The One That Got Away

Dad and I headed up to camp to hunt the last day of the archery season 2017, and what a hunt it was. We planned to hunt “Rob’s Spot” from the annual Guy’s Weekend trip just a few short weeks earlier. Rob had what he deemed to be the best few days in the woods that he ever had. It seemed that every half hour he would get some action. Additionally, he had a monster buck that appeared numerous times. Uncle Rob even managed to get two shots off on the buck with his crossbow. However, as old mature deer seem to do all too often, he jumped the string each time.

The road behind our camp is owned by a timber company and there are gas wells throughout its course. Dad and I walked out the gas pipeline on the way to Rob’s spot as the sun began to rise at our backs. We were a little late getting in to the spot and I was not at all happy about it.

Thinking we were just going to blow the deer out of there, we quickly made our way out the ridge. We were both using climbing tree stands so that added to the time needed for set up. Dad got set up on top of the ridge and I climbed a tree just 40 yards below him and to his right. The thought was that collectively we covered about an 80 yard line along the ridge that would provide an opportunity at a deer if it crossed our path.

We were finally settled in at about 7:15 and our first encounter occurred just 15 minutes later. A doe worked her way on top of the ridge behind my dad, not allowing the opportunity for a clean shot. As it was the last day and we had a lack of venison in the freezer, I had decided I would shoot whatever legal deer presented itself (doe or buck with at least 3 points on one side) and my dad was thinking along the same lines.

Shortly after the first doe disappeared, a spike and 3 more doe came directly at us from the pipeline we walked in on. The deer put on quite a show for upwards of 15 minutes, with a smaller doe placing herself between my dad and I. With all this action early, I was beginning to think that maybe I should hold out in hopes for a bigger deer or buck to come along. However, I watched my dad who was urging me to take the doe between us.

Thinking this could be a unique opportunity for my dad to watch me harvest an archery deer from another stand, I slowly grabbed my bow and drew back on the doe. As the deer was quartering away at just 17 yards, I put my 20 yard pin behind her shoulder and squeezed off the release.

“Thwack!”

The arrow was perfectly placed and the doe went bundling down the hill. Although I knew I had made a good shot, as with all archery shots, we wanted to give the deer time to expire before tracking.

We waited about 45 minutes and were planning to wait another 15 before climbing down. All of the sudden, I could hear leaves wrestling in front of me, drawing closer as something was moving up the ridge. I could begin to see the outline of two deer working through the woods. After identifying the lead deer as a doe, I began to make out a rack on the second one.

Coming ever closer I realized that it was not just a rack, but a beautiful, dark horned and heavy 11 point. It walked closer and closer, seemingly on a string directly to my stand. The buck turned broadside and put on a show in front of me at just 15 yards. While I was shaking with bow in hand, I turned to look at my dad, who had a disappointing look on his face.

“You can’t shoot” I saw him mouth to me.

As I processed what he said, I realized that he meant that the law in Pennsylvania is that you cannot shoot a second deer if you have one untagged. My heart sank, as I knew he was right. I was faced with one of the toughest decisions I ever had to make. I knew that I legally could not shoot the impressive and perhaps once in a lifetime buck standing in front of me, but I also knew I probably wouldn’t get caught on a law that isn’t even applicable in many states.

Knowing in my heart what the right thing to do was, I instead pulled out my phone and photographed the deer. To this day I look back on the decision I made, and know that I still was able to capture the trophy moment with my head held high that I did the right thing.

Eventually the buck trotted off, and we climbed down to track my doe. She hadn’t even made it 50 yards from where I shot her. I leaned over her and marveled at the Pennsylvania deer I was able to take. She may not have been the monster that the 11 point was, but my dad said to me, “Any deer taken with a bow is a trophy” and I knew he was both right and proud of me for what I did.