So this morning was opening of rifle season here in GA. I hunt Fort Stewart, second largest publicly available hunting in GA. Anywho...saw a doe about 8:50am moving left to right perhaps 150yds out. And there is just a hint of movement behind her so I wait. Sure enough large buck following, no good look at rack but I get set as he will follow her directly in front of me at 125yds...easy shot. Behind him is a barely "fork" buck, really just a spike w fat tips...larger buck turns back to chase him off before continuing after doe. They are moving along an edge where the cover switches between knee high and chest high. So he's broadside, 125yds directly in front of me. I take the shot and he drops, struggles to get back up. I worked the bolt for followup shot and cartridge is jammed. I struggle for 10 sec maybe trying to free cartridge, can't do it. I get a backup round out of my pocket, get it into chamber and bolt won't clear the stuck round so I fumble a sec or two, cartridge in chamber slides out and I fail to catch it. So it clatters off my stand platform and all the deer disappear.
So lots of movement as the deer run through chest high brush, I can't see anything so I'm just listening and fiddling w the gun trying to get cartridge free. The sound of moving deer changes to a deer thrashing in the brush so I'm happy-he's down. Of course its in heavy chest high brush, I can't really distinguish red from green.but still hes fixed in place...so I stare at the location of the thrashing knowing ill just walk to that point as best I can and start walking ever growing arcs from that point along the sight line and hope to stumble onto my deer.
So now fully 2 min?? have passed since I pulled the trigger. Gun is working again, time to start looking for my deer. Set the gun down, turn and face my tree while I work my harness free...i hear movement behind me. 3 x 3 buck headed straight to me, no evidence of being wounded. At 15yds I pop him, he goes down, thrashes and I shoot him again. He stops moving, spike buck walks up and trys to engage the now dead buck....So I watch the spike for a while, finally make some noise and he takes off very hesitantly....
The buck I put into my truck has only 2 holes in him as best I can tell...can't be the first buck I shot(shot at) right? Ever hear of a buck falling/ducking at a shot and then struggling to get up? Maybe I misunderstood his struggle to get up and he really was just trying to stay low? Maybe the trashing of a dying buck was in fact the spike buck being chased by the buck I just shot(at)?
Anyway.....128lb 3x3.
And my final question...WHEN DID 128LBS GET SO FRIGGIN HEAVY??? I about died dragging him to the road. Literally had to stop every 15-20yds to catch my breath......
Happy hunting, Paul
