The One Eyed Bandit

This morning I went out to the stand in which I shot the two does from last weekend. It was a cold breezy morning and come first light the deer were moving. I immediately saw a small buck and a couple does filtering out into the cut corn field. Then I saw the buck I had the stare down with dogging a doe through the neighboring property. They disappeared into a thicket and a few seconds later this big beast came sniffing down the same trail. 

I tried grunting but he had other things on his mind. He disappeared into the same thicket and shortly after the smaller buck came bolting out wanting nothing to do with the big boy. The smaller buck was respectable, probably a 130 inch deer and as he came by my stand at 10 yards broadside I had a hard time not shooting but I knew the big one was in the area so I held off.  

I watched the doe run circles in and out of the thicket with the big guy in tow. They disappeared behind me and things calmed down. About 10 minutes later I heard footsteps and saw the hot doe coming towards my stand. She crossed the fence and ran by me at 20 yards. I saw the big guy trailing her about 30 yards behind so I grabbed my bow but he saw me. He flared out away from my stand about 20 more yards and stopped at the fence.  If he crossed he would have to come 10 yards and I'd have the same 40 yard shot as I had on the two does a week ago. Time stood still.

He knew I was there but his hot doe was on my side of the fence.  His carnal needs finally overwhelmed his common sense and he crossed the fence. I was already at full draw.  I got him stopped broadside when he got in the clear. I lined up my 3rd pin for the 3rd time in the exact same spot and let er rip.  My heart sank as I heard a loud crack and watched the buck take off with my arrow sticking out of the side of his head. 

I honestly can't tell you what happened. The only thing I can think of is that in the excitement maybe my anchor points were off and it threw off my sights. I wish I knew. I really wished I would have missed. I watched him stop about 100 yards away and could see blood on the side of his face.  I left almost immediately.  

My dad and I came back this afternoon. We got permission from the neighboring land owner to pursue him. Then we went to the farm I hunt and talked to the farmer.  There is another guy and his son who hunt the same farm as me but on the other end.  They told the farmer that this morning they saw a buck running around with an eye out. I got ahold of the guy and he told me his son had seen a nice buck chasing a doe around this morning and his eye looked like it had recently been gouged out but it didn't have an arrow in it. 

Everything added up and I'm almost 100% certain it was the same deer. Thus the saga of One Eyed Bandit has begun. It's a pretty horrible feeling seeing a majestic animal like that retreating with your arrow in its head. However I take some comfort in knowing he's back out there doing his thing and God willing I can get a second cance at him. Stay safe out there and shoot straight (unlike me).