Buck Deer

When I got home from work on Tuesday, there was a four-point buck in the orchard.  It was nearly dark and difficult to see where it was headed, but I chased it briefly.  It hit the fence and bounced off, allowing me to zero in.  Seeing the light beyond the chain link gate, it turned and ran for the street.  The gate was, however, closed and the deer bounced again, losing its footing.  This time I was right behind it and grabbed some firewood to throw.  It was, as I said, dark, and I don't have a very good arm, so I'm not sure I even hit it.  But, it didn't get up.  I figured it was stunned and would stagger away eventually, so I went in the house.  In the morning, there it was, stone cold.  I don't really know what killed it.  Theories abound.  One of my colleagues focused on the firewood and praised my rather prehistoric ability to thump my prey.  Others, knowing my short-temper and unfriendly demeanor, felt that I had scared the poor thing to death.  My brother-in-law guessed that it somehow broke its neck when it hit the gate.  That seems like the most plausible explanation.