It's time - The Firearms Forum

Roadkil · 09-23-2011, 02:54 PM

Tomorrow morining I will be hunkered down somewhere watching and waiting. I have not taken a deer on the opening day of archery season yet, so maybe this is the year.

I am ready. These are the only four shots I took last night after weeks of practice. Shot @ 40 yards with my broad heads. I missed the one left some cause I dropped my arm too soon after shooting, but it would have been a kill shot in the field.

Yes I need a new target. I shot the neck off last year practicing neck shots, and I can no longer shoot @ the vital area cause the arrows will pass through to the shed. So that left the 2 inch circles I drew on the hind quarters this year.

Happy hunting and good luck to all.

USMCSpeedy · 09-23-2011, 02:58 PM

Nice shootin and good luck.

1 Eyed Jack · 09-23-2011, 02:59 PM

Nice butt shooting

seriously good luck though, hope you score,

jstgsn · 09-24-2011, 04:14 AM

well it's 5 am on the 24th (EST) and I imagine you have been up all night, tossing and turning, counting sheep (or does) and wishing you could just get an hour or two before it's time to go. Don't forget the bug juice, a snack, water, phone, release, arrows, knife, flashlight, deer scent, call, camo hat, face mask, hanki, camera, pee bottle, license, first aid, compass, toilet kit, lighter, wallet, drag rope, prunners, glasses, kleenex, maps, and bow.
Good luck.
Fred

let us know what happened.

Brisk44 · 09-24-2011, 09:18 AM

Just wondering.......I can't tell from the pics....Were you trying to put the arrows in the circles or to not put the arrows in the circles?

jstgsn · 09-24-2011, 03:04 PM

He might be like me, always save the bullseyes for latter.

jstgsn · 09-26-2011, 02:21 PM

.......think he's still in the woods????

JLA · 09-26-2011, 02:29 PM

I would be. Ill be doing the very same thing come next saturday morning..

Roadkil · 09-27-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstgsn

.......think he's still in the woods????

I got hungry so I came in for awhile......

Roadkil · 09-27-2011, 11:34 AM

So the report so far is as follows:

Saw a handful of does over the weekend, but none meandered close enough for a shot. Got busted trying to sneak up on doe in a bean field on Saturday evening. Legal shooting light was fading and since she was happy stuffing herself on soy-beans I tried to inch closer and got busted about 60 yards out.

After seeing nothing Sunday I sat down on a log to rest. I heard walking behind me and had my bow in hand, arrow knocked, and just waiting for whatever was walking behind me to walk in front of me. All of a sudden silence and then I heard the stomping of a hoof as deer do when trying to figure something promptly followed up by the snorting they do when alarmed and run off. Never did see what it was.

Hunted last night after work and set up in a ground blind on a bean field. Again saw several does and a decent enough 6 point, but they all stayed out of bow range.

Seeing a good healthy herd of deer, now I just need to get one to walk closer to me. Until then I will continue hitting the woods and the fields.

Roadkil · 09-27-2011, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brisk44

Just wondering.......I can't tell from the pics....Were you trying to put the arrows in the circles or to not put the arrows in the circles?

Both.

the arrows went exactly where I wanted them.....yeah that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

jstgsn · 09-27-2011, 12:26 PM

thanks for the report and good luck. keep us posted.

JLA · 09-27-2011, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadkil

So the report so far is as follows:

Saw a handful of does over the weekend, but none meandered close enough for a shot. Got busted trying to sneak up on doe in a bean field on Saturday evening. Legal shooting light was fading and since she was happy stuffing herself on soy-beans I tried to inch closer and got busted about 60 yards out.

After seeing nothing Sunday I sat down on a log to rest. I heard walking behind me and had my bow in hand, arrow knocked, and just waiting for whatever was walking behind me to walk in front of me. All of a sudden silence and then I heard the stomping of a hoof as deer do when trying to figure something promptly followed up by the snorting they do when alarmed and run off. Never did see what it was.

Hunted last night after work and set up in a ground blind on a bean field. Again saw several does and a decent enough 6 point, but they all stayed out of bow range.

Seeing a good healthy herd of deer, now I just need to get one to walk closer to me. Until then I will continue hitting the woods and the fields.

Go to the feed store and grab you a half square of alfala to sit on in your blind.

Theyll come closer.

Roadkil · 10-06-2011, 11:56 AM

Still without but I continue seeing them. Funny story to share:

I specifically picked out a deer trail to hunt Sunday between two hills. I was hunting from the ground and I had set up behind a huge oak tree that gave me good cover. The sole purpose was to watch the deer trail on the opposite hill side for any coming down. Once they reached the bottom of the hill it was a 20 yard shot.

Well we had north winds in the 15-20 mile an hour and the high was in the 40’s range that weekend so it was hard to hear and cold. After holding the bow in my hand for over an hour and not seeing anything I set it on the hook I strapped to the tree and started looking through the binos. Between gusts of wind I was hearing some commotion behind me and turned around to look through the shrubs. Sure enough I spotted legs of a deer, but could not see what it was, and it was working its way to me down the hill I was on. So I slowly turned around to get my bow off the hook and when I did I was staring into the face of a doe that had walked down the hill and up to the point I was at. She was less than 10 yards from where I stood.

Needless to say she quickly did an about face and went down the hill and halfway up the other then turned around to try and figure out what had spooked her. At that point she was about 60 yards from me and secluded behind some shrubs. After a few mins. she decided that whatever I was it was not worth it and walked away.

And I never did see the deer that was working its way to me either. I’m still laughing about it.

jstgsn · 10-06-2011, 09:58 PM

Aw yes, they can sneak up on you for sure! I signed up to hunt Fairhill Maryland, which is a preserve/race track that is polluted with deer. They had to thin the herd so they had a big lottery and I was selected, and picked. On the day of the hunt, 100 or so of us met at the race track and and hour before dawn they loaded us into the back of pick ups and took us to various spots on this huge hilly area behind the track. It was gorgeous. Rolling hills and woodlands, and the day was cool, clear, and quiet. I had loaded up my pack, grabbed my Remington 11-87 slug gun with a 4 power leopold scope, a couple boxes of lightfields, and a folding chair. As the sun came up the woods turned into a magnificant display of fall colors. They had sat me just inside the edge of a wooded area looking down into a revine with a small brook. There were deer trails everywhere. There were deer pellets in piles by my feet. After sun up, there was nothing except the chirping of birds and the scurring of squirrels for almost 30 minutes. Then a shot rang out a couple hundred yards away, then another. Soon there were shots every two to five minutes, but nothing moved in my woods. I drank a cup of coffee to get the morning chill off, keeping my shotgun cradled in my arms. Then I dug into my back pack for my camera, as the little revine was absulutely beautiful. I put the camera up to my eye, and as I focused I realized there was a deer in my viewfinder, not ten feet in front of me! She stood there looking at me looking at her. I didn't even take the picture, I dropped the camera and raised my gun, but she was gone. I couldn't believe it. Shots were going off all around me and here when the deer came into range (sling shot range!) I had a camera in my hand instead of a gun. No more drinking coffee, no more trying to take pictures, I was ready. Then, within the next 40 minutes I harvested five (5) nice does, all over 80 pounds. The furthest shot was 50 yards. To top it off, after the 5th doe, a warden came in from the field, asked if I had my 5 deer and I said I've shot them, but haven't dressed any or anything, and he said okay, turned around, whistled, and a group of young men came into the woods, went into the revine and drug all of the deer to the field, threw them into a truck, helped me in with my gear, and drove us to the field house. There, as I had a cup of coffee, they dressed the deer, examined them for babies etc, tagged them, and asked how many I wanted to donate for the hungry. I gave all away except for one nice sized tasty lookin critter. By 10:30 AM I was on the way home with my deer, had donated to the hungry, and had memories to last a life time.
For one reason or another I never made it back there. what a hunt.

Roadkil · 11-01-2011, 06:34 AM

Finally!

One down. Just a six pointer that was shot @ 20 yards with my bow still/stalk hunting on public land yesterday.

I was coming down a hill on a deer trail and I spotted him on the opposite hillside. He walked right to me and as soon as he quartered away from me I let it go and hit him just behind the shoulder. Pass through shot that broke the arrow and he ran about 70 yards before giving up the ghost on a hillside.

The drag out was miserable, but it goes with the territory. He is now quartered up and in the fridge. I will begin processing tonight.

carver · 11-01-2011, 07:16 AM

Way to go! Still, you haven't got one on opening day! Saving that one huh! Don't bow hunt any more, but Nov 5th, the guns come out!

howlnmad · 11-01-2011, 05:20 PM

Way to go Roadkil. I am anxiously awaiting saturday morning, opening day for muzzle loader

. I wish I could bow hunt but the last time i drew back on a bow, i think i missed the ground that's how bad I am. Gotta get a cross-bow.

JLA · 11-01-2011, 06:24 PM

Nice Kill. I cant wait

Chinook · 11-01-2011, 08:37 PM

Nice work! diligence pays off in the end! You are makin me hungry right now! Looks like a mighty tasy specimen. Congrats!

jstgsn · 11-01-2011, 09:24 PM

Several comments:

1. WAY TO GO!!!!!! NICE DEER. GREAT REPORT.

2. I see the problem from earlier......keystone light.

3. I have never seen a deer tied up like that. Ever. Looks like a May Pole!

(bet a bunch of you never did the may pole in your school, it was a 50s thing>)

4 WAY TO GO!!!!!! NICE DEER. GREAT REPORT

Roadkil · 11-02-2011, 11:07 AM

Thanks all.

jstgsn the rope tied around the deer is from the gambrel that he is hanging from and it is holding in the bags of ice I packed in the cavity before skinning and quartering him up.

And yes I do enjoy my adult beverages

howlnmad · 11-02-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadkil

And yes I do enjoy my adult beverages

So where are they? JK

vytoland · 11-02-2011, 06:41 PM

if your aim is at the neck or heart.....your at the wrong end.

Roadkil · 11-15-2011, 06:39 AM

2nd deer is down and this was close to being the deer that never was.

I shot a button buck Sunday Morning about 8:00 AM @ 15 yards on the ground while still/stalk hunting. I hit it broadside and it took off running towards and then onto private property that adjoins East Fork Sate Park. I didn’t think he was going far because he staggered and almost fell just at the private property line. I waited 20 minutes to go look at the area where I shot him at and based on what I found, white hair and my arrow smelling of intestines, I waited an hour before tracking it. I then had to obtain permission from the land owner to track across his property and this took another 30-40 minutes.

Once I started tracking I was finding good blood and gobs of snot from the deer blowing it out of his nose. After about 100 yards the blood trail was drying up and I lost it. I started making circles in the area where I had seen the last blood and was poking around near the edge of a hill when I jumped a deer up on the hill across from me. At first I didn’t think it was the same deer, but this deer just ran up the hill far enough to get in and around some cover. After it stopped I looked through my binoculars as he stood in a thicket and I could see part of his stomach dangling out of him, red really sticks out amongst the green foliage. He started walking away and was really struggling, head down and staggering. I backed out immediately and went home. I waited 2 hours before heading back out to look for him.

I could not find one drop of blood from where I last marked it. Not one drop where I last saw him standing either. I poked around the area and started walking up and down the hill. I was zig-zagging up and down that hill looking in every thicket and under/around any trees that were on the ground. I was halfway up and looked down to my left down the hill and finally spotted what I thought looked like a deer laying in some high weeds near the lake. I looked through my binoculars and sure enough it was a dead deer, but I was not sure yet that it was the one I shot. After I got to it and flipped him over I could confirm that it was mine as part of his stomach was hanging out of the exit wound of the arrow. He was warm still and just starting to stiffen up.

My shot was not as bad as I thought initially, wasn’t that good either obviously. I hit him square broadside behind the shoulder, a little low below the ribs, but due to the angle that I was at when I shot him and where he was it exited on the other side of his belly. I was up the hill from him a bit shooting down towards him. When gutting him I saw that I had sliced a small area of his liver and that was it. I finally got it home around 5:00 PM Sunday night.

Needless to say I was ecstatic when I recovered this guy.

09-23-2011, 02:54 PM	#1
Roadkil V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 183	It's time Tomorrow morining I will be hunkered down somewhere watching and waiting. I have not taken a deer on the opening day of archery season yet, so maybe this is the year. I am ready. These are the only four shots I took last night after weeks of practice. Shot @ 40 yards with my broad heads. I missed the one left some cause I dropped my arm too soon after shooting, but it would have been a kill shot in the field. Yes I need a new target. I shot the neck off last year practicing neck shots, and I can no longer shoot @ the vital area cause the arrows will pass through to the shed. So that left the 2 inch circles I drew on the hind quarters this year. Happy hunting and good luck to all. --> Last edited by Roadkil; 04-22-2013 at 11:22 AM..

09-23-2011, 02:58 PM	#2
USMCSpeedy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 627	Re: It's time Nice shootin and good luck. __________________ If all else fails, VOTE FROM THE ROOFTOPS Trying to reform a liberal is like trying to pick up a turd from the clean end. What this country needs is more family trees that will produce more lumber and fewer nuts!

09-23-2011, 02:59 PM	#3
1 Eyed Jack Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 673	Re: It's time Nice butt shooting seriously good luck though, hope you score,

09-24-2011, 04:14 AM	#4
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: It's time well it's 5 am on the 24th (EST) and I imagine you have been up all night, tossing and turning, counting sheep (or does) and wishing you could just get an hour or two before it's time to go. Don't forget the bug juice, a snack, water, phone, release, arrows, knife, flashlight, deer scent, call, camo hat, face mask, hanki, camera, pee bottle, license, first aid, compass, toilet kit, lighter, wallet, drag rope, prunners, glasses, kleenex, maps, and bow. Good luck. Fred let us know what happened. __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

09-24-2011, 09:18 AM	#5
Brisk44 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,747	Re: It's time Just wondering.......I can't tell from the pics....Were you trying to put the arrows in the circles or to not put the arrows in the circles?

09-24-2011, 03:04 PM	#6
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: It's time He might be like me, always save the bullseyes for latter. __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

09-26-2011, 02:21 PM	#7
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: It's time .......think he's still in the woods???? __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

09-26-2011, 02:29 PM	#8
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,305	Re: It's time I would be. Ill be doing the very same thing come next saturday morning.. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

09-27-2011, 11:34 AM	#10
Roadkil V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 183	Re: It's time So the report so far is as follows: Saw a handful of does over the weekend, but none meandered close enough for a shot. Got busted trying to sneak up on doe in a bean field on Saturday evening. Legal shooting light was fading and since she was happy stuffing herself on soy-beans I tried to inch closer and got busted about 60 yards out. After seeing nothing Sunday I sat down on a log to rest. I heard walking behind me and had my bow in hand, arrow knocked, and just waiting for whatever was walking behind me to walk in front of me. All of a sudden silence and then I heard the stomping of a hoof as deer do when trying to figure something promptly followed up by the snorting they do when alarmed and run off. Never did see what it was. Hunted last night after work and set up in a ground blind on a bean field. Again saw several does and a decent enough 6 point, but they all stayed out of bow range. Seeing a good healthy herd of deer, now I just need to get one to walk closer to me. Until then I will continue hitting the woods and the fields.

09-27-2011, 12:26 PM	#12
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: It's time thanks for the report and good luck. keep us posted. __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

10-06-2011, 11:56 AM	#14
Roadkil V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 183	Re: It's time Still without but I continue seeing them. Funny story to share: I specifically picked out a deer trail to hunt Sunday between two hills. I was hunting from the ground and I had set up behind a huge oak tree that gave me good cover. The sole purpose was to watch the deer trail on the opposite hill side for any coming down. Once they reached the bottom of the hill it was a 20 yard shot. Well we had north winds in the 15-20 mile an hour and the high was in the 40’s range that weekend so it was hard to hear and cold. After holding the bow in my hand for over an hour and not seeing anything I set it on the hook I strapped to the tree and started looking through the binos. Between gusts of wind I was hearing some commotion behind me and turned around to look through the shrubs. Sure enough I spotted legs of a deer, but could not see what it was, and it was working its way to me down the hill I was on. So I slowly turned around to get my bow off the hook and when I did I was staring into the face of a doe that had walked down the hill and up to the point I was at. She was less than 10 yards from where I stood. Needless to say she quickly did an about face and went down the hill and halfway up the other then turned around to try and figure out what had spooked her. At that point she was about 60 yards from me and secluded behind some shrubs. After a few mins. she decided that whatever I was it was not worth it and walked away. And I never did see the deer that was working its way to me either. I’m still laughing about it.

10-06-2011, 09:58 PM	#15
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: It's time Aw yes, they can sneak up on you for sure! I signed up to hunt Fairhill Maryland, which is a preserve/race track that is polluted with deer. They had to thin the herd so they had a big lottery and I was selected, and picked. On the day of the hunt, 100 or so of us met at the race track and and hour before dawn they loaded us into the back of pick ups and took us to various spots on this huge hilly area behind the track. It was gorgeous. Rolling hills and woodlands, and the day was cool, clear, and quiet. I had loaded up my pack, grabbed my Remington 11-87 slug gun with a 4 power leopold scope, a couple boxes of lightfields, and a folding chair. As the sun came up the woods turned into a magnificant display of fall colors. They had sat me just inside the edge of a wooded area looking down into a revine with a small brook. There were deer trails everywhere. There were deer pellets in piles by my feet. After sun up, there was nothing except the chirping of birds and the scurring of squirrels for almost 30 minutes. Then a shot rang out a couple hundred yards away, then another. Soon there were shots every two to five minutes, but nothing moved in my woods. I drank a cup of coffee to get the morning chill off, keeping my shotgun cradled in my arms. Then I dug into my back pack for my camera, as the little revine was absulutely beautiful. I put the camera up to my eye, and as I focused I realized there was a deer in my viewfinder, not ten feet in front of me! She stood there looking at me looking at her. I didn't even take the picture, I dropped the camera and raised my gun, but she was gone. I couldn't believe it. Shots were going off all around me and here when the deer came into range (sling shot range!) I had a camera in my hand instead of a gun. No more drinking coffee, no more trying to take pictures, I was ready. Then, within the next 40 minutes I harvested five (5) nice does, all over 80 pounds. The furthest shot was 50 yards. To top it off, after the 5th doe, a warden came in from the field, asked if I had my 5 deer and I said I've shot them, but haven't dressed any or anything, and he said okay, turned around, whistled, and a group of young men came into the woods, went into the revine and drug all of the deer to the field, threw them into a truck, helped me in with my gear, and drove us to the field house. There, as I had a cup of coffee, they dressed the deer, examined them for babies etc, tagged them, and asked how many I wanted to donate for the hungry. I gave all away except for one nice sized tasty lookin critter. By 10:30 AM I was on the way home with my deer, had donated to the hungry, and had memories to last a life time. For one reason or another I never made it back there. what a hunt. __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

11-01-2011, 06:34 AM	#16
Roadkil V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 183	Re: It's time Finally! One down. Just a six pointer that was shot @ 20 yards with my bow still/stalk hunting on public land yesterday. I was coming down a hill on a deer trail and I spotted him on the opposite hillside. He walked right to me and as soon as he quartered away from me I let it go and hit him just behind the shoulder. Pass through shot that broke the arrow and he ran about 70 yards before giving up the ghost on a hillside. The drag out was miserable, but it goes with the territory. He is now quartered up and in the fridge. I will begin processing tonight. Last edited by Roadkil; 04-22-2013 at 11:22 AM..

11-01-2011, 07:16 AM	#17
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,227	Re: It's time Way to go! Still, you haven't got one on opening day! Saving that one huh! Don't bow hunt any more, but Nov 5th, the guns come out! __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

11-01-2011, 05:20 PM	#18
howlnmad Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Harriman, Tn Contributor Posts: 2,565	Re: It's time Way to go Roadkil. I am anxiously awaiting saturday morning, opening day for muzzle loader . I wish I could bow hunt but the last time i drew back on a bow, i think i missed the ground that's how bad I am. Gotta get a cross-bow. __________________

11-01-2011, 06:24 PM	#19
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,305	Re: It's time Nice Kill. I cant wait __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

11-01-2011, 08:37 PM	#20
Chinook V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: 17 pulls, into the propwash... Contributor Posts: 423	Re: It's time Nice work! diligence pays off in the end! You are makin me hungry right now! Looks like a mighty tasy specimen. Congrats!

11-01-2011, 09:24 PM	#21
jstgsn Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Milford, Delaware Contributor Posts: 1,270	Re: It's time Several comments: 1. WAY TO GO!!!!!! NICE DEER. GREAT REPORT. 2. I see the problem from earlier......keystone light. 3. I have never seen a deer tied up like that. Ever. Looks like a May Pole! (bet a bunch of you never did the may pole in your school, it was a 50s thing>) 4 WAY TO GO!!!!!! NICE DEER. GREAT REPORT __________________ Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he will just kill you.

11-02-2011, 11:07 AM	#22
Roadkil V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 183	Re: It's time Thanks all. jstgsn the rope tied around the deer is from the gambrel that he is hanging from and it is holding in the bags of ice I packed in the cavity before skinning and quartering him up. And yes I do enjoy my adult beverages

11-15-2011, 06:39 AM	#25
Roadkil V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 183	Re: It's time 2nd deer is down and this was close to being the deer that never was. I shot a button buck Sunday Morning about 8:00 AM @ 15 yards on the ground while still/stalk hunting. I hit it broadside and it took off running towards and then onto private property that adjoins East Fork Sate Park. I didn’t think he was going far because he staggered and almost fell just at the private property line. I waited 20 minutes to go look at the area where I shot him at and based on what I found, white hair and my arrow smelling of intestines, I waited an hour before tracking it. I then had to obtain permission from the land owner to track across his property and this took another 30-40 minutes. Once I started tracking I was finding good blood and gobs of snot from the deer blowing it out of his nose. After about 100 yards the blood trail was drying up and I lost it. I started making circles in the area where I had seen the last blood and was poking around near the edge of a hill when I jumped a deer up on the hill across from me. At first I didn’t think it was the same deer, but this deer just ran up the hill far enough to get in and around some cover. After it stopped I looked through my binoculars as he stood in a thicket and I could see part of his stomach dangling out of him, red really sticks out amongst the green foliage. He started walking away and was really struggling, head down and staggering. I backed out immediately and went home. I waited 2 hours before heading back out to look for him. I could not find one drop of blood from where I last marked it. Not one drop where I last saw him standing either. I poked around the area and started walking up and down the hill. I was zig-zagging up and down that hill looking in every thicket and under/around any trees that were on the ground. I was halfway up and looked down to my left down the hill and finally spotted what I thought looked like a deer laying in some high weeds near the lake. I looked through my binoculars and sure enough it was a dead deer, but I was not sure yet that it was the one I shot. After I got to it and flipped him over I could confirm that it was mine as part of his stomach was hanging out of the exit wound of the arrow. He was warm still and just starting to stiffen up. My shot was not as bad as I thought initially, wasn’t that good either obviously. I hit him square broadside behind the shoulder, a little low below the ribs, but due to the angle that I was at when I shot him and where he was it exited on the other side of his belly. I was up the hill from him a bit shooting down towards him. When gutting him I saw that I had sliced a small area of his liver and that was it. I finally got it home around 5:00 PM Sunday night. Needless to say I was ecstatic when I recovered this guy.