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 It wasn't going to be a typical first day of archery season here in Michigan. I went out after work despite very bad weather that had been circling it seemed forever. There were gales blowing all day with rain and it was unseasonably cold for October 1st. I am normally sweating on the tree stand this early in the season, but that was not to be this day. The weather had been atrocious for two weeks now with nothing but clouds and cold rain. The night before, as I went through my hunting gear, I decided to wear my deep winter hunting clothes for this hunt. I was so glad I had dressed warmly, as there was no way I would miss the deer opener!
I got out to my tree stand around 4:15 AM and pulled my kit up and got myself secured. Not long after, the wind began to pick up intensity, but there was some sunshine mixed in. I worried of more rain, because if it did rain I would certainly become very cold. The trees still had many leaves so the tree canopy is very thick and not much sun gets through to the ground. What sun was filtering through did not warm things up at all. I got down from my stand after awhile and was going to call it a day due to the wind, which sounded like a freight train on a collision course. From experience I knew the deer did not like to move when the wind howled like it was today and my dismay increased because normally the wind dies down as the day moves into evening. While in my tree I observed several new scrapes and rubbed trees so I decided to look them over and then head back to my vehicle.
The scrape was not very big, but the rub was substantial. A buck really took out his energy on the poor tree. Its bark was shredded into perfect strips and shavings littered the ground beneath. I wandered around the area a bit near my tree stand observing the spoor from the very active deer population. The wind seemed to die down after a bit, so I went back up the tree.
Once resettled with my gear, I got myself comfortable again. I had made a good choice as the wind was indeed dying down nicely as the sun lowered. The woods were still very cold, but beginning to dim into sunset. Approximately forty-five minutes after retaking my stand, I heard some deer approaching although I was nearly asleep. Soon I could see them, a big doe and her weanling fawns. Perfect, I thought! I had three doe tags and my plan was to fill them as early in the season as possible. I waited for them to come in as I was going to take the doe at the first opportunity. I quietly grabbed my bow and secured my release on the string loop and waited.
 The trio came in slowly on the game trail and was just below me, around forty feet diagonally away. I watched them for awhile as they browsed and then the doe looked up at me and became nervous. I closed one eye and made absolutely no movement. Somehow, I have found that closing one eye takes some of the fear out of game animals when they spot you, but are not sure what they are seeing. The alerted doe began stamping her feet, a warning call for deer, but did not run away. I knew then she was not sure what I was so I still had a chance that she would settle. She moved away to about thirty yards, but remained within range while her fawns stayed right below me. While watching, I could hear another deer approaching from behind me, which I figured was another doe coming in. I could not move at all as I had the doe below me still trying to decide what to do with the situation. I was soon able to see the other animal coming through the brushy leaves down below on my left. The head was obscured, but I could see the large gray body and knew it was mature. I saw that the first doe was now focused on the approaching deer and that gave me an opportunity to move my head for a better view. Now I could see this was a buck, a six point buck with a small brown rack, but a big fat body.
 He came in oblivious to me and was looking the doe and fawns over. Fortunately the doe remained and forgot about me too. She was still about thirty yards away and her face blocked by some branches. Since the shot was there for the buck, I decided to give it a whirl. I was so cold; I was worried I would not be able to draw my 65-pound bow. This was the earliest I have ever had at taking a deer, let alone a buck. However, I found out that desperate people can do desperate things! I drew slowly and saw the doe look my way again. I stopped and waited and when she turned her attention back to the buck, I drew the bow fully. I began to wait for the buck to clear the tree branches. He kept standing there and I was getting tired. He was only mere feet away, so close and yet so far! I looked the branches over carefully and saw a small opening right into the vital area of the buck's right side. Within seconds I felt this was meant to be. So I picked the center of that hole out and I shot my arrow through those leafy branches into his body, the heart/lung area. He was twelve yards away and slightly quartering away. I heard the crack of bone when the arrow found its mark. He ran off and I heard him crash within seconds. I knew he was down for good. I lowered my kit down and proceeded to look for him. Light was beginning to fade, the dimming air was getting colder, and I could now see my breath as I tracked the buck.
I don't know if I shivered from the cold or the excitement of the hunt. I found my buck in the middle of a deer trail about sixty-five yards away lying on his back, all four feet in the air. This was only my second buck ever taken. Upon dressing, I found that my arrow had shattered ribs on each side, severed the aorta from the heart and took out the tops of both lungs. I shot this deer with the very same arrow and broad head (Steelforce) that killed a very big boar warthog in August while on safari in South Africa. The dried blood of the warthog mixed with the red dust of the Limpopo Valley was still on the arrow shaft. It could not be a better end to a first day hunt when all you expect is a lucky view of some distant does.
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