I had the day off yesterday but I had to drop the baby off at daycare before I could hit the woods. I planned on getting in the tree by 8, sitting for a few hours and then doing some midday scouting, grabbing lunch and getting back in the tree. I had been debating whether I wanted to get into a spot that had a ton of rubs and scrapes or save that for a planned all day sit on saturday. It rained a lot on Thursday so I was thinking that the bucks would be out freshening up after the storm with the cooler weather. Huck was pretty excited about that spot for Saturday, so I figured that I had another spot with easier access that had some rubs and scrapes too so I'd just hit that one on Friday morning. I went in after work on Thursday night and sat it in the rain for an hour but only saw a fox. I left my bolts in the tree so I could scoot right up Friday morning. I was running a little later than planned but I was in the tree and ready at 8:30. At 8:35 I look up and about 40 yards in front of me a spike goes by, definitely cruising. That was a good sign, but he's only a 1.5 year old and they always get going early. I'm just hanging up there enjoying the morning and right before 10:00 I look off to my right and see a flick of a tail about 75 yards out. I can see the deer moving but can't make much out so I'm just watching. He comes around out in front of me and makes a turn coming straight in. Once he starts coming my way I can see the rack. At one point he stopped and started rubbing which always gets me going. It originally looked like he was going to come across in front of me, but then he turned and stopped facing me behind some branches at about 10 yards. It looked like he was now going to pass on my right side, so I shuffled my feet on my bolts so that I could swing around to my right and draw as soon as he went by. Well he changed his mind and turned to cross back on my left side. He stepped out from behind the branch, I gave a little blah, he stopped and I let it fly. Initial impression was the arrow hit a few inches further back than planned, but the height was perfect. The arrow didn't pass through and was still sticking out which was odd. I watched the arrow come back out about 30 yards away and lost sight of him as he started to curl. I did not see him go down, and my rule is that I give them extra time if I have it if I don't watch them fall over. I went down and checked out the spot where I shot him and there was nice red blood for the first 10 yards. I was feeling good but I went to get a cup of coffee and a sandwich. I came back at 12, picked up the blood trail and followed it about 75 yards to a dead buck, already stiffening when I got there. The last few inches of the arrow had been broken off and there was an exit wound right behind the shoulder. I'm sure that the arrow hit the opposite shoulder which prevented the passthrough, and then when he took of running it poked out and he snapped the broadhead off. It ended up being a perfect double lung. He was standing a little weird and even though it looked broadside it was a little quartering away. Field dressed him and threw him in the sled, and that is when I realized I really need to start bringing my full size jet sled, the jet sled jr just doesn't cut it. This was a big old buck, all gray around the mouth, and I bet he was well over 200# before I dressed him. It ended up being a great hunt, and even better it was the last day of our first bow season, so I filled that buck tag and already have a new buck tag in my pocket today! 
