9/27....last night
Connecticut
Went to a great private land spot. Sat in the same stand that I shot a spike last season. Only the 2nd time in the stand and it has produced two deer. Hang on stand is in an oak surrounded by cedar trees. Most of you guys would see this and trim the hell out of it, lol. At 6:25 I caught movement up hill at 35 yards or so. Two does on a trail that wouldn't bring them to me. I gave one short bleat on call. Wasn't needed, because two more does were coming down the heavily used trail behind my tree. I slowly started to turn to prepare for the first doe as she came behind me. A snap right in front of me on another heavily used trail and a big doe at 6 yards. So, I turned back to her. She stopped and I sent an arrow perfectly (so I thought) into the crease behind her left foreleg. She ran about 50 yards in a fish hook. I waited for her to fall, but she just stood there. Then she started stomping and blowing. WTH? I know I saw the arrow blow through her.
The two does behind me were still standing there, they would also blow a time or two. I continued to wait. She starts walking towards the other two. Stops behind some cedar branches. Takes a few more steps and in the open at 18-20. Second arrow on it's way. Hit her low, again on left side behind foreleg, above brisket, below heart. She runs 125+/-. Both arrows covered in blood. The first should've killed her. I was actually wondering if I shot two deer. Once I figured out the first blood trail from the second, I followed good blood to where she dropped. Big mule head doe. Big bag, but was dry.
I used my new HT21 riser w/Nika N3 limbs for 66", barebow recurve. It's a dream to shoot. Carbon arrows w/Zwickey Eskilite 125gr. I usually take better pics, but as you can see, it was dark and I didn't know how much flash light I had left. And camera batts were low too.
Congrats!! Sounds like a super exciting hunt! I love those donkey head does.
Congrats! Big Girl for sure
Gotta love these stories of 2-blade COC heads zipping through animals that don’t even know they’ve been hit. Don’t ever hear about that with big mechanicals ;)
That’s awesome that you got to make 2 good shots on the same animal; those really close ones have been giving me fits.
Corax you’re throwing me some low arching softball pitches with your remarks. I’ve decided out of respect to you I’ll let them go. Please do the same for those who do have experience with broadheads other than large COC heads.
Congratulations Brian!
Congrats on an old nanny doe. They are some of the smartest animals in the woods.
Congrats Brian, well done!!
Congrats Brian, very nice one!
Thanks all, cutting her up tomorrow morning. Actually, my sister is getting this one. I promised her one last season and it never came. So, this one will get her off my back. Keeping the tenderloins though ;o)
NICE JOB AND CONGRATS! NEXT ONE IS FOR YOUR FREEZER, GOOD LUCK
No offense intended, LB — I know there are some guys who do better than others with mechanicals, and I know you like the ones that you use, but I don’t think you use the really big, open-on-impact type, do you?
And if that IS the type that you use, I don’t recall seeing you (or anyone else) post anything about deer hit with that type that just stood there wondering what happened….
No saying they don’t work or can’t be a good choice when used wisely, but the clean pass-through with no/minimal response to the hit seems like a 2-blade COC phenomenon for the most part, if not exclusively…
Maybe not. Either way, I ’m always good with new information, and you’re on my list of reliable sources.
No offense intended, LB — I know there are some guys who do better than others with mechanicals, and I know you like the ones that you use, but I don’t think you use the really big, open-on-impact type, do you?
And if that IS the type that you use, I don’t recall seeing you (or anyone else) post anything about deer hit with that type that just stood there wondering what happened….
No saying they don’t work or can’t be a good choice when used wisely, but the clean pass-through with no/minimal response to the hit seems like a 2-blade COC phenomenon for the most part, if not exclusively…
Maybe not. Either way, I ’m always good with new information, and you’re on my list of reliable sources.
Non taken CL. And you’re right I do not usually use the 2” + mechanicals. I have in the past, as I have also used fixed blades of all different types and models. My preferred killing head is a mid sized NAP Spitfire. However I like to tinker with heads so some years I’ve had 2 or 3 different heads in my quiver just to see how they perform. Honestly I do not care what they look like after the kill. I care about arrow flight, penetration, blood trail and effectiveness in terms of killing time. I’ve tried many recognizable brand names in the past and I’ve discontinued use on some of them because I didn’t like the outcome of one of the variables listed. I know that s not saying much because that’s why we all change products or keep them. But if I told you which brand names failed at which variable, this would turn into a shit show. But those are my findings and I’ll stick with that. Shoot what makes you confident and enjoy your time in the stand!
“ But if I told you which brand names failed at which variable, this would turn into a shit show.”
Can’t argue that!
No two hits are entirely the same, so I look for trends. With Trad gear, I don’t think I really have enough horsepower to drive a mechanic anyway, though my newest bow is probably close.
I may even experiment with a truly BIG-ASS head for deer, just because I believe I can get away with it easily on the middling-size deer we have here…. I got about 2 1/2” penetration on that Aspen, anyway…
THWOCK!!
THWOCK!!
Pretty sure 2 1/2” of Aspen > 2 deer ribs worth of resistance ;)
Congrats Brian! Great deer! Grill those loins with some asparagus! Lol
Congrats Brian! A serious achievement to get it done with the trad bow too. I'll be out this morning to see if I can make it happen. Good luck to anyone who is going out.
