Neil Fletcher

USA – Dahlonega, GA

My hunting partner and I worked up on Yonah Mountain all day with our Ranger Students climbing and didn't get off the rock until until around 3:30. We where so anxious to get going so we could get a couple hours of tree time in before sundown. So we zoom home, get dressed and meet at our spot. We walk in, its hot as heck and get settled into our respective trees. I just shot a beautiful doe less than 24 hours ago at this point

We can see one another about 40 yards or so apart facing roughly opposite directions on either side of this small open area that we know is a hot spot of activity just waiting to produce. We're up in the stand for all of an hour and a half when I see movement to my front on the side of the hill I'm facing. Time is about 6:30pm.

I see legs...Moving...Steady...Side sloping the hill heading straight for the field. I slowly stand, legs starting to shake, breathing becoming rapid, heart pumping and adrenaline surging through my veins!

I cant see a body at this point but from the way he's walking I can tell its a buck - slow and confident. Totally at ease. By this point I glance over at my buddy and he's standing too. I don't know at this point if he can see him but he knows I am and that I'm locked onto something.

I glance down to make sure my footing is solid on the platform and when I glance back up there he is! In the field just munching on the lush greens! I'm looking at him and I know without a doubt he's more than 40 yards away as I had 20-30-40yds memorized from the rangefinder in this particular stand.

There is a significant amount a brush between us but there, at the 40 yd mark, is a (I kid you not) 1 foot hole and its directly online with the boiler room! I raise my bow, put my 40 yard pin above him where I "thought" 50-60yds would be, said a silent prayer and released!

That arrow cut its way through the air, through that 1 foot hole and SCHWACK! He didn't even attempt to jump the string because I was so far back and probably didn't even hear it! Immediately he runs off like a dart! I stood there shaking and absolutely in disbelief that I could pull that off. So I wait. After 30 excruciating minutes I finally got the nerve to signal my buddy and he comes down and over to me. I'm still in my stand at this point. He walks up smiling ear to ear and says those amazing and often rare words - "Dude I heard him crash!"

At this point I have convinced myself that there was no way I hit him. No not that far. Wreckless and irresponsible shot I kept muttering to myself. There is no way. So I have him walk to the spot I shot at and fine tune him to the exact hole I shot through in the brush from the stand which I am still in 25 feet up. He is in shock at this point to the distance. He's looking at the ground, I'm just shaking my head when all the sudden he stops, turns toward me and raises his arms fist pumping! Blood every where!

This buck had been shot at 55 steps from my tree stand, full strides, 25 feet up through a 1 foot hole in the brush and holding the 40 yard pin above it! It ran maybe 60 yards and was out for the count. Folks, I fully expected at this point to see a green mess on the ground from such a distance. I had no confidence what so ever that I could pull off such a quick and fatal shot. As I soon found out not only had I not gut shot this deer, I had double lunged him!

This was by far the most unbelievable shot I had every made with a bow. Though I thought he was broadside at that distance, he was in fact slightly quartering away. The exit wound was right behind the opposite shoulder you see below. Come to find out this buck was a mere 20 yards from my buddy's stand but he couldn't take the shot because to much brush stood in the way but he heard and saw out of no where the sound of me releasing and my arrow fly through the brush and hit him.

Shoot through a 1 foot hole at 40 yards to nail a deer double lung at 55. Folks, America happened tonight. America and Muzzy!

PSE Stinger
Muzzy 100gr 3 Blade
70#
Ripcord Drop-away
30"STL Hunters