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Let me tell you of a bow hunting incident that once happened to me, when I was up in northern Wisconsin on a whitetail deer hunt years back.

I use to live  in Land O Lakes Wisconsin north of Eagle River about 20 miles.  I decided to go deer hunting one morning after breakfast.  It was about the second week of September.( Bow season) My ex-wife and the kids wanted to tag along. So we decided to make it a road hunt. A road hunt is where you can drive your vehicle down the road and look for your game.

Which is or at least at the time was legal as long as it was off  of a fire lane dirt road. The catch is you have to have your hunting gear cased and closed just as  if you were driving down any road. at least in Wisconsin and many other states as well.  My Bow was cased and in the back seat with my daughter Amanda and my son Matt.and Kyle.  There we were driving down this fire-lane old dirt road surrounded by the Nicolet National forest looking for deer. As we were driving I spotted one up on a ridge top looking right at us.  It was a big buck. I believe it was a twelve pointer.  It was huge. I was the passenger at the time. This would allow me to get out of the vehicle quietly and sneak around to draw back my bow on the game.

Here is how that works.  If I were to see the deer on my-side we would drive on a little bit down the road  turn around and come back.  As we we would be getting close to where it was spotted( the deer)  within 60 yards or so,I would quietly get out of the vehicle and stay crouched low get my bow out and knock the arrow. I would get near the back of the car and then creep along with the vehicle as the driver drove the auto slow to or past the deer.   The deer would usually be looking at the car and maybe the people in it and be distracted.  That may allow me time to  take position. My ex  would usually stop the car and the animal in most cases would just look at them.Briefly. In my case  I would creep along with the auto  and  locate the animal with my eye's as quickly as possible guess my range and release the arrow hopefully into it's vitals. Like the heart or lungs.I would walk about a 100 yards to even 60 yards within  the sneak up, I would wait to draw back until I was almost by my target. Within about 10 to 15 yards or less or sometimes even more.   I always felt more secure then having the deer watch me moving around. That is the reason for drawing my arrow and being ready to shoot. Now  keep in mind that The shooter would more then likely be out of sight of the animal, depending on where the deer would be standing. Usually off the road a distance was the best opportunity.                

If we saw the animal on the drivers side we could maybe stop on the spot and I could sneak out by crouching low almost knees to the dirt road but not quite. Or we could stop and maybe back up a tad or drive by it slow and I get out and do the same with my bow and slowly back up while I slowly surprise the deer and step out to fire my arrow Or back up enough to let me sneak back my self on foot which is not always advisable because deer are very alert with keen eyesight and hearing to boot. usually when an auto is driving by slowly sometimes they will just stand there and stare because of their curiosity.  At any rate I tried my plan of action. We drove on past the deer. Turned around and started driving back. I got out and got ready. Had my arrow knocked. They stopped for a moment and then pulled forward . I peered out full drawback ready to take my prize. what do I see? Nothing but forest. No deer. Where is it? I would not let up on the draw back . Where is that deer? I thought. I'm looking. I'm full pull with my bow. I'm looking. Damn it. Where is it?  Suddenly I see movement with my side vision coming from inside the car. It's my kids trying to tell me something quietly. I sneak to the passenger side. She puts the window down a crack. She said it wasn't there when we got back. Damn. That means it busted me.

OK I said, after I put everything back in the car and hopped in. Drive on. we'll look some more. We decided to turn around and drive in the direction we were heading when we saw the deer. Down the road some more. We looked and looked, but so far that was the only deer I saw. The one thing about the north woods, where we were,  there are plenty of deer but there is plenty of forest too.  So we drove and looked. I'm thinking man !  why are we not seeing them. Is this a calm before a rut ? or what ?  After awhile of this the kids started getting hungry.  We decided to head back to our 3 bedroom Mobil home and feed them. After a hearty meal we went back to finish the late afternoon hunt. Since the days are a little bit shorter  in September there wasn't much time to waste. We decided to drive the same road again.  As we drove past where I had seen the buck my thoughts were running wild. It wasn't there but in my mind I wanted it to be. So we drove on a way further as I'm looking out my side I hear them say a deer! in excitement but they were smart enough to say it quietly. As they were taught to do. it was a doe on the drivers side staring at us. OK, drive on I have an idea,   I  said to my ex with out even moving my head.  Without hesitation she did.   I got out of the car on my side  and she turned  around and drove back as I followed on the drivers side with a slow walk.  As she approached the deer she stooped again and I peered up, and the deer just looked at me standing broadside.  Perfect about 25 yards she's mine.  I  shot  instinctive.at the time. Not that it's advisable. It was just my preference.  Wham"!  I slammed that broad head arrow with It's razor sharp blades right into her side?  Wait it was a low shot. Damn. I'm an idiot I may have screwed this up. Maybe the last shot of the day. Being that it's starting to get late , and the sun is getting ready to set.  Man !  now what ? If I leave and head back to get help tracking her with some friends and flashlights it may be to late.  If It's a good hit in which I don't think it is, She may bleed and die but if we don't find her in time,  a predator might. You know a coyote or fisher or whatever other creature that's lurk about in these woods. OK with a sigh. I'll wait 15 minutes. That may not be enough time but I'm running out daylight hours  anyway.

OK I said to my ex. In about 15 minutes I'll walk in.  My daughters young voice ask, daddy can I go with you?  I felt so bad I didn't want to tell her no even though time was of an essence.  They were so good for me today plus the experience even when their that small is good for them. OK Kittle I said to her. You can go. We waited out almost the 15 minutes. It was getting late I had no choice. I saw blood. Not a lot of blood but spots of blood on the forest floor. As I looked I saw my arrow. I walked over to it and picked it up. Just as I  thought. No Blood. It wasn't likely that the deer was hit bad. The arrow had fat on it.and very little blood. Man this is not  looking good. Gut shoot . I'm sure of it. But I'll follow any blood I can find.

Oh boy!  The blood is disappearing. You know less of it on the ground. When suddenly !  She jumps up and bolted farther in the woods. I walked over to where she was laying. No blood. Or I didn't wait long enough. I know . Time to start using sights. Or be more cautious when hunting whitetails. If  I had got a shot at the buck. Would I have hit him where it counts. Never gut shoot a deer. Even though I rushed it to soon. I would have not stood a chance with the way I hit her. I'm sure of it. I went back the next day,just to see if I could pick up her trail. But no. I could not. I'm almost positive it was a gut shot.

Dean Romano

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drr1289