When yours truly cut off the last episode, BIG MIKE was about to skewer a middlin' "nice" forked-horn - well, if the critter would, by chance cover the 150 yards separating himself from the would be archer! The "problem" was that the object of BIG MIKE's desire was perfectly content to sample the fresh greenery . . . and not spoiling for a fight! The big-fork simply ignored BM's pathetic "grunts" . . . then, as quickly as HE became frustrated at being ignored (i tried to warn HIM), two more does sprinted into sight! They were being trailed by a nifty "semi-respectable" (130 class) 8-pointer! These three would pass within ten yards! Surprisingly, HE didn't even reach for the Mathews bow . . . i could read HIS mind, "itz ownlee 4 A'clokk - tharzz gunna bee s'mothur bukkz runnin' 'boghtz ." I was STUNNED!
Meanwhile, as the latest trio passed by, the big-fork decided he'd partake of the action and he galloped our direction! That was too much for HIM to swallow - the Mathews was at hand before I could think, "NO"! Miraculously, BIG MIKE was also thinking logically - or, was it me - if He's just passed on a nicer buck, why arrow a MONDO?!? WE sat down to gather out thoughts and attempt to come to some agreement - HE agreed that i had, largely, stayed "out of it", which amazed HIM! ;)
About then, HE stood up, thinking, "I 'ad ruthur be lukkee thun guud" (BM didn't consider the fourty plus years of observing Memory Valley bucks and, "knowing the territory", that i, HIS "guide" offered - still, luck always plays a role). . . simulteanously, four does bounded toward us, from the NE, the lead doe stopping just ten yards directly to OUR East! As seems the "norm" these days, she promptly scanned the skyline for the enemy - BIG MIKE intentionally avoided eye contact and concentrated on looking "back" thinking that one of the bucks WE'd already seen would be herding the mob of does - SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE! ;) Here came Mr. BIG!
As the lead doe began her exit, BIG MIKE gripped the Mathews and snagged the realease-loop with the release, trigger-finger BEHIND the trigger, and drew to full draw! The buck entered the first possible shooting "lane" bent on catching a doe - BM's "video bawl" went unheeded . . . ditto for bleat number two! The buck was now slightly past US and headed for the protection of too much understory, but BIG MIKE had the pin planted right at the point of the BIG fellows right shoulder - when the trigger broke, even i couldn't argue . . . but follow thorugh proved lacking and the arrow pierced the hide too far back, slid through and stuck in the ground! :( It was a mere 10 yards from the base of OUR tree to where the buck and the arrow collided - most long-time hunters have experienced the gut wrenching feeling following a poorly executed shot: welcome to adversity, BIG MIKE :(
But a sharp broad-head is a deadly device and the NAP Spit-Fires had yet to let me down - HE sensed that i was disappointed, but not completely "sick" - the buck had never felt the arrow pass through and had bounded after the gals as though nothing had changed in the last three seconds . . . at about 55 yards, he stopped and watched the ladies leg-it down the ridge and out of sight! A most pleasing symptom, indeed. It was now no later than 4:05 PM - about 1.5 hours of daylight remained: I advised BIG MIKE to relax, " time is relative" . . . but HE and i both kept wondering, "Albert Einstein, where are you when WE need ya?"
The white-tail , obviously not feeling up to par, stood stalk still as ten minutes stretched into half a life-time. Then, just as suddenly as it all had occured, OUR buck laid down! Keeping BIG MIKE in the tree until dark proved all i could muster - especially, when for no apparent reason, at bout 5:00 PM, the buck decided to get up and move on! It was a short move - only a few body lenghts and he lay back down, but continued to watch his back-track . . . I nearly "caved" , listening to BIG MIKE "thinking" that HE was crafty enough to pull off a sneak - bad idea there! Wisdom prevailed - even following a second attempt, by the buck, to move on - this time, prompted by a squirrel scurring nearly onto the deer's back! At about 5:30, as WE descended the tree, the big white-tail, still only about 75 yards away, but duly alert, gathered himself and moved off again. This latest move put him out of sight . . . The huntin' was over for this day - and a none too happy end. :(
WE had opted to trust that the buck, though not bleeding profusely (not visibly - WE could see the exit side each time he stood, as he had turned to the East) would probably not go far before expiring. However, if WE opted to press the issue, providing an adrenalin boost, the combination of a dash and no blood-trail, would probably result in a lost animal . . . WE "packed it in" until morning. Once home, calls to huntin' pals, Mike Bigelow and Troy, resulted in concurring recommendations - the unanimous verdict: don't risk pushing him - leave the locating until first light. Validated, WE trusted that neither coyotes nor 'coon hunters would stumble onto OUR buck . . . I slept amazingly well - when it was my turn! ;)
First light brought both GOOD news and BAD: the very nice main-frame 8-point lay dead just 25-40 feet from where we'd last observed him; sadly, the Memory Valley coyotes are well fed! :( It appeared that, upon hitting the ground, an immediate pursuit could have proven OK - maybe. Opting for the sure thing was still the correct response to the UNCERTAIN situation - an obviously misplaced hit. Fortunately, the angle accommodated the arrow slicing just enough liver to sever an ample number vessels, thus assuring death - regrettably, not as rapidly as desirable.
Despite the less than stellar execution, this, to date, proved to be OUR best white-tail, grossing a nifty 161+ inches! The main beams measure 24 and 24 & 7/8Ths inches long; the greatest inside spread is 20&6/8Ths - not a bad main-farme "8-pointer" - for this neighborhood, it's down right BIG! :)
Adding to Saturdays excitement, just before leaving for the hunt, I learned that, using her .257 Roberts, propelling a prototype BIB 100 Gr. bullet, at about 3100 FPS, Ruth Carelton had bagged a Kentucky white-tail, while I had used an arrow, fletched with wild turkey fletching, from Hope, to put a BIG Iowa white-tail in my collection! :) I told BIG MIKE, "now that's symbiotic!" ;) RG