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Congratulation on the Axis. I think Axis tastes better than chicken.

Opening day for white tail 2022
I shot another Axis from the same stand. This one was a scrub. 120 Pounds of quartered deer to the processor. Should be able to pick it up 1st week of December.
I missed the Antler on this one. The sun was higher in the sky. My only issues were around 15 other Axis clustered around the corn feeder and I only wanted one deer. AND I didn't want to pay for another mount. 110 yards. Quartering towards me. Hit the lungs and heart. Traveled about 50 yards.

I got the mount back from the Taxidermist and hung it on the wall. The skull mount is from my first Axis. I thought the skull mount was big. I guess I didn't have the right deer for comparison.

Did he drop where you hit him or did he make the old 50 yard dash?

About 100 yards. Behind / through some brush. Not visible from the stand or the feeder but found about 2 minutes after we started looking.

They have used dogs to find deer in the past. I did some mental calculations if I had enough cash to pay for the dogs or if I was going to borrow cash from another hunter and send money from my bank.
The past quote from the dog handler is: "It's $0 so far. If the dogs get out of the vehicle, it's $300. Deer found or not."

The Axis was at the protein feeder
It is set up to throw a small amount of protein just like a corn feeder does Except that it lands in trays on the four sides. The deer had his head turned so he could lick the protein out. It was almost as if he were scratching his backside. In the dim light, I didn't realize how much the antler was in the way. Other than that, it was a perfect broadside shot.

The bullet hit the antler with a glancing blow. The maybe shattered bullet, maybe just deformed bullet, hit the side of the Axis and then the liver. The liver was shredded. There was no exit wound either in the animal or the liver. I considered it a VERY LUCKY hit.

There are plenty of game camera's near feeders on the property. This was the biggest Axis seen on camera.

While the antlers were still in velvet, there were indications it was the end of growth.

You can see the hole in the left antler in this image

Axis I shot at first light on 2021 Opening day for White Tails. Near Roosevelt Texas. Yes, he is velvet. 36" antler. Shot went through the antler into the vitals. 180 Gr. .300 Win Mag at 97 yards.