I hunt public land almost exclusively and saw more deer last year than any prior year, 15 inside my bow range by the rifle opener last year, none of which save one small 6 pt that I ever had a clear shot on. I let the 6 go and immediately knew it was a mistake. Didn't have another opportunity until January. Wound up making poor rifle shots on two more small bucks (on private land). Had blood on both but recovered neither. Ended the year with my head hung low and a quickly emptying freezer.

Started this bow season seeing way fewer deer. As of the eve of the rifle opener I've seen 5 deer, 2 of which I jumped either coming to or leaving my spot. None were in range. Feeling pretty desperate about my freezer situation ( I ran out about 3 months ago) I elected to go to Hollins WMA on Saturday, for the first time, because the opener there was either sex (I usually hunt Cahaba but they were bucks only) and I no longer cared, I just wanted venison.

Saturday morning was a zero. Lost count at 15 shots all around me but I never saw anything. Went into Sylacauga to grab lunch and really had no clue where to go or what to do after. Briefly thought about just heading home. Decided I was going to just head back into the WMA and just find the first place I could park at and walk in for the afternoon hunt. Walked in on logging road through some select cut pines, got to a high spot and the road ended. I could see hardwood draws coming up on either side and made my way through some chest high scrub to one of the draws. I remember wondering if I really wanted to kill anything in there because it was going to be a long hard drag if I did kill something but I kept going. As soon as I got to the hardwoods I found some kind of small acorns on the ground with poop that looked like it might have been from that morning or the previous night so I figured that was good enough. Went on up the other side of the draw to get on top of the point dividing that draw from the next so I could pretty much see most of both draws as well as the hardwood bottom. I was set up, leaning against a tree by about 2:00. I found out where all the squirrels missing from Cahaba are, cause let me tell you Hollins has plenty and the noisiest most ill tempered woodpeckers too. So I'm in a place I've never been and have no idea about so I figure why not bang some antlers together? I figured it couldn't hurt. I did that maybe 3 or 4 times during the afternoon and again no deer anywhere. It was getting real close to last light and I figured I'd hit him one last time with enough time for anything within hearing distance to come on in with enough light left to see and sure enough probably not 5 minutes later I hear something coming down the far side of the creek bottom. I see it's a deer but it takes me a second to make out bone on his head but I can't tell anything much about him and don't care (I was in zone A with no buck restrictions). I squeeze one off and he takes off running for about 50 yds. I'm certain I heard him crash but didn't see him do it.

Here's where it gets really weird. I go down to where I thought he crashed and search, and search, and search, and can't find him and worse yet don't see any blood. I went back to where I thought I shot him, and criss crossed what I thought was his path and never found a drop of blood anywhere. By now my mind is racing and that really sick feeling is coming back and I'm wondering if I missed this deer altogether or hit him some nonlethal way and there was no blood. I end up back over where I thought he crashed, just feeling awful, wondering how this could have happened again? I've just come to the conclusion that I've somehow just missed him altogether and I'm about to leave when I nearly trip over him. Needless to say, I broke into my happy dance! So I'm looking at him and I don't see an entry wound anywhere. I flip him over and don't see an exit wound anywhere! I'm in the dark flipping him back and forth and can't find anything. Now I'm starting to freak a little. The deer is clearly dead but I have no idea how? There is not a drop of blood anywhere, not on his flanks not from his nose or mouth. I start wondering is it possible I frightened him to death or did he run into a tree and break his neck? I call Southwood7 on the phone to see if he might shed some light on this and he starts telling me about a friend of his who had a very similar experience. So I'm there probing the deer's flank like SW7 said but not really finding anything. About the time I was figuring "well he's dead and that's all you need to know" I saw one little ruffled spot in front of his shoulder. I push the hair out of the way and there is a perfectly round hole in the skin the size of a 30-06. When I push on the skin the hole moves but not what's underneath.

This is my theory, I think there must be some kind of thick tendon under the spot I shot him. Tendon being comprised of many strands of fibrous material must have closed back up sealing the wound once the bullet passed. As the bullet passed through his body it hit the inside of the opposite shoulder and I guess had lost enough energy to where it was just deflected back into his chest instead of destroying his shoulder. When I gutted him he had nothing inside his chest that even remotely resembled lungs. It looked more like strawberry or raspberry preserves.

So, whatever happened, the monkey went down with the deer and it feels pretty good.

Congrats Smells glad you got him! Just curious what ammo are you using?

This was 180 gr Rem core lokt. I am thinking of going to something else though. I have had those rounds pass through without expanding before.

congrats on closing the deal!

Congrats

Go to a 150 grain 180 is a little big for my liking on Alabama deer.

Congrats. Pics

Post pics. Good ole core lokts strike again woo hoo

Congrats on the kill!

Sorry no pics, camera not working on my phone. I'm calling him a 2 year old 7 pt. I'm sure he was under 140 lbs live weight. Nothing special but he's going to eat good just the same.

Glad you found him, Smells.

Congrats buddy - glad you got you one.

Loved reading your story.

Glad you got you a nice buck for your freezer.

Good deal glad you got him. Same thing happened to me on a doe with 150 corelokts no blood, entry or exit holes me and my brother thought I scared her to death. Finally found blood after we dragged her through chest high cutover for 45 minutes. Bullet pulled hair in and plugged the hole but until that I was bumfuzzled.

Great job buddy! Glad you got the monkey off your back!

good story, good end ...

Good job! Core lok is a wicked bullet. Maybe go 150 grain but definitely stick with them if your rifle likes them.