So Sunday afternoon my boys had plans on hunting a chunk of public we have gotten very familiar with the last few years. In fact my boys have killed a few does and a buck off this piece. We are very fortunate that our neighbor owns all the private on the north end of said piece which stretches a mile long and grants us permission every year. The middle of the public is water holes and cattails which dissuades anyone coming from the south to get to where we hunt,,, a great situation... So with my wife busy, I decided to join my boys and hunt a spot we have never sat in a great pinch point. Around 6:15 I hear a ruckus 200 yrds out where my son forkhorn is sitting. A minute or 2 later he calls me and says he arrowed a good buck. So we are quietly talking as im scanning the bedding area between us and i spot a good buck slowly making his way into the sumac but doesn't look hurt to me and he disappears into the bedding. So i tell him to quietly get down and check his arrow. He calls back shortly and says he killed a log instead,,,,,,, he didn't notice the branch in front of him a got a deflection
So with the buck presumably bedded down between the 2 of us, we both stayed put. I did my best hoping and praying the buck would make his way in front of forkhorn before last light but instead the buck came my way.
Sure enough I heard him making my way with only 10 minutes of light left, he made it to 20 yrds and i decided I'd take him. The shot felt great and he snow plowed through the cattails 100 yrds at a dead run and then complete silence. I figured he was dead right there.
We snuck out quietly, regrouped at home and returned an hour and half later. We slowly came in from the south looking for blood or the deer. It didn't take long and i spotted him laying down on the game trail up ahead. We got up to the deer and I decided to pick his antlers up. I got his head up and i notice him fold his front leg in
.... Just like that he jumps up and does a 20 yard circle in the corn at FULL SPEED and then heading right back at us. I thought he was going to run us over.... I jumped in front of my boys and yell at the deer and he swerves and thankfully misses us. We hear him run off for about 60 yrds and then complete silence again. After complete shock and quietly laughing our a$$@$ off 
we decided to leave him for the night..At daybreak, my 76 year old father, forkhorn and myself, were back at scene of the crime. It took about a half hour and forkhorn found him stone dead, but unfortunately the yotes got to him first. I believe he died where we heard him stop the night before.
My hit was high and below the spine,, kinda thinking i hit a main artery up there as he was full of blood when i opened him up. I can't say with certainty but i believe the buck jumped the string. I say that because I never shoot high,,, I've been battling TP for a few years and I couldn't shoot high if I tried. I always come from beneath the target... This was the 2nd time he was shot at in 2hrs and he was standing still and alert when i released....
I'm extremely fortunate to have children that love this sport as I do and are happy for who ever has luck. And even luckier to have a supportive wife. This is a hunt we probably will be reminiscing about for a loooooooooong time.
I've said it numerous times on here, but I owe all my success to Dan and everyone else on here,,, forever grateful....
