It was only the third evening after arriving to our hunting camp and after a belly warming pre-dinner I packed up and headed to my favorite tree with crossbow in hand . This time I was bringing the new one with the scope justincase they wanted to pass at a distance .After a nice walk through the field and over the flat and through the grape vines I'm there ! The most perfect tree on the edge of the grapes and just before the ravine ! I hang my bow on the climber and begin my accent up into and past the lower canopy . I stopped at just about thirty three feet up and settle in and wait for that grey ghost to suddenly appear . As I sit in my climber way above the ground ,amazed at the colors of the leaves here in the fall ,I begin to lose myself in a eyes open sleep . That's when it happened ! The tell tale crunch of foliage beneath me ! I snapped out of my wonderment stupor and my eyes dart back and forth looking ,searching for the maker of the crunching sounds and alas the "it" is ....a coon ! The little bandit faced critter was just beginning to climb a fell tree that was propped in a crook of another tree that was right next to mine ! Slowly the little guy(girl whatever) climbed until he was positioned in the crook of the tree with his head just barely out of a hole in the dead leaning tree ,where he closed his eyes and settled in for a quick nap before dark . I watched this little guy for about an hour when he raised his head and began frantically looking about ,never quite leaving the hidden comfort of his tree . I tried to look were he was looking but the canopy was too thick in that direction ,and then right below,I mean right under me there it was ! The brown/grey back of a whitetail doe ghost in a window of the leaves of about fourteen inches wide and that's it ! Slowly and quietly I raise my crossbow and peer through the scope only to see a closeup of the window through the leaves and the brown hair ,in which I could count each and every hair ! The doe stepped one step towards the thick woods and I ceased the moment and squeezed the trigger.......THUD ! I knew it was the sound of a direct hit ! I looked in the direction of the snapping and crashing to no avail then back to the crook in the fell tree only to see the coon looking straight at me with just as much amazement as I looking at him ! My little buddy then decides it's time to retreat back down to the forest floor and I follow he's lead . I usually give much more time before climbing down but the sun was past the horizon and darkness was quickly covering the woods ! By the time I got below the canopy and on to the ground it was just about pitch dark . I clicked on my led flashlight and looked for blood and my trusty bolt only to find nothing ! I made my way toward where I heard the ghost crash through the foliage but found nothing again . I decided to go back to camp and pick up looking after the morning hunt since it was plenty cold enough to let the deer lay over night hoping that my shot was true and it was just to dark to find my arrow or blood . Upon arriving back to camp I see my best hunting buddy had knocked down a nice doe too and it was laying there waiting my arrival ! We had fresh back strap for dinner and told each other about the evening hunts . Bed time was well deserved and excepted willingly . Morning came quickly and after a cup of coffee and getting my boots and jacket warmed up enough to where they didn't sound like a empty bag of potato chips, I grabbed my crossbow ,the one with the peep and pins this time and headed toward my faithful climber and tree knowing that if nothing presented it's self to me I would happily be looking for last nights victim ! I reached the top of my tree and was just shaking a freshly opened pack of hand warmers when that oh so familiar sound of crunching leaves and snapping twigs made my head snap around ,and to my disbelief and amazement an eight pointer was slowly meandering along my drag trail with his head down to the ground oblivious to what was around him ,including me shaking the hand warmer pack . I set the pack down slowly raised my crossbow and put the thirty yard pin just behind his shoulder and a hair below the sweet spot ,he was at about twenty five yards or so when I let out a quiet bleat and he stopped and I let the bolt fly ! WHACK ! The sound seemed to thunder through woods and the buck lunged forward and hit the forest floor on it's side and without skipping a beat started doing the Curly shuffle ! He was down and out cold in a dirt nap ! I climbed down right after thanking God for the opportunity and successful hunt and went straight to my downed buck only thirty yards from my tree . After enjoying my kill and the beauty of the morning woods I quickly remembered last nights deer . The shot last night was straight down under my climber . I looked all around the tree and found no blood but did find obvious signs of slipping and sliding running away from what I know was the impact zone . I followed the trail and it ended quickly ,but I couldn't give up there ! Thinking where would I run to I went to the edge of the ravine that runs through the property and about ten yards from where I shot the night before and less than ten yards from this spot lay my doe except I couldn't help but notice the package just under his butt ! Yep that's right "his"! It was a huge button buck ! I wish I could have kicked myself in the butt for killing a button buck that for sure would have been a monster had he not been skewered by my bolt ! After further inspection I realized that what I believed to be shoulders through the small window of leaves was actually his rump and that I had hit him just above the tail ,hence the no blood or bolt deal . The broad head had done it's damage and cut up his inside like a La'Machine* ! He had dumped every bit of testosterone into his system and was ruined as far as meat goes ! A total waste of a great deer ! The eight point on the other hand was perfect ! Anyway I dragged both as far as I could and then went back to camp to retrieve help ! My wife and friend who came just to camp helped get them back to camp and waiting there was my best hunting buddy with another nice eight point ! Three deer down in less than fifteen hours ! Awesome hunt and great time for sure and the fresh back strap lunch wasn't bad either ! Good times ,good friends and a hunting story that will last a life time if not more !
There are things that we all put off for "another day,better time",but the time spent outdoors should never be compromised,if ya ask me or even if ya don't ! So much to see and feel outside ! The great outdoors is not on any one's clock ,it's got it's own schedule and waits for no one ! The color of the leaves changing doesn't stop for you to finish that paper ,the tides don't quit so you can try on one more cool fishing outfit and mother nature does not play the cards she deals them ! Take the hand given and play it , play it hard and you will not lose and the payment is ten fold ! Rainy day ? Bah ! Feel it wet your skin and pound down with out prejudice and say thanks instead of frowning and blocking with an umbrella or raincoat and you will be looked at with envy . If the hot sun is bearing down like an out of control heat lamp turn your face to it close your eyes and feel the love it has to offer . Take the time to open your eyes to the grandeur of the outdoors ,where ever you are ! There is beauty in all of it !