Hunting a travel corridor between a couple thick bedding areas on my grandpa's property. This guy pushed a doe right past my stand from down by the river.
I hadn't seen the buck in 25 minutes, and the doe was milling about behind my stand. At my shot, a twig had gotten between the top limb and shock dampener on my Carbon Spyder, sending my arrow wildly off course (cant find it still which stinks).
Doe looked over towards where I presume the arrow landed, didnt react much. She stopped again at what I thought was 20 yards, directly behind my tree on the top of a ridge. I sent another one (single pin sight) and apparently she was closer to 30-went right under her.
At that point I was disheartened and hung up my bow on the hanger, only to look up and see this guy at 40 yards making a scrape. When the doe walked off after the 2nd shot, that got the bucks attention.
He started to walk a little closer on the ridgeline, as he crossed behind a group of 3 trees I got drawn back, he was about 15 yards quartering to me when I shot.
Instant good blood when I hit him, and he took off. I watched him run for about 30 yards until he got over the top of the ridge, and I almost instantly hear a loud crashing sound, followed by another quieter crash, then nothing.
I was sure he was down, but gave him 45 minutes just to be safe.
Biggest bodied buck I've ever shot, I didnt have a way to weigh him, but it took all I had to get him moved for pictures.
Shooting my Carbon Spyder 34 ZT, 515 grain Axis arrows and NAP Spitfires. Really impressed with these heads that have taken 2 deer this year. Didnt get a pass thru on the buck, but it shattered the shoulder bone, cut the top of the heart and decimated the lungs-they came out in pieces.
Thankful for a quick ethical kill, sharp broadheads and straight flying arrows.
Really glad I use heavier arrows, and out of the 65# bow they are really quiet. First antlered buck I've shot with the NAP Spitfire's and I am really impressed. Broke the front side shoulder blade, didn't get a pass thru but no blades were broken, and he was down seconds, only ran maybe 40 yards.
My Axis arrow didn't fare as well, though that's to be expected without a pass thru. If I had more vacation time I'd take a long week out to some public land somewhere outside of Iowa and try for another, but until late muzzle loader season I'll focus on upland game and ducks!
