Ok so this allll started back in 1987, My mother gave birth to a very healthy 8lb 11oz boy, named Smossy.. From there - ok lets not get in to deep.
I got to this place about 9am-ish, Did some searching.
Bounced from spot to spot that I knew held deer "found a new one today". Didnt see anything for about 5 hours, anyways thats besides the point.
Searched and searched with no luck, sat in a few spots and waited... waited... waited... notta. Spooked a few ruffed grouse I think? I have some video if anyone wants to ID them.
Was walking down this little field just kinda looking around.. Heard a crunch - looked to my right while stopping stone cold in my tracks. Seen an ear flicker, then a nice fat doe walks out about 40-50 yards and it had to of been like 160+lbs easily. This thing was a giant. I didnt have time to range it, there was two trees point to point and a small opening "which this is where the doe was walking" I put my 40 yard pin on her, made a "meeehp" sound like you see in alot of hunting videos to try to get them to stop and look" released, clean miss. I think it was alittle shorter then I anticipated bedcause my arrow went just above her. As Im trying to nock another arrow and see where she went for some reason that I dont remember I looked behind me, I dont remember hearing a sound or anything I just think I look around alot, Theres a deer standing right behind me in this field. Not moving a muscle but in the complete open.. So I slowly pull out my rangefinder, range it at 47 yards, put my 50 just above its back and released, I heard a nice THUD and the deer made a weird squeel. I knew it was hit, Kinda waited a second to take it all it. Alot was going through my mind at this point on what to do. This is my absolutely first deer Ive ever shot on my own. Seemed like a big deal at the time.
After about half hour I started looking where i shot it and spent another 45 minutes pacing back in forth on this small 15 foot squared area. I was so confused. I knew it was hit but couldnt figure out where all the blood was??? I was lost, I think I missed? I dont know... So i started looking around, about 60 yards away I find a nice splash of blood, which is what that first pic is... YES, hell yes, I kinda did a alittle dance inside my head. At this point im still wondering where my arrow is? I track a few more blood spots - 20 yards later, Im looking for blood and bam theres my arrow right where I was tracking. YES again, Examined it, seen it was red all the way to the fletchings. I know now it went all the way through but probably got plugged up the first few yards and got nocked out. The exit wound was cutt up pretty nicely. I wish I woulda taken more pictures.. Oh well. Anyways...
I keep following blood, and keep following blood, and more, and more, then eventually I lose blood sign, this is about approx 300 yards.. Crap. Which way did it go now?
I started doing alittle grid search again, BAM on it, about 10 yards from the last spot.. That was quite a ways being as I had an almost steady blood trail every few feet.
I track it up this little hill, through some thicker stuff now at this point, oh crap... Private property fence line.
Crap. Now I gotta find out who owns this land.
I had my gps on me with OnXmaps so I knew who the land owner was, I found out which house on the block belonged to these people. Went up there and no answer, crap what do I do now. Went to the neighboring houses and nocked on a few doors, nothing. Another house, an older gentlemen answered, looked real kind, didnt say much though. I told him I was hunting the neighboring public land and I wanted to retrieve my deer that may have went on this other gentlemens property. Do you by any chance know him or any contact information? He claims he does not own the land or have any phone numbers to the people. Ok so I leave then try to find some cell phone reception..
Drove about 20 miles an still nothing,
Im so lost at this point on what to do. I go back to the place I was hunting, nock on the land owners door again, still nothing... SH** its almost 5 at this point. Getting dark and I have work tomorrow. as Im walking back down to my truck I see down the road a truck coming and it slowly stops at the house where I talked to the older gentleman earlier. I wait a second in my truck, then turn around and head down there. Im flagged down and the truck pulls up. I explain what Im doing here and that I may have a deer down in his property. He says "Is it down? Go get it" Didnt seem very happy.. I told him I believed it was and I dont want permission to hunt I just want to retrieve my deer, Id hate to see any animal go to waste. He says "Its over there by the barn" Im like what? Ok, then the older guy that was tagging along down the street says "Yeah I wouldnt of known it was there but I seen all the crows start coming in so I checked it out, its laying by the fence".
Great, Inside my head im like
The guy who owned the land drove down there while I was talking to the older guy and stopped, opened the fence, and him and a younger guy there were kinda like making weird gestures toward it. I drive over there and see what they're talking about, Its a small deer. The younger guy starts laughing and goes "Its a baby, you shot bambi" and just keeps laughing, at this point Ive seen it and I feel like complete crap, It WAS a small deer and I had to deal with these people laughing at me. Anyways, I throw the deer in the back of the truck, tag it, and leave... That about sums it up.
Alittle long.
