Better Lucky than Good!

[Johnsfolly]

Made my second sit in my ground blind. Last year this blind was a really good morning hunt location. It is located very near the bedding area and sits in between the intersection of two major trails. The blind is tucked into an alcove of cedars. I headed out early Saturday morning. As I walked in I spray down my pant legs with Nose Jammer spray and I rub Ever Calm deer scent on the bottom of my boots. I also sprayed Tink's doe in estrus gel periodically as I walked in. I sprayed more gel around the primary ambush area that I can see from my blind. It was 5 am and I did not bump any deer on the way into my blind. It was a weird morning since it took a long time before I could actually see my pins. Fortunately no deer came down either trail. Right at 8 am I spotted a fawn coming on the trail in front of me. It was sniffing the spots where I had sprayed the scent gel. I will state that I am a meat hunter with a legal game animal in front of my blind. So I drew on the deer, but could not get an open shot as it walked around in the low brush. I was at full draw for a long time. Finally the fawn was stopped in front of a new "trail" that Livie and I cut in the honeysuckle. It was quartering away and I hut my release. Since I had been looking through my peep sight this whole time I did not see a second deer. As the arrow went towards the fawn it moved to its right and the arrow passed in front of it. However the arrow hit a doe high in the front shoulder that was on the new trail. She and the fawn ran off to my left and then straight away from my blind. I could see the arrow and it looked to have only 4 to 5" of penetration.

I contacted a friend to help blood trail this deer. I was not feeling confident that this was a fatal hit or with only an entry wound whether we would find her. We would meet in an hour and a half later. So I stuck it out in the blind and kept going over what just happened. 10 minutes later a spike came down the same primary trail that the other two deer used. He sniffed the area with the gel and then the last spot where the fawn was standing. As quickly as he came in he was gone. Did not see any other deer until we started looking for a blood trail. As I feared there was no blood any where near the spot that she got hit. I was really comfortable that I knew which trail she headed down. After about another 20-25 yards on that trail, still no blood and I did not find my arrow. The trail splits into two trails, one heading into a thick honeysuckle stand and the other going around that brush. We decided to go around and behind that brush. I noticed some heavy hoof prints like those of a running deer on the other side of the honeysuckle. Near one of the prints I saw a spot of blood that was less than 1/4 " in diameter then another and then another oblong spot giving us a direction. This trail held some promise, but still doubt as to whether we would find this dear. The spots were not very big and we had to back trail several times. Lots of kneel time crawling from tiny spot to tiny spot of blood. After 40  to 45 minutes I have ridden the rollercoaster of doubt and then another spot of blood or a larger spot of blood. Finally we were at a spot where it was obvious on the direction that she was headed. As she headed up the slight hill we began seeing more and larger blood spots. Now following a "true" blood trail where we could see blood 15 feet in front of us. We crossed a power line opening and found her just on the edge of the woods on the other side. She ended up about 150 yards from the blind.

Our persistence on the blood trail paid off. The shot was just in front of the shoulder blade. The Rage broadhead cut the top of both lungs and cut through the trachea.

As stated in the post title, sometimes if is better to be lucky than good. Now I have to figure out how to cook the heart. I went out after dark to go find my arrow and the lighted nock made finding it fairly simple. I found it right in the middle of the honeysuckle thicket.

 

[Gavin]

Glad you found her. Good work on your part.

[BilletHead]

          Yes Good Job John,

 I know the feeling of not being sure about a hit. You followed up real well. You need to look until you know one way or another that you are satisfied you have given it your best, you did and were rewarded! Again good going friend,

  BilletHead

[MOPanfisher]

Clean that heart out well, remove all the fibrous stuff, slice it thin and marinate it for a while and grill them quickly on a hot firw.  Don't over cook them and it will be tasty.  Well done on the persistence trailing that doe.

[JohnP]

Congrats and way to stay with it.  

[Ketchup]

Congrats on more freezer meat.  

[Mitch f]

Way to go John！

[Terrierman]

Nice job.  Any of it coming to jigfest?

[JestersHK]

Nice job buddy!  Way to stick with it.   

[Ham]

Good Deal John