I decided to hunt a small hub NW of a steep sidehill, NE of the top of a ravine and on the E end of ridge.
I had scouted out some pretty well used Buck bedding areas along that ridge during turkey season. My plan was to use the NW wind to give me access to the hub and blind call to any bucks (deer really, my doe tag is unused as well) bedding within earshot.
It was a good 1/2 hr before sunset and maybe 5 minutes since my last grunting sequence when i spotted a large bodied deer. No sooner than I got my binocs up I see a closer, and apparently equally large bodied deer heading my way.
I confirmed bouncing ivory on the closer one with the optics, although only yearling antlers, they were riding on a 3 yr old body (or so it seemed). He came way too close but never really busted me, although he seemed to suspect something awry.
I let him get safely passed me and Focused my attention on the other deer spotted. It did not take long to find him as he was also on his way. It was apparent even without optical enhancement to see that this one had antlers more proportionate to his large body.
This buck did not take the path as direct as his younger cohort, but appeared to be getting closer at a fairly steady pace. I got my grunt tube ready to encourage him several times but he didn't need the coaxing. Before I knew it he was shredding a small tree and really working over the "holly" sprigs above it.
He finally came down the same path as the other buck and I was at near full draw when Something made a soft screach. He instantly looked up at me. Luckily I was at full draw and watching him through my sight window.
In the middle of swapping ends, he was looking at me head on. He didn't look spooked but I could tell he wasn't sticking around.
As soon as he committed to reversing directions I forced the shot before he started to accelerate.
The shot looked perfect. Just in front and above Shoulder "knee-cap". But as he ran off I could tell that that there wasn't the penetration that I was hoping for. I watched him run 80 yds and stop. I had a pretty good view of him through the binnies and could see blood running out of his snout.
It was pretty surprising that he didn't fall or lay down right there. He was definitely lethally wounded and wasn't going to last much longer. He slowly walked out of sight. I waited another 20 minutes for darkness and snuck out.
Found him less than 80 yards from there in the morning. Autopsy showed near side lung blown up and some heavy damage to the pulmonary veins between the lungs and around the heart. The off side lung and heart were not cut. The arrow had a good 8" of penetration into the thoracic cavity, but was well short of a pass through.
Super fun hunt, beautiful fall weather, great day all around.
