Hey everyone, sorry I wasn't sure where to put my story, so since it has pictures I decided here.

The weekend started out after work Friday when my wife, daughter and I loaded up and headed to our lease in Anderson County. It is about a two and a half hour drive to get there. Upon arriving I went to a wind favorable location and hung my climbing stand. We returned to the camp house and retired for the evening.



0500 Saturday morning the alarm goes off, not wanting to get up I hit the snooze, 9 minutes later the darn thing is screaming again. So I get up and go out side to put on my camo, ready my arrows with Rage 2-Blades, load my backpack and off to the stand I go. I arrive at the stand about 0545 and up the tree I climb. I could hear lots of movement in the woods prior to daybreak. I thought to myself this is going to be a good morning. First two weekends were not very good. As soon as it was day light enough to see a small 4-point comes from behind me and heads up my 200 yard lane (planted with Buck Forage Oats). AR county so no shot on the first deer. So I take a couple pictures.




It was an absolutely beautiful morning to be on the stand. Several more deer made their way past me, all doe and most with fawns in tow. I watched a big mature doe make her way toward me using the tree line I was in a cover. She was a shooter, had no fawns with here and look very mature. Well she was very mature, she DID NOT give me a shot.

It wasn't but a few minuted later that another doe came out of nowhere. She was alone with no fawns but didn't seem to be real old. I decided if the shot presented itself, I needed to make some jap/cheese sausage. Well as luck would play in my favor, at 0800 she presented a quartering away 17 yard shot. The Rage smacked her perfectly, or at least at this point I felt I made a good shot. I gave her thirty minutes to expire before making the descent from the tree. Made my way back to camp to notify my family I had a deer on the ground.

0915 we made our way back to the spot she was standing, found the arrow immediately, cleaned and complete pass thru covered in blood. The search is on, briars present a big problem, they are like a brick wall, no humans allowed (LOL). So we begin to look for the blood trail, NOTHING!!! Finally after about 20 minutes, I find a few drops, about 20 yards into the woods from where she was standing. However, the blood trail is increasing in volume from this point. Hind sight, the cavity had to fill up first and then the blood poured out the massive holes from the Rage. Found her expired about 40 yards in.




Just a quick little picture to tease before I continue with the other half of the circle. This was about 4 hours later in my kitchen.



Sunday morning we wake up to our dogs raising all kinds of hell. I go outside and find that my male chocolate Lab has a buck fawn trapped in the corner of our fence. First of all, we have deer all around us but have never seen one on our property. I get the dogs to back off long enough to evaluate the deer from several feet away. Deer is breathing but motionless. I go get the Rhino out of the shop and return to the deer. I picked the little thing up and placed it in the back of the Rhino. At first glance I didn't see anything to major, but then I noticed the back of his little neck was torn into the muscle.



I took him the an area of my yard that I can locked the dogs out of and placed him back on the ground. My wife propped his little head up with a towel (Not sure this helped but she needed to do it). I started making phone calls at this point 0915, first was to the Hunt Co. warden Gary Miller. He didn't answer so I left him a message of the situation. Jumping ahead, I still have not heard from Mr. Miller, damn shame if you asked me. Next I called Kaufman Co. warden Eric Minter, again no answer so I left a message. After about 30 minutes and no return call, I then called Collin Co. warden LeRoy Thompson, he answers!!! I explain what is going on and that the deer in my opinion had a chance at survival with some treatment. He said he would call me back after making a few calls. He does, after about 30 minutes and tells me Eric Minter will be contacting me. After about another hour Eric does call me. Time now is about 12 noon. Eric gives me the number to Valerie with Cross Timbers Wildlife, I leave her a message. Another hour has now gone by and still nothing from anyone. I call back Eric Minter and once again I get his voice mail. I leave another message!!! Still no word and it is now about 145 in the afternoon. My wife and I decide to go to Tractor Supply and see if we can get something for the little guy. We pick up a syringe, ProManna milk for fawns and we head back home. It is now approaching 230 and the deer is still alive and after some alone time seems to be doing better, no stress from humans maybe. When we arrive home with our supply's I get a text from Valerie apologizing for the delay but she herself had been injured and was moving slowly. She gave me the information for Bob and Cathy at Hearts-A-Fire deer rescue in Myrtle Springs. After a brief conversation with Bob it was determined that the deer needed their help. Normally they come and retrieve the animal but they were waiting on someone to drop off an animal and could not make the trip. Without hesitation we loaded up Tuff (We named him by this point) and headed to the rescue facility. Upon arrival we felt like we were a step closer to helping Tuff. There was a holding pen with several WT fawns running around and having fun, particularly this 3 legged one. Had to have her leg amputated early this year.
I know this is getting long so I will hurry it up. Cathy immediately started giving the fawn water fortified with all sorts of stuff and Tuff had no complaints about taking it. After Tuff was moved into their living room for constant care. By the time we left Hearts Afire Deer Rescue, Tuff was sitting up, first time all day, and even though he had a towel over his eyes, he was moving his head around as if he was trying to look around. My family and I sure hope he makes it.
Let me say that even though it took us from 0700 in the morning to 1730 in the evening to get this deer to a rescue, the money we spent on supplies and the gas in my truck to get him to the rescue, I would do it all over again. It was very rewarding to us to give back to the very sport that we enjoy so much.

Bob named him Ogando, all of his deer have Texas Rangers names.



I have a few more pictures but not with me at work. I will add them later.

Sorry for the long read.

If you have any extra coinage lying around, and you need a charity to donate to please consider:

Hearts Afire Deer Rescue
320 VZCR 3219
Wills Point, Texas 75169
903-865-1013

awesome man!!! that's just awesome!

Congrats on your doe and great story line!

Great story!

Good story Thanks

Great thing you did there.

Good thing you and wife did

You my friend defiantly went above and beyond. Sadly most people would have tuned their back on this animal or took it upon themselves to put that little guy out of his misery. You and you’re your wife’s efforts that you both put forth to save this deer are to be commended. THANKS TO YOU BOTH!!!

Thats greatness man...just made my day

Awesome! Keep us updated on Ogando!

Good job! Thanks!

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

That's greatness to the 10th degree. Only another deer hunter can understand this fully.
You and your family have done a great thing.

great,just great!!!!

One for the Awesome Books!

Great.

Us Hunters have huge hearts when it comes to wildlife, despite what others think of us. We just don't kill, we care, and we care a lot.

Good job,,,

My vote for greatest deer hunter of the year goes to USMarine! Awesome story Brother!

That is just plain AWESOME!

Great story glad you were able to get that buck to some help. Hopefully some rest and nuturing will get him back out soon enough.

cool!

That's cool!!! Did you ever get any call backs from the other game wardens?

I have not heard back from ANY of them. They have no idea what I did with the deer because as far as they know I still have him.

Also for those following this post. I called Bob @ Hearts Afire and he said Ogando is hanging in there. He said for a little while today he sat up and was looking around but he is now laying back down. He apparently has some respiratory issues and maybe that is how my dogs got a hold of him in the first place. Ogando is now on steroids and antibiotics and should show signs of improvement by tomorrow if all is well. If not he will go have x-rays to see what else is going on.