All hunters know Mother Nature can be a cruel mistress. Wild animals rarely pass peacefully when they die, and every so often, hunters we unfortunately get to see this cruelty firsthand. Almost every time, we're faced with a difficult decision.
In this particular case, Colton Hall of The Deer Society has spotted an old buck that's exhibiting strange behavior. The buck is bedded down when Hall sees it, so he decides to take a spot-and-stalk approach to get a closer look at a scene that doesn't seem to add up. However, when he gets closer, he can immediately tell something is wrong. He then puts a shot on the deer with his long bow, but it's not fatal. What happens next takes the hunter by surprise as the old buck turns and starts running straight at him.
While this hunt was extremely exciting, it was a tough one to watch, too. It's clear that this buck was suffering from some major problems and was never going to survive the winter in this condition. The buck had a severe infection in both eyes that basically made him blind. It's likely the buck was not charging the hunter, but likely did not know he was running straight into danger. This coincidence ended up being a blessing in disguise as Colton was able to drive the second arrow home and help put the animal down for good, ending his suffering.
From the appearance of this buck, he appears to be an old forest warrior, well past his prime. If we had to guess, his eye injuries were likely sustained by fighting with another animal. Had Hall not located this deer, the coyotes would have, and this deer's end would have been so much more excruciating. We must agree with Colton that this is what it is all about. How can you not admire the will to live in these animals after watching something like this? We're glad that Colton was able to mercifully put this animal down and instill in us an even greater respect for these animals.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
