Had a few hours free on evening after work in mid-October. Grabbing by Back quiver and not bothering to change out of my work clothes, I scrambled up the ladder stand in my back woods just in time to catch prime-time and maybe surprise a cruising buck.
I relaxed and watched the woods and squirrels prepare for the night and was just about to give up and climb down, when a group of deer started across my front about 50 yards out. Using the light gathering effectiveness of my ever-present binoculars I could see they were all does. Again, they passed out of range I was about to give up as darkness reduced visibility to only a dozen yards or so. Then another large doe came trotting in on a mission. She was going to pass right under my stand. Steep angle I drew back to 3/4 draw and things just didn't feel right, so I let down. As she crossed the trail to my stand, I drew again, and my brain gave me the green light. Cedar arrow and ace broadhead cleared the bow and I heard the clank of my lower limb against the stand...NO!
My fears were soon relieved as the doe immediately mule kicked, took about 3 big bounds in a semicircle ending in a crash of sliding rocks and breaking saplings just out of sight on the steep hillside. Then all remained quiet except a cursing squirrel. The time from the shot to silence was only about 6 seconds or so. Amazing.
Another one of Ellis's arrows did the trick. These ancient old growth Port Orford cedars still do the job and then some. The arrow gave its life when the doe kicked to run and the offside shoulder sheared below the fletching as the rest of the arrow was embedded several inches into the dirt.
Where she lay:
Love the close shots, this is my kind of range!
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