Date: November 22nd, 2009

On November 4th, 2008, I fell 28ft from a tree stand hunting deer, suffering a spinal cord injury at T8/9... Luckily, actually, I'm still here even though I probably should be dead!! But I love hunting so much, I vowed I would get back at it.

On November 22nd 2009, I shot this 8 pointer from my wheelchair with my crossbow... It was one of the best feelings I have ever felt. I think I was just trying to prove to myself I could do it, and I did! I had great help, after I drug it out with my wheelchair, from friends and family. They were actually more happy than I was I think. I just wanted to share it with those who hunt.

Good hunting!!!

As far as the hunt goes: I had seen a few does that morning at around 7:00 and after that nothing, so I resigned myself to the fact that my season was over and decided I to leave, so at 8:30ish I started packing everything up to go. I had set my crossbow off to the side and was rolling up my camo turkey blind I was using to hide my chair. I then noticed a doe coming my way up the trail and I decided I would shoot her if I got the chance. She looked over to her shoulder and at that point I thought there might be a buck trailing her. Sure enough, there was! I was all the way reclined back in my chair as I had leaned it back to pick up a piece of a candy wrapper I'd dropped earlier, so basically I was laying down in my chair. I carefully reached to my side for my bow and he looked at me, but only for a second as I had a decoy out and he spotted that too and wasn't too happy about it being there. I use a decoy all the time no matter the season, and I use it mostly to distract the deer from me. My X4 is tough to fit in a blind, so I set up in a natural blind behind a downed tree. I knew he was going to go down wind of my decoy and if he got too far he would wind me, so I mustered all the strength I had to sit up and get my crossbow out front and ready for a shot. I had already put up my shooting sticks away so I'd have to shoot him free hand. I mouth grunted him to a stop at 40 yards. He stopped and looked at me. I shot.

Crossbows thump really loud when an arrow is released, and at the shot he jumped forward and blew and started to turn away to run. My arrow hit him back since he jumped forward but I hit him in the femoral artery as I saw plenty of blood coming out as he bolted off. But I still wasn't sure if I got him good enough. I called some of my buddies and waited there in my chair 'til nearly 10:30 to go look for him. During that time I cried my eyes out. I really did, just sat there and cried. I had done it! I had been hunting hard, and for some stupid reason I felt I had something to prove. I'm not even sure to whom, but I just had so much pressure lifted off myself. It all went away with that one shot. Long story short, I found him and dragged him out with my X4, then a close friend of mine came and helped me do the rest. I have shot bigger deer before my injury and have never had any of them mounted, but you can bet this one is going right above my fireplace. I am just so lucky, so lucky to be alive, and so lucky to still be able to hunt!