And one heck of a story. This stuff only happens in the movies but here goes.

Hunting last night and after seeing some does and a 4 point move through, here comes one of the bucks I have been watching all summer towards me at last light. At 30 yards I stop him with a grunt and and let fly a G5 Striker tipped Gold Tip from my new Excaliber. He jumps and off he goes. After about 15 minutes off calming my nerves, I climb down and begin to look for my arrow. Nothing!! Start walking along the trail he took and nothing. With it being dark now and no sign I made the decision to back out and start my search in the morning.

Before I headed out I checked in on the computer and saw a thread on another message board about a 8 point that dies in a parking lot in the area I hunt and the PGC was called and the buck picked up I said it can't be true. I called the PGC and told them the story and a descrïption of the buck and they told me a WCO would call me back. Out the door I go and search the little woodlot for several hours. Nothing!! Back home to check my messages and the local WCO left me a message saying that he needs to meet with me where I said I shot the deer.

Met the WCO and after alot of checking me, my stand and my story confirmed that he had my buck.  Turns out I had made a good high lung shot which is why there was no immediate bleeding and the deer was dead on its feet but had slid off of a hill next to my hunting spot. I would have found that deer I morning for sure if he did not take a step too far to the left.

Met the WCO at another area and he had my buck on the rack on his truck. The meat was at that point was no good but I was able to salvage the cape for a nice european mount. A nice buck that I am thankful that I was able to recover and tag after a really long night and day tracking him down.

Many thanks go out to the PGC who were professional yet thorough with a fair outcome.

Sorry for the crappy pics but under the circimstances about the best I have. He is a 2.5 y/o 8 point with a 16 inch spread and a busted G2 on the left.

Congrats on the buck and what a story...

too bad you did not get the venison though..


since you have the head I am assuming you did not get another buck tag to use ???

I tagged him.  It was the right thing to do.  I think the WCO was checking my character during the investigation.  He asked me if I would tag that buck.  I told him I would as I shot it and killed it and that was my buck for the year.

After that he did say that I could tag it and he would give me the head and horns.  I was happy with the outcome even though the meat was bad by the time I recovered him.  

Better than him laying somewhere never to be found and me not knowing what had happened.  It was a fluke for me to recover this deer and cannot say enough positive with the way the PGC worked with me on this.

Congrats Gene!

nice deer    good story.    dd

You did the honorable thing by tagging him, alot of people would have walked away. Good job.