It was a nice buck, in fact, one of two matching whitetails that were traveling together. Not record book size but not tiny tots either.
Both wore eight typical points, nothing extraordinary and no damaged points but plenty big enough to qualify for my “shooter” list. The two came slowly through some saplings and high weeds.
They were obviously treading a well-defined and well-worn game trail, one that led to a small creek which threaded its way through the slight drainage behind me.
The lead buck took each step carefully, pausing every couple of seconds to look ahead and test the breeze. Always alert, always looking for danger.
The trail the bucks were using was on ground high enough that the deer were almost eye to eye with my ladder stand and me on it, a bad start for what I hoped would be a solid ambush.
I swear that the front buck already had me on his radar even though he still hadn’t walked into my self-proclaimed max bow range.
My heart rate jumped to a higher gear and I searched my mental bucket of skills for a plan B, C, or even D.
Shooting posture
As I looked for even the smallest of cover that the bucks would pass, a hoped-for window of opportunity to bring the crossbow to shoulder along with a body twist to point it in the right direction.
I knew if I could get in a shooting posture and if the bucks would continue to cross in front of the stand it was a lights-out, easy shot.
Just that quickly the bucks were within my shooting comfort zone but I still hadn’t completely shouldered the crossbow.
Just as quickly as they closed on me, they turned to the left and started down the creek bottom slope, which would make it a true broadside shot target.
And a bonus, they both took a look back, twisting their necks away from me and giving me the unexpected chance to twist, shoulder the crossbow, and aim.
In golf, this would be a “gimme” putt. In darts a double ten. And in soccer a penalty kick with no defender in the net.
The drag
I began to consider the drag that I was facing, all of it uphill, following the kill. I’m no body builder and dragging a dead deer is akin to a handicap round on American Ninja Warrior.
But what the heck, I thought; I’ll tag this buck and sleep in during gun season. Plus, I knew the landowner would allow me to drive his hayfield or use one of his tractors to ease the pain.
Ticking time
So I squinted through the iron peep sight and at the same time pushed the safety forward. That slight movement stopped the bucks in their tracks. Both stared my way.
I knew their pause was not going to be lengthy. They were at first suspicious then tensing up to exit the scene.
I squinted hard, trying to quickly put the front bead on the lead buck’s chest and keep in the center of the peep ring.
Time was ticking, I knew it had to happen now or it would be too late. Light was fading and the brush, saplings, and briars blocked parts of the deer but his chest was still clear.
I remember wishing I had dabbed some bright nail polish on the front bead because I just couldn’t find it.
The shadows, the brush and the deer seemed all the same.
You guessed it. Between tri-focal eyeglasses, iron peep sights, increasing shadows, and a heavy dose of brush, I couldn’t get it done. With a couple snorts the pair of bucks was out of sight and out of this story.
Lesson
But the lesson was well learned. I now have a Red Dot sight on my crossbow. The new sight doesn’t magnify and doesn’t add light to the picture or project anything. What it does is make it very easy and quick to acquire a target and aim.
What I really like about it is the consistency it provides. One arrow, or bolt if you wish, lands right on the mark, one after another.
Crossbows
Crossbows have become extremely popular. Ohio had the forefront when several decades ago the state allowed the use of crossbows for any archer who wished to use one.
At first, Ohio bow hunters griped about it and claimed that crossbows made bow hunting too easy and far distant from the challenge of primitive hunting.
Most of those original complainers now shoot crossbows. It took a long time and a lot of lobbying and a lot of common sense for lawmakers to see the light — just as I did by adding optics to my own crossbow — to bring crossbow hunting to other states.
