From: pmm@cblpf.att.com (Paul M Martinelli)
Subject: Deer hunt
Organization: AT&T
Date: 16 Nov 92 07:58:12 CST
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu
Keywords: Deer


I left the house at 5:40 am Sat. morning. I drove the mile to my hunting
grounds, walked to my stand site, and was sitting nice and comfy in my
Loggy Bayou treestand by 6:10. I like to get settled in 20-30 minutes before
legal shooting light which was 6:35 or so (don't have my table handy).
It was 27 degrees, about 1" of fresh snow, and a light snow was still
falling. The first hour and half was pretty boring except for the 6
ducks that floated down the creek beside me and nearly scared the shit
out of me when they took off. My stand was located near a crossing
of the creek, I had seen deer there 3 out of the 4 times before.
I was looking to fill my doe tag  so that I'd have some freezer meat.
This would allow me to hunt for a nice buck the rest of the year with
my other tag (I have a bonus tag). At 7:45 a doe and 2 fawns came 
walking through the woods on the other side of the creek. They milled
around for what seemed like forever before walking my way.  My only 
shot would be after they crossed and at about 15 yds. Well the doe finally 
jumped into the creek, I drew back and waited. The doe and one fawn
came out of the creek and into the opening, one more step and she would
pass the tree obstructing a clear shot. Then it happened, I don't know
if it was from cold fingers or what, but the arrow fell from the rest
and made that dreadful clack noise (I used to have a piece of felt there).
Anyway, the doe looks straight at me, I decided to lean out around the
tree between us and try to get a shot. I leaned out as far as I could
and it seemed like I'd have a clear shot so I let it fly. I don't
know if I hit the tree, my arrow slid because my leaning, the doe jumped
or what, I just knew that I didn't see the arrow, I didn't hear that
distinctive sound of a good hit, and I didn't see a wound on the doe
as she jumped out of sight.

After watching the other fawn bolt I saw my arrow sticking in the ground 
beyond where the doe was standing. It appeared to be clean miss, the 
arrow was sticking in the ground and the fletching was not ruffled
as it would have been in the case of a pass through shot. I knocked
another arrow and decided to wait until 8:30 to see what happened.
Fifteen minutes later (about 8:20 or so), I climbed out of my tree
to pack up and head home. I went over to retrieve my arrow and found
that the arrow was partially covered with blood! WOW, I hit that SOB.

I tracked the doe for about 50 yds, it was easy tracking in the snow
and the blood trail was moderate. When the trail entered the thicket,
I stopped, went back and gathered my equipment and headed for the truck.
This is normal procedure for me. I put my stand, bow, camo suit, some
of my heavy clothing in the truck. This allows time to pass, and lightens
my load for the expected deer drag ahead. I quickly resumed the tracking
job. At about 80 yds from my stand site, I heard the deer take off through 
the thicket ahead of me. At this point stopped to think about the 
situation. Hmmmmm, I don't know where it was hit, how hard it was hit,
Is the snow going to stop, will the snow on the ground melt. I know
that gutshot deer should not be pushed, flesh wounds may clot up if
the deer is allowed to rest, what to do. I decided to continue
tracking to see if the deer continued to bleed, lay down again or what.
After another 40 yds of tracking I heard the deer run through the 
brush ahead of me, it was heading towards a clearing by my truck.
I quickly ran around the brush and saw the deer standing in a small
creek. She looked at me, I was about 40 yds away standing on the bank.
She then bedded down right beside the bank and stared at me. What a spot
to be in, there I was empty handed looking at this deer which I now
could see had a neck wound. The doe was bedded right between my and my truck.
I decided to sneak out around her and get my bow. I made it to the truck,
grabbed my bow, nocked an arrow and was ready to sneek up for a shot.
I didn't get ten feet before she jumped out of the creek and took off
through the brush. At this point I began to wonder if I would ever 
recover this deer.

Before taking to the trail again I investigated the spot where she had
been bedded. There was a piepan size blood spot. I decided at this
time to continue tracking rather than risking the trail being lost
due to more snow or snow melting. Back on the trail again I spotted
the doe ahead of me about 20 yds. She had gone at least 75 yds. She
watched me as I tried to get a shot. This is a really thick bottom
land area filled with brairs and crabapple trees. As I circled, she bolted
>from her bed and took off. This was sort of fun, like a cat 
and mouse game, but I was also worried that she might get away.
This time the spot she was laying in had a smaller amount of blood.
As I tracked her again the blood trail became less and less, I was
mostly tracking by the prints in the snow with a spot of blood 
every 5 yds for confirmation that I was on the right trail (there
were lots of fresh tracks in this part of the woods, I'll be back).
After going another 75 yds through some really thick brush I spotted her
again. This time I got a shot off at her head. The boadhead clipped a
small saplings and stuck in the ground next to her, the shaft was 2 
inches from her nose. There I was again, standing looking at her
with no arrows, I had only brought the one I had originally hit her with.
Since she didn't move, I assumed she was down for good and slowly walked
towards her. Again she jumped up, ran down the creek bank, crossed the 
creek, and continued on. Picking up my arrow and continuing to track her
I thought to myself that this is getting ridiculous and I was getting
tired of it. 60 yds later I spotted her bedded down again. I could
see that she was still breathing and took a shot at her heart/lung
area (she was facing away from me), the arrow stuck her in the
right front shoulder area, she didn't move. It was finally over.

After it was all over with, and knowing the results, I realize that
I probably would have better off if I would have backed off when 
I saw her bed down next to the creek the first time. It certainly
would have made for a easier drag to the truck. I also realized that
I really do enjoy the thrill of the hunt, just being out in the
woods, more than the thrill of the kill.


With that doe in the freezer I'll have the rest of the season to hunt
for mister big. Mister big for me is any buck bigger then the 9 pt.
I shot several years ago.


Paul Martinelli

PS
Notch 1 more kill for Thunderhead broadheads.


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