So what is fate? Crooked 7 end

[Roon]

This is the story of the

" Crooked 7".

He started his antlers as a 3pt. From there he became the "Crooked 6".

Last year I had him moving about 3 miles from East to West sometimes all in one day. I could have shot him many times but, always passed as I felt he was "safe" plus hopefully put Bugs on him when she got her bow license.

This year I set cameras where he was and nothing! About middle of August I put a camera about 2 miles south of where I was running the east to west cameras.

Within a week I had him again.

The week leading to youth bow we had him everyday at 435 so we set up on him and he never showed. About a week goes by nothing. I have another spot about 2.5 miles west of where we found him and he showed up there. WTF so we set up ladder stand for Bugs and we start waiting on him.

End of October we finally crossed paths at this point he had broken the G2 on his right side, Bugs said what do I do, crossbow up and on him I said I'd let him walk we always find him and he's "safe" with that she let him walk. We kept track of him all fall to the point my wife was pissed and tired of us talking about him and looking at pictures of him.

Flash forward to January, I get a snow shift for 4-12 after work.

About 5 I get a text message from my neighbor that there's a good looking Buck dead next to my house after texting back and forth with her I get a phone call from another neighbor about the deer.

I talk with him a while back and forth and he says it a 7pt with a messed up rack my heart sank. I sent him pictures and he replied I think that's him Jesus Christmas.

I called another neighbor who was on his way home from work, asked him to take a picture and send to me and if he could just drag him to my garage.

Upon getting the picture I felt better feeling it wasn't the "Crooked 7" 

I got home at 1230 and after tuning his head felt a knot in my stomach it was him.

He was hit by a car and his  G2  on the left side was now broken off with asphalt on the fresh break.

I planned on gutting  him and making a bunch of pepper sticks and summer sausage when I got him in the truck the stink in his mouth was bad, he still had body heat in his hind so not dead a different day. I figured with the hit everything ruptured and without bleeding it went throughout every mussel in his body.

With that as bad as it sounds I took his head and then put him in the woods where we first met, between the Coyotes, buzzards, bald eagle and every other scavenger he was gone in not even a week.

I then used my winter bow tag on him. 

I did a skull mount on him and fixed his broken points and he will  be in Bugs room. We actually held back talking her 9pt to the taxidermist because we were set on her shooting him and she would make the choice when he was down.

Now here's the fate. This deer was never in my development and never seen any less than a solid mile from my house so why and how the hell did he choose to die in my neighbor's yard?

Every time this deer moved we always found him, he never really had a core area he was honestly a drifter but no matter where, we always crossed paths.

Again no closer than a mile from my house yet died after a car hit in my neighbor's yard.

I feel it was  his way as saying you ain't getting me and the game is over.

My old phone got destroyed and unfortunately don't have the pictures from previous years.

Long winded but that's the story of our "Crooked 7"

After a lot of talking and looking, turns out he was hit by our local high school band teacher on his way to work,  about 1/2 mile below my house.

Yet found he energy to make it to me WTF?

In Bugs room and complete now 

 

Edited January 27 by Roon
Finish the story

[Rjtfd]

That is a great story. Glad you were able to find him and at least get closure. If you would not have had him on camera anymore you would’ve just chalked it up than another hunter must have taken him. 
Congrats

[Barney Rubble]

What a story. Thank you for sharing this. His memory will live on.

[Rusty]

Sucks that it ended that way but nice job on the mount.  

[JHbowhunter]

Cool history and I can guarantee his death had a woman in involved. (Chasing tail). 

[TDietz]

I believe in fate. I give it credit every time I kill something. Along with giving thanks to the Great Spirit. Cool story. Nice job on the repair. 

[mike033089]

That’s a wild ending

[Nomad]

Nice story.  Shows how cameras don't always give you the whole story, probably near your  house more than you thought.

[JD48]

Great story

[NeoGeo]

Very cool story. At least you got to keep a momento and return him to nature.. well most of him lol. How did your kiddo deal with it? Bit Disappointed?

[Roon]

50 minutes ago, NeoGeo said:

Very cool story. At least you got to keep a momento and return him to nature.. well most of him lol. How did your kiddo deal with it? Bit Disappointed?

When I told her you saw the color leave her face. She wanted to go out and look at him immediately. Not a happy camper that day.

[NeoGeo]

7 minutes ago, Roon said:

When I told her you saw the color leave her face. She wanted to go out and look at him immediately. Not a happy camper that day.

Understandable, part of the experience I guess. Bet she's gonna be stoked tho when she gets the nxt one! Awesome that your bringing your daughter into the hunting world. Hoping to do the same with my little girl when she's old enough.

[Jim_]

Fun read. Cool mount.

[roy381]

Crazy story, but at least you guys had finality with the buck one way or the other as opposed to never knowing.