October 18, 1997
Oct. 18, 1997 was the opening morning of the archery season in North
West Florida. I joined my first hunting club, Brushy Creek, in July.
Extensive scouting with friends, Richard Sheppard and Fred Presley, led
to the discovery of some great hunts.
On this opening morning I got in the
stand before sun up. After being in the stand for about an
hour I heard grunts off the my right. I could just start to see when
, on the same trail I came in on, the grunts were getting louder.
Then there he was, I could just make out his spikes. They looked
about 4"-5" above his head. He kept walking up the trail from my
right that turned straight to my stand. When was he was on the bend
of the trail, which was no more than 20 yards away, he stopped and looked
at the stand. He slowly looked up and kept walking very slowly.
He was trying to see if anyone was up there. At about 5 yards from
the bottom of my 16' ladder stand he stopped facing towards me but slightly
off to his left. With the buck still trying to see if I was up there
I drew my bow and could barley see through my peep sight. I could
make out his leg and where his neck met. I kept taking my head away
from my peep sight to make sure I was on target. After checking 3
times and the buck trying to see me, I released the arrow.
The arrow hit right between the base of the neck and the shoulder.
The buck instantly let out a cry then dropped in his tracks. I figured
I must have hit his spine, all he could move was his front legs and his
head. While I tried to keep my composure two more deer, (does), were
coming up the trail. They stopped just before the bend and saw my
buck laying there. They stomped and walked off next to me, but I
never had an open shot. About ten minutes later while I am watching
my buck 5 yards away, a doe came up on my left. She was about 25
yards, facing me again, but slightly more off to her left. I sighed
my pin on her and let another arrow fly. She was hit through the
shoulder in her heart, I was sure. I could hear her double up just
20 yards past where she was shot. Two deer in 10 minutes on opening
day, that is indeed a blessing from God. Did I mention that the spike
was my first buck.
I shot two deer because Florida has a two
deer limit per day. I had two more spikes come 5 yards to my right
in another shooting lane, but past them up for two reasons. One,
I can have only two a day and no more than four in my possession.
And two, I figured that my two friends would get at least one a piece.
So cleaning four deer would be a little much. Well, when they finally
came to find out why I was still at my stand they told me that they didn't
get anything. So I was bound by law, two deer and two deer only.
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