Well the "unknown" of the shot my dad took on Thursday evening ate at me all day Friday. By Saturday I had to find out what had really transpired. I grabbed my metal detector and my hunting gear. My wife and I jumped in the truck and headed to the cabin. I looked all through the area where I guessed the arrow may have ended up. After an hour of scanning with the detector still no arrow. At that point I'm thinking the worst. The deer was hit and had an arrow in him. I went and looked where my dad said the deer had went. Trying to find dried blood was going to be a challenge. I never found a speck of blood and searched the creek bottom for about 2 hours. No dead deer to be found. Now I was perplexed to say the least. Back to work with the detector, no arrow. As a last ditch effort I decided to look on the sidehill behind where I had searched with the detector. I figured the chance of the arrow being on the hillside was very slim, but was worth trying. I crossed a small moist area that a sidehill spring creates and climbed over a tree that had fallen a couple years ago. I just got over the tree and looked to my right and saw the bright green nock sticking out like a sore thumb. At the same instant I could see the fletching, clean as a whistle. I had a milk jug laying against a tree that I use to dowse fires. I hung it by the arrow, crossed the creek and went in to the box stand. I looked where the arrow was in relation to where my dad said the deer was standing. The arrow was at least 6-8 foot to the right. My dad is a good shot, the reason I was so concered about the deer being hit to begin with. As I looked thingssover I saw a small broken over branch that is on the creek edge about ten foot from the stand. I leaned a little to the right, as my dad shoots from his right shoulder and I from my left. Yep, that branch was right in the line of fire. I got out and sure enough a fresh nick right on the top edge of the branch. He had hit that branch and caused the arrow to deflect and miss the deer by feet not inches. I felt much better and so did he when I phoned him about finding his arrow and what had happened.
I had about three hours of daylight left and packed up my detector and the arrow. Went to my truck got dressed in my hunting clothes and headed to the woods. I knew this sit was going to be different. I had found a nice rub/scrape line Thursday morning and saw two bucks use it on Thursday evening from my outhouse stand. I knew that I wanted to move in on this location. I haven't hunted like this for a while, sitting on the ground without any type of stand or pop up blind. I found a spot about 18 yards downwind of two large scrapes on the trail. It had two 8" trees with a couple of small flexible saplings near them. I found a dead limb and wove it through the saplings and forced it towards the ground to make a quick rest for my crossbow. I cleared away the leaves and sat on the bare ground. I looked at my watch it was 3:14. Plenty of time for things to settle. I saw the first buck at 4:15 on Thursday. At about 3:30 I heard my neighbors ATV fire up. Next thing I know he was about 75 yards to my right cutting wood with his chainsaw. I sat til nearly dark and he sawed the whole time. Needless to say not a deer to be seen. But, my stand is set up and I'll be back in it soon.
I had about three hours of daylight left and packed up my detector and the arrow. Went to my truck got dressed in my hunting clothes and headed to the woods. I knew this sit was going to be different. I had found a nice rub/scrape line Thursday morning and saw two bucks use it on Thursday evening from my outhouse stand. I knew that I wanted to move in on this location. I haven't hunted like this for a while, sitting on the ground without any type of stand or pop up blind. I found a spot about 18 yards downwind of two large scrapes on the trail. It had two 8" trees with a couple of small flexible saplings near them. I found a dead limb and wove it through the saplings and forced it towards the ground to make a quick rest for my crossbow. I cleared away the leaves and sat on the bare ground. I looked at my watch it was 3:14. Plenty of time for things to settle. I saw the first buck at 4:15 on Thursday. At about 3:30 I heard my neighbors ATV fire up. Next thing I know he was about 75 yards to my right cutting wood with his chainsaw. I sat til nearly dark and he sawed the whole time. Needless to say not a deer to be seen. But, my stand is set up and I'll be back in it soon.
