where dry and it would be easy to hunt with both ears and eyes. In expectation I nocked an arrow and put myself into the right frame of mind to still hunt my way down an old faded logging trail that divided a stand of oaks from a bedding area. Deer sign was abundant and I was feeling good about my choice for the evening hunt. As I slowly moved down the trail I listened to the activity in the oaks. Squirrel's were busy gathering accorns and it made it difficult to distinguish any other sounds. Identifying the source of each crunch or rustle wasn't easy because the southern exposure to this edge of the oaks had provided the sunlight for a thick growth of immature oaks and underbrush which interfeared with my view. A few nice deer trails crossed the trail I was on in a saddle that connected the grassy jackpine bedding area to the higher stand of oaks. That is where I wanted to be as the evening sun set as I was certain I would see deer. It was still a good hundred paces ahead and I would have to move slow enough not to alert the squirrels to my presence. Setting off their alarm might put an end to the productivity of my hunt.
Suddenly I heard deer crashing through the oaks. At first I thought I had had spooked them and cursed myself out silently. Then a doe and her fawns busted through the underbrush and out onto the old logging trail. I quickly stepped to the side and behind the cover of a young oak as she ran right towards me. My move had been quick enough to go unnoticed. They passed by me withen four yards and ran down into the bedding area. I heard the grunts of a buck in pursuit and readied myself for an encounter. If he followed her course it would be a close one too. In a moment he appeared about 21 paces out. He was a beautiful, big bodied 9 point and my eyes just about popped out of my head. It was show time and I suddenly felt naked and unprepared. My heart rate climbed and my mind raced. How would this one play out?
Not seeing the doe he paused to locate her. Instead he saw me. He studied me cautiously and I feared the worst. If he spooked it would be over. The gentle air movement was in my favor as I could actually smell the musk of his tarsel glands. I would have to just keep my cool and hope he followed her. A shot now would not be an option as he was facing me head on and a branch was also in my way. Something in his posture and actions told me he was onto me. He rocked his weight one way and then the other and then he turned to run. In one quick compound motion I drew, stepped forward to clear the small oak's branches and launched the arrow. Practice paid off and the arrow hit right where my eyes had fixed themselves to his body.
As he ran into the underbrush my cedar arrow broke off and the feathered half landed on the logging trail. I stood there looking at it in disbelief. Had this really just happened? Did I really hit him? Then a million other questions went through my mind. Was it a good hit? How long should I wait? What if I missed the vitals? Will the clear sky hold or is it going to rain? I shivered as I pondered these things. The sun was now setting and the night air was cooling rapidly but I think it was nerves and adrenaline that made me tremble.
As twilight fell onto the forest I began to look for the blood trail. He had run into the bedding area so I would have to pick it up in the meadow grasses instead of on leaves. As the light faded I pulled out my flashlight to assist in the search. I turned it on and a moment latter the bulb burned out. To my dismay I realized I had already used up the spare bulb and not replaced it. Fortunately my brother-in-law and son where also hunting with me and had radios. As hunting hours where now over I radioed them with my position and they came to assist me. It seemed like forever waiting for them to get there but the sight of their flashlights coming down the trail was a welcome sight.
We hung a light stick where the arrow and the buck had met and then began a search to pick up the bood trail using it as a reference point. A half hour later we still had found no blood and I feared the worst. Tracking in short grass is always difficult and we had yet to establish his heading. Comment's like, "Are you sure you hit him" or "Maybe you should hunt with a compound", began to fly. I was discouraged. We were making bigger an bigger circles around the light and still nothing when my flashlight (borrowed spare) fell upon, not blood, but the dead buck himself. I let out my "war cry" and they came running knowing I had found him. He had only run about 100 yards before he fell but most the bleeding had been internal leaving little if any trail to follow. After a silent prayer, a couple pictures and field dressing him we bagan the long drag out. Glad I had some help as he proved to dress out at 189 pounds.
