And just like that, Bubba is done. Did a rattling sequence. Had a buck come thru at 60-80yds. Tried some grunts and the can call. He stopped but wouldn't commit. Continued walking. Hit the antlers again. He stopped. Turned around. Wouldn't commit. Turned back and headed away from us. Maybe an hour later he (or another deer which looked VERY similar) came back through. I told Bubba "He isn't a monster but he is a really good looking deer with a pretty good sized body. It's up to you." He hit the grunt tube and the buck committed to us this time. Straight towards us but came in behind the stand. We were in a double stand with a homemade blind attached to a big tree. So now I am waiting to see where he was going to go after crossing behind us. He finally cleared the back of the tree and stopped at an old farm pond next to us. I turned on the video camera. This helped Bubba to see the view finder and watch the deer in the view finder over my shoulder. As the deer came next to us he looked straight up. Only did it once or twice. Did it quickly. We didn't move. He moved along. Came to our east side heading south east right into our wind. We were smoked up and he was horny. Didn't seem to bother him. I had a tarsal from a rutty old buck hanging up too. That might have helped. Or not. Maybe it was just in my head. He gets to where Bubba can get a shot on him. Bubba mouths "mrrrap mrap mrap". He stops but has a limb blocking vitals. Takes another step and Bubba let's it fly! Dropped in his tracks. Not sure if mouth bleating to stop him put him on high alert and he dropped at the shot or if Bubba's crossbow simply is a slow one or if the shot was a bit off. Whatever the case, he got spined. Pretty horrible thing to watch if you've never seen it. I hand Bubba the camcorder and pulled the cocking rope out of my pocket. (You see Bubba is a big boy and not as agile in a buddy stand without a lot of room.) I cocked it, handed him another bolt, and he took aim again. No good shot angles offered which weren't blocked by brush. Finally the buck turned to where he could get a second bolt in him. Thwack! What the what! This buck wouldn't die. I said "Give me your knife. I can't watch this anymore." Bubba was shaking more than the leaves on the trees. His nerves were shot just from the 8hr drive the other day. Ol' boy doesn't leave the mountain very often. Now he had adrenaline flowing, a deer not dying, and I wasn't about to ask him to climb down that ladder yet. When I got down on the ground I changed my mind. Told him that deer isn't going anywhere even with me on the ground. He handed me the crossbow and I awaited his climb down. He told me to finish him and I was like "I'm out of tags, I shouldn't even be holding this thing. It is your deer. You have time. He isn't going anywhere so you can finish him with your last bolt." The last bolt was money and the deer expired in 30 seconds or less. Could not be any happier for Cousin Bubba today! He has his first Ohio deer on the ground! In fact, he is out in the shop butchering right now. I just came in to grab a couple things and write up a story. I've already field dressed it, helped him skin it, and begin the butchering process. I'm making a pot of coffee before I head back out there.
