Josh and I got up early and headed in to look for the deer. He came up last night to help me today. I decided we would wait until a few hours after daylight so the dew would have time to dry on the leaves. While we were waiting, Josh saw a few deer, and I had a buck chase a doe by me. I never saw him, but I could hear him grunting as he moved past me. It’s always fun to imagine what the animal might look like when I can hear it but never see it. It could have been a buck with barely visible antlers, or it could have been an old monarch that has been the king of the forest for many years. I’ll never know. I do know that I will have to spend more time in this area in the future. I shouldn’t have left it alone for the last few years. Last time in there, I didn’t see many deer or a lot of sign. It looks like it’s a good place this year. I’ll be interested to see if it holds true next year.
When we began following the blood, Josh was certain that we would find the deer. It didn’t look as good to me as it did the night before, but it still looked like we might have a chance at catching up to him. I was hoping we would find him in his bed.
When we headed out of the woods before darkness consumed the sky, we were both a little let down. We gave it everything we had, and it just wasn’t enough to find the buck.
It sickens me that I wounded the animal and wasn’t able to recover him. I don’t like to see any animal suffer, especially because of my actions. I’m not sure what happened. I do know that I rushed the shot and didn’t take my time. With all of the bow hunting that I’ve been doing over the last few years, this experience felt a little different than what I have become accustomed to while deer hunting.
It was a quiet walk out of the woods. I’m sure I will remember this buck a lot more than some of the ones I’ve killed along the way. I wish I could change that, but it’s kind of the way it probably works for most of us. It will eat at me for a while, but I also know that I need to turn the page and get back at it. If I stay in that moment for too long, the rock rolling down the hill will turn into a boulder and plow over everything in its way. They’re calling for snow tomorrow. It’s supposed to be a sloppy mess. Dad and Brian might unpack from their trip to the Midwest tonight and do some hunting around home tomorrow. Something tells me they will show up in the morning to help us look for the deer.
I haven’t wounded a deer with rifle in 20 years. If I had even a dusting of snow, I would be able to find him. It’s merely impossible to catch up to a wounded deer when it’s not bleeding and you have nothing but bare leaves.
Enjoying the posts Todd! Hope you find the buck! Good luck to you!