The Luckiest Deer Ever

Last Updated on December 14, 2018 by Terry

(As told by Tom Bombadil, one of Terry’s friends)

Terry May be the worst shot in the world (He has witnesses). Don’t misunderstand, He has killed quite a few deer. Hey, the last two bucks he killed was with a long bow. You know, simply a stick with a string. (Watch an old western and notice the Indian’s bow.)

He may have even done something no one else has; the buck he was shooting at committed suicide! Even Allan and Greg never accomplished that feat! (Future adventure!) But the facts are, Terry has let many deer get away as he is simply accuracy challenged.

Apparently (Obviously) Terry believes practice is overrated. He just never seemed to have the time. It simply takes too long to get in a lot of practice.

Once upon a time, way back when, Allan and Terry went bow hunting. (Allan, as in the greatest bow hunter of our era, at least in our neighborhood. It was their favorite area. It included their favorite spots to set up their tree stands.

They would park at the usual place and then walk down the right of way until they reached the trail that led to their stands. Terry’s was just short of the corner. He would walk off to his left and set up his stand in a perfect place to see some deer and maybe get a shot.

Allan had stopped well before Terry and went right, straight to the honey hole. They had seen more deer in that spot than anyplace in that area hence the name. It was definitely a great place to harvest a deer. That means to kill a deer for those of you who are not politically correct.

And yes, this was also known as the posted land…as in they really were not supposed to be there as they not only did not have permission, but they were threatened to not get caught there again!

But you know Allan, he was not going to be deterred from hunting his favorite place. Facts are the facts, he has killed (harvested) close to ten deer from that one spot. It may be even more than that that. Of course, that was where he was going to hunt.

Anyhow, Terry got his stand set up and was going to climb in and ready to harvest by one o’clock that same afternoon. So, after setting up their stands, they headed back to set up camp and get some lunch.

After finishing up lunch, they went back to their parking spot. Allan stopped off and Terry continued to his spot. He had been in his stand for about forty-five minutes when he heard his favorite sound: a deer tip-toeing in the leaves.

Sure enough, she was headed right at him. She stepped out of some brush and was about twenty-two steps directly in front of Terry. Turns out, this was the safest place to be. He had already raised his bow and had it drawn. She turned a little to her right and twang he released his arrow.

It was now stuck in the ground underneath where she had been standing. “Rats” he thought, “shot a little low”.

She scampered back into the brush. Terry only carries three arrows and now had two left. It was still early so he felt comfortable that another one would come by.

About 15 minutes later, the same doe came right back from where she had run away. Terry was watching intently as she walked back out of the brush almost exactly where she had been the first time!

Terry could see his first arrow sticking out of the ground in front of her. I believe he was smiling as she gave him a second chance. Twang. As she sprang back into the brush, he was now looking at his second arrow sticking in the ground about four feet from the first one.

Terry was facing the fact that for sure, he is a very poor shot with his bow. But, no worries, he still had one arrow left. “All it takes is one,” he attempted to convince himself.

Unbelievably, in a very few minutes, here she came again! You do not need to use much imagination to know what happens next. About ten minutes later, all three of Terry’s arrows were now stuck into the ground, all being in about a six-foot circle.

He climbed down from his stand and retrieved his arrows. After cleaning all the dirt from the broadheads, he climbed back into his stand. It was still over two hours from sundown. Every hunter knows that this is the best time to see deer movement. Terry joked to himself: “Well, that’s enough practice, now I’ll be ready for a giant buck to come by.”

About an hour later, Terry heard that sweet pitter-patter in the leaves. His giant buck was headed his way. Turns out, it was the same doe coming in from about twenty yards to the left of where they had their first encounter.

Terry drew his bow and was ready. He took careful aim and twang/thud. Terry’s arrow was now sticking into the ground directly under where she had been standing. This time it was stuck in a root. “Not again,” he thought.

I heard his next comment: “I suck!” he shouted.

“Might as well shout,” he thought as his hunt was probably over for the day.

But it wasn’t. She came back again. And then again. Both with the same result, Terry missing by shooting low. Just like the first battle, all three of Terry’s arrows were sticking in the ground near each other.

Terry sat in his stand for a few minutes and then began to gather his things and lower them to the ground. He climbed down from his stand and headed for the truck. All the time wondering how to tell Allan his tale and not be made fun of.

I mean really, I have never heard of anyone missing the same deer six times in a row, well, except Terry. Then he smiled as he realized that he had done things like this so many times, his friends were going to make fun of him anyway.

Terry still believes it’s important to be famous for something, even being the worst bow shot in the world!

One more thing, Terry confided in me about a personal matter. Everyone knows he quit hunting, but they don’t really know why. He came to the conclusion that it was not humane for him to continue putting deer through the trauma he was causing them. So, in fact, Terry is a hero. (As far as animals are concerned.)

Thanks for your time.

Tom Bombadil

 

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