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Finally made it on the boards. I had some opportunities early in the season, but nothing I wanted to shoot. Got a nice 10 point with a rifle and a big doe with my pistol, but as 2020 was drawing to a close it was looking like a crossbow blank.
Last Tuesday's light snow turned into a 24 hour snow event. Wednesday was cold, but a light breeze and scattered clouds. That afternoon I decided to hunt the last couple hours of the day in the stand at the far end of our hayfield.
I guessed the ice had pinned the deer down the night before and they would be out early to feed. That turned out to be a good hunch. Had a doe with her twin fawns pop out right at 4:00. By 4:30 there were six skinheads feeding on something in the hayfield. The closest one was about 80 yards from my stand, but I had already decided to fill a tag if a shot presented itself.
At 4:45 a big bodied buck crossed my neighbor's cut bean field from the CRP to the south. I could see he had some impressive headgear, even from 150 yards away. He came straight through the treeline toward the does and one by one began checking them out. None of the ladies showed any interest until the last little yearling doe. She broke from the group and trotted across the field ending up about 20 yards to the right of my stand. Like a mature buck will do, he slowly, but steadily walked toward her keeping himself between her and the timber.
The light was fading fast, but as he approached I could see he was missing the left side of his rack. The right side was massive. At 5:15 he finally gave me a 25 yard shot. Close to broadside, just quartering away slightly. I slowly raised my bow, picked a spot, pushed the safety off, settled in, and squeezed through.
The Excalibur Matrix 330 put the crested 2216 with a 125 gr Rage Hypodermic on the spot. He jumped, kicked, and only made 60 yards before going down in sight. What a way to end another great season.
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![20201230_173701.jpg]()
![20201230_192343.jpg]()
For reference, the 2216 kill arrow in his rack is a 20" shaft.
![20201230_192633.jpg]()
Last Tuesday's light snow turned into a 24 hour snow event. Wednesday was cold, but a light breeze and scattered clouds. That afternoon I decided to hunt the last couple hours of the day in the stand at the far end of our hayfield.
I guessed the ice had pinned the deer down the night before and they would be out early to feed. That turned out to be a good hunch. Had a doe with her twin fawns pop out right at 4:00. By 4:30 there were six skinheads feeding on something in the hayfield. The closest one was about 80 yards from my stand, but I had already decided to fill a tag if a shot presented itself.
At 4:45 a big bodied buck crossed my neighbor's cut bean field from the CRP to the south. I could see he had some impressive headgear, even from 150 yards away. He came straight through the treeline toward the does and one by one began checking them out. None of the ladies showed any interest until the last little yearling doe. She broke from the group and trotted across the field ending up about 20 yards to the right of my stand. Like a mature buck will do, he slowly, but steadily walked toward her keeping himself between her and the timber.
The light was fading fast, but as he approached I could see he was missing the left side of his rack. The right side was massive. At 5:15 he finally gave me a 25 yard shot. Close to broadside, just quartering away slightly. I slowly raised my bow, picked a spot, pushed the safety off, settled in, and squeezed through.
The Excalibur Matrix 330 put the crested 2216 with a 125 gr Rage Hypodermic on the spot. He jumped, kicked, and only made 60 yards before going down in sight. What a way to end another great season.
For reference, the 2216 kill arrow in his rack is a 20" shaft.
