First of all, I'm 37 and have only been actively hunting for three seasons. I got a button buck when I was 13, but never really had anyone to keep me in the sport until a few years back. First season was discouraging, then the second season my wife and I welcomed a Halloween born son into the world and I spent little time in the woods. This year is different. I've put in my homework, stayed in tuned with the weather, the wings, and the rut. Took a short on a doe during the first weekend on archery season that we never found once the blood trail tapered off. But I hadn't given up. I've hunted the past two thanksgiving days, and was definitely going out this season.

My hunting partner and I decided to go with our crossbows this morning. 10 to 12 mike winds coming from the north were favorable to where we set up. I would've been in my stand, but the area around it had taken on enough water this week to keep us out of our planned area. Sitting at the base of a couple oaks about 50 yards apart, we kept an eye on bedding area and in the vicinity of some fresh scrapes.

About an hour after day light, I see a flash of brown in the brush move left to right about 50 yards out. I brought my crossbow up on my knee and waited. 15 seconds later, he comes up over the small hill from the funnel he was in, and he walks right at me. Facing directly at me, he just keeps getting closer. At 20 yards, he quarters to his right and I pull the trigger aimed right in front of his shoulder blade. He jumped and thumped off, running in a large circle and out of sight. A couple seconds after I lost sight of him, I hear the crash. We followed his trail, and found him about 10 yards into the brush.

I finally got me a deer. Happy Thanksgiving!!

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