Paper Plate 8 Point Buck
Donna Payne

Have you ever lived in East Texas in August?  If you haven't, then let me explain.  In a rain year, in which this story started, the humidity was running around 98% and the heat was 104 degrees.  One Saturday evening, my husband said, "Donna, it's time for us to get started practicing for bow season."  Have you ever tried to concentrate on a target in 104 degree weather with 98% humidity?  It is not very pleasant to me.  My husband set up a target on a hay bale, which was a paper plate with a big X on it.  All through August and September, I shot that paper plate.  As time progressed, I got more accustomed to the heat and humidity... never liking it, but I continued to practice as he urged me.

Then, toward the latter part of September, it cooled off and I began to get excited.  Deer season was right upon us.  As we practiced, my shooting got better and better.  I began to believe that I could kill a paper plate at 300 yards.  But something with hair on it, made a fool out of me and I would lose my confidence.

It was one week before season when we packed our bows and started getting our clothes together.  We were to be in West Texas opening day, October 1.  The ride out there was nice and we had a lot of expectations.  Some of the guys we hunt with had been out there earlier and had seen several nice bucks all over the lease.  

When we arrived that evening, it was clear and turning cool.  But the forecast had predicted a real cold front coming in the second night of season.  We arrived at the deer lease about midday.  We went to put out our tripods and spread some corn, hopefully to draw in some deer.  

The first night was a long one.  I didn't sleep well because of anticipation.  I had waited one year for this bow hunt and it would start the next morning.  So at 4:00 am, I was awake.  I cooked a big breakfast and then we had an hour to wait before it was time to go out.  You can't imagine what it is was like to sit there and talk about hunts where we had killed deer before and I am sitting there listening to the stories, and realize that I had never killed a buck before with my bow.  Our hunting buddies’ stories were very exciting and I listened to them intently.  The hour  passed quickly and we were on our way.

Finally, I was in my tripod in the black dark sitting there quietly just listening.  As daylight broke, there was nothing moving around my hunting area.  At about 9:00 am, there were 2 hen turkeys that came in and fed around and left.  Then my husband came and picked me up.  We went back to camp; had lunch; took a nap and he woke me up at 3:00 pm with a big smile and "it's time to go".    By 3:15 pm, I was in my stand again.  This time I knew it had to be my day!  

At 5:00 pm, I looked up a little draw that curved slightly toward my stand.  Out about 100 yards appeared a deer with horns.  At that distance, I cannot determine exactly how many points it had.  It was just a deer with horns moving my direction and that was enough for me to get excited and ready for a possible shot.  The buck continues to walk leisurely toward me with its head down in a nonchalant way.  I determined that when he was behind a certain cedar bush, I would draw my bow.  As he approached the bush and his head was behind it, I drew.  As he came around the bush, with his head down, I saw his eyes detect the legs of my tripod and they enlarged as he followed the steps up all the way to me.  The look on his face was like "What is this and what have I done now?"  As I looked at him,  I could see the white spot under his neck.  It reminded me of the hot August evenings and the PAPER PLATE.  It was almost methodical, that I place my sight on the white spot and released the arrow.  

I heard the arrow connect and the deer wheeled to his right and sped away.  I knew that I had hit him and the reaction of the excitement and shooting a buck was almost overwhelming.  I sat in my tripod and had what we call "The Great Texas Shakedown".  The nervous tension and adrenal rush lasted 10 minutes of breathing hard and shaking before I was able to get down and go look for blood.

Starting at the place where the deer was hit, I began to look for blood.  There was not any blood to be found.  I had mentally marked his exit trail and began to walk in that direction.  It was only a few steps, did I begin to see large blood drops.  He ran toward a deep draw, crossed it entering a very large mesquite flat.  Not far from the draw, I found my blood-covered arrow.  The blood drops continued into the mesquite flats.  I followed the drops until the sun was almost down.  Knowing that my husband would be coming after me at the stand, I decided to stop and go back to meet him.  

It was dark when I met my husband.  I knew he would help me track the deer.  When he arrived, I was so excited.  He stood there with a grin on his face, enjoying my excitement and loving the story.  With flashlights, we were back on the trail.  The deer had gone a long way into the mesquite flat.  The blood trail was very strong and then the unexpected happened.  Both of our flashlights batteries simultaneously, went out.  Now we are in total darkness, with a cold front coming in and no deer.  

My husband said, "I know how to get back to the road.  Hold on to my belt."  He led me through the prickly pear and mesquite in total darkness.  He found the road by looking at the stars.  (How about that?)  Once we found the road, the truck was only a short way from it.  By now the wind was blowing 30 mph and the temperature was dropping rapidly.  He assured me the deer would be good til morning when we could see and continue our blood trail.  Never thought about changing out the flashlight batteries and returning to the blood trail.  Didn't have any batteries anyway.  We waited on daylight.  
That night was long and I couldn't close my eyes to go to sleep because of the excitement.  

The next morning, we returned to the blood trail where we had stopped.  We were only 30 yards from my buck!  There he laid.  He was a 17 ½ inch high horn 8 point.  

This was my first buck with a bow and the anticipation of finding him was well worth the sleepless night.  I will never forget this hunt nor  the walk out in the dark and especially finding him the next morning.  

The paper plate target was a great idea and it paid off!