2 Down, 1 to go!

[cdgn troller]

My hunting/fishing partner Brian finally saw his first deer of the season after about 8 sits and decided to take him. His wife is the one I posted earlier and she has been giving him an earful about not seeing a deer! To make a very long story and an even longer track, short. He had this buck come in 15 yards checking a scrape and had one little window to make a shot, arrow must have deflected and made a bad shot. He texted me at 8:30 and he decided to wait for me to get there before trying to find him since he wasn't very confident with the shot. I climbed down at 10:00 and drove to the farm he was on and meet him at 10:45. We had good blood at first but no arrow. The blood trail started to slow down, but then we jumped the deer bedded on the edge of the pond, it was moving real slow. We waited about 30 minutes and wondered over to where it crossed the corner of the pond. As I step up the bank I saw the deer just standing 30yds away in a lane way between the corn and woods. I turned to get brian with the bow, turned back around and he was gone. we up to where he just was, found blood and waited another 20-30 minutes. Now no blood anywhere, didn't know if he went into corn or 1 of 3 runs within 30 yards going into woods. just started going down each run hoping to find some blood, finally spec of blood in on of the runs. get down run towards the pond again, last spot of blood at the intersection of 3 runs. now its 2:00 and the blood is only a spec. We start down each run on hands and knees, no blood. We make circles, nothing. We meet back at last blood at 3 and am waiting to him to pull the plug when I see a spec of blood leading towards the bank of the pond, then another and another. Then you can't walk on the bank anymore due to downed trees but to the right about 10 foot into the pond is an island. We look at each other and say noway would he go out there. I make the plunge into waist high water and on to the island, I got Blood. Then another 10 foot out is another island, no way! I make the plunge again and this is what I found on the back side.

I walked past that island about 5 times checking the brush on shore when we lost the blood. I'm so glad we didn't give up. Amazing animals!

BTW it was almost a 1 1/2 drag to somewhere to be able to get a 4 wheeler in. It was a long night, but the was cold!! Now it's my turn!!!

[Silver Fox]

Great job!

[Reel Action]

Congrats on a great buck and even more on sticking with it and enjoying the rewards of your hard work. Amazing what these animals can do depite being mortally wounded. Congrats to you both...and I'd say he owes you another beer or two!

[Knotlost]

Gr8 buck, glad you didn't quit!

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Way to persist! Bad mojo/karma to waste 'em. Your detailed post probably sent a few guys out back for a few extra practice shots.

[on the lam]

Congrats on a great buck and story Looks like a great place to wack some woodies n mallards

[W.W.IV.]

Nice job, I'd have to be shure the deer was there before I'd jump in the water.

[skipper19]

Nice job! It is frustrating to weigh the difference of quit or persist. The rewards of persist are the sweetest. What a great story and pics! Bowhunting is a sport of patience, grace and persistence and you men have made it an art. Congratulations!

Mark

[salmonite]

Glad you guys found him what a great story!!! Not a lot of people would have jumped into that water to even see if the deer was on the other side Always a lesson to be learned in the woods... unclear shot wait 6 hours next time.