Well I had a good morning. Showed up early for work only to learn that a meeting I thought I had was cancelled. Figuring I was already awake and it was still dark, I might as well go hunting.
I drove out to my unit (651), parked and started my usual dead-slow still hunting down a spur road in a good looking clear cut bordering some reprod. I hadn't gone more than about 200 yards when I saw this doe feeding on top of a small ridge about 80 yards away. I managed to close the distance to about 30 yards before I was blocked by some ground covered in sticks that was going to make noise like packing peanuts. She was quartering away from me. 30 yards is ten yards too far for me most of the time. But, the doe hadn't seen me, was calm, I'd been shooting well, there was no wind, I felt confident, and this was going to be one of my last opportunities of the season because my wife is expecting our second child soon. So after debating with myself for a few minutes, I calmed my breathing, picked a spot, and shot.
The arrow entered just a tiny bit back from where I wanted, but given that she was quartering away (by FAR my favorite bow shot angle), all roads lead to the chest. The arrow hit solidly, nicked the stomach, went through the diaphragm and over the heart, transecting both the aorta and the pulmonary artery. She took about four bounds and collapsed within twenty yards. Died within five seconds, literally.
This was my first big game animal with this particular bow, and I'm pretty happy.
The bow is a 55# Wes Wallace Stealth recurve, 64". Wes makes absolute works of art, such a gorgeous bow. Self-fletched and crested carbon arrow tipped with a Snuffer 3 blade broadhead.
