HIT OR MISS? BUCK OR DOE?

 As the saying goes, "Can't eat horns." After searching for that buck for three hours yesterday my plan was to hunt the morning in the same stand. I wanted to give it one last look for a body. If I had hit that buck and could locate him the meat would still be good. It was a long shot.

I got in the stand around 7:00 am. No wind. No rain. Temps in the mid-forties. It was more like hunting October than late December. Around 8:30 I saw a deer moving my way. It moved like a buck. When I put the scope on it I saw it was a large single doe. At 30 yards directly below me I bleated it stopped with the hammer already back. She dropped with the shot. 

As I walked up on the deer I marveled at how big she was. Then I saw the faint medallions on "her" head. She was a he. The buck had already shed his antlers. Was this the same buck I shot at yesterday? Had I shot his rack off? I don't think so. Yesterday's buck was wary and I think bigger. Still, I was incredibly thankful to have more meat and a quick kill shot. 

After field dressing the deer and dragging it to the truck I made one last attempt at finding the buck. I crisscrossed the ridge once more looking for a white belly. Nothing. I think I must've rushed the shot and shot over his back. There's no way of being 100% sure but I think I missed that deer clean. I can live with that. 

The count so far:

1. Wounded a nice buck the day before Thanksgiving. Found a piece of jaw bone. Never found the deer. Must've shot tree branch.

2. Shot an eight point the day after Thanksgiving. Dropped him.

3. Shot a button buck thinking it was a doe. Dropped him.

4. Missed a good buck with the muzzleloader.

5. Shot a good size buck thinking it was a doe. Dropped them.  

P.S.

I found my car keys in the mud next to the woodpile. Three days left in 2023 deer season.