BLOOD

I spent Sunday afternoon in a stand at WSSP II. Resisting the urge to hunt the apple tree, I hung it down in the swamp, close to Rt. 52. The constant traffic was annoying, but with the binocs I had a great view of the apple tree action. Around 4pm a couple of does wandered out of the woods and scratched under the tree. The last of the apples were holding on, even in the high winds, tauntingly just out of reach. All of the sudden the deer scattered and down the hill came a larger dark body. Even without the glasses I could tell it was a buck. He pawed at the ground under the far tree, working a muddy scrape. I took in the show.
   After a while all the scattered does regrouped closer to me, on another patch of mowed grass, unmolested by the buck- but not for long. I caught movement just before dark. It was the buck again. Seeing no females under the apple tree, he cut a beeline behind the barn and I lost sight of him. I kept my eye on the does, who were unaware of what was coming. I had turned away for a second and when I turned back the does were gone. Where did they go? Then I heard crashing in a dense stand of pines just off the road. For the next 15 minutes that buck chased does in and out of those spruces. In the midst of it the fawns peeled off and went back to feeding, giving mom and dad their privacy, (if dad had anything to say about it).
   The next day I couldn't resist hanging the stand on the wood line behind the apple trees. All was quiet until, like clock work, in came three big does. I'd been trying to get a shot at any deer since Oct. 1. Now there were three females easily within range. I didn't move. It was cold and when I'm cold I tend to shiver. Add to this the stress of deciding whether or not to kill one of these beautiful creatures and the shaking became worse. I was holding the bow, but still seated. The arrow began to shake in the rest. The shiny broadhead was twitching like a metallic squirrel tail. Then it started to clatter. I was hyper-ventilating and couldn't catch my breath. This always happens to a slight degree. Your heart rate goes up. But this was extreme. It had never happened before. Was I having a heart attack? The closest doe caught my melt down and all three bolted.
    It took me 5 mins. to compose myself. Then just as i was catching my breath I heard crunching leaves. I saw the big rack and dark body walking purposefully toward the apple tree scape. I slowly stood up, knocked an arrow, and as he lowered his head and stuck his left hoof into the soft ground, I settled my 15 yard right behind his front should and touched off. He squatted and spun as I heard a "thunk". Seemed like a good hit. For some reason, now, I was totally calm. I unhooked, tied off and lowered the bow, climbing down to find the arrow. I saw blood and hair on the fletching. It had passed through. Good news. I picked it up and checked for blood. There was light blood on the fletch, but the broadhead and shaft were clean. Whathefuck? It was still light enough, so I quietly ducked in the thick pines and immediately found bright red blood on the leaves. Excellent. I backed off and went back to the house to call my guru Savage Lynch to see what to do next. The next two days would be hell.