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About a week ago I climbed back into one of my Treestands, to check it out, with the aid of my NEW FULL BODY HARNESS ! I have to admit that I was shaking a little. Considering that the last time I was in a Treestand, was when I fell 25' , and changed my life dramatically.
But my confidence level for sitting and waiting for a deer was not there.......
After getting my EAB Doe (from the ground), I contemplated returning to my Treestands, for several reasons.
Mostly because it was one of my GOALS, and secondly, I couldn't get this guys picture out of my mind.
I had several photos of him around my stand at dusk and dawn, as well as late shots. So I made my decision to make my first Treestand hunt in the afternoon, rather than try ascending for the first time, in the Pre Dawn darkness.
I asked the Ms to drive me down with the Quad, cause my one leg is still not up to a long walk. After a stern lecture from her on BEING CAREFUL, I climbed into my stand.
It was a good feeling sitting up ther again. A feeling of acomplishment. Knowing that I "CAN" do it again.
The wait wasn't long(45 min. )
I heard steps in the leaves behind me. Turning my head slightly to the left , I saw "horns" and realized it was Him.
He approached slowly, stopping behind some brush for nearly 10 minutes (feeling more like an hour). I readied the Bow for when he would step out. When he did, he looked right up at me. I froze, and prayed he would not hear my heart beating or see me shaking. Yes, though I've harvested many Deer larger than him, this one was SPECIAL.
He looked down and took the FATAL step forward.
As I squeezed the trigger on my Vision Crossbow, I remember saying to myself, a thank you to someone above, for giving me a second chance at the Sport I LOVE.
The arrow drove the deer to the ground, passing through both lungs and breaking the off shoulder. He ran, stumbling, for about 60yds, dropping within my sight. It was truly an emotional moment for me. And a tearful one.
When the Ms came to help me recover him, we paused for a moment over him, and I realized then, that I had taked another big step in my recovery.
Unfortunatly, during his last few steps, he decided to try to run through an Oak tree. Breaking off off one of his points. But that's fixable.
This is what I walked up on....
The Tree he DIDN'T move...
The damage....
Notice the REDNESS inside the antler. He was only 2 days out of velvet...
Yes, this harvest will always be special. A step in my recovery, a clean quick harvest, on a Deer that pretty much everyone would say was a shooter.
Oh......... And yes I used a Crossbow IN NEW JERSEY, and I'm DAMM proud of it !!!!!!
