Dissapointed

[Pikeguy]

Well, I got out Saturday morning to bowhunt and after about three hours I got a shot at a real nice doe. I got her to stop after I drew and let her have it. The arrow hit a little high but smacked her in the shoulder pretty hard. She fell down immediately, got up and stumbled then fell again, rolling over the arrow and breaking it off. I gave her about an hour and a half before we started tracking as I was unsure if I caught vitals. We found my arrow and alot of good blood for about 50 yards then everything stopped. No blood, no tracks, no deer We swept the woods for hours, but could find no trace of her. I sure thought the shot was better Last night, my girlfriends dad, who helped me track, hit a doe and had the same problem. I hope this isn't the way the whole season is gonna go. I don't want one more animal to get away wounded as it makes me feel shi**y for a good week every time. Just venting I guess. Good luck to all you other bowhunters. Make em count!

[Robb]

That sucks man. I'll be heading out tonight and hope that it doesn't happen also. Not sure how I would handle it though I know I would be bummed out big time. Good luck next time.

Robb

[Pikeguy]

I've always been leery of gut shooting, so much so that I have a tendency to shoot forward, which really is worse. I've always found the gut shot ones Those muscle hits are just worthless. Hopefully tonight I'll get a chance to redeem myself

[bayonne]

im sure everyone has had a time when they culdnt find the deer i had one my budy found it 2 days latter with a 100 buzzards on it they wiped it clean heart shots tend to run far aswell the best ones are double lung they dont go very far

[fastribs85]

lungs shots are the best but dont worry this story is better i went to finish stand set up today saturday is opener for me  and i watched 4 deer move down a streem and cross well out of where my stand was so i checked to move it and as i was trimming branches for a shooting lane got stung by 8 bees and still tryin to find the res needless to say my sheares saw and sun glasses are in the wood hopefully i can get them tomorrow with out the bees

[Dr. IceGeek]

I lost a buck two years back.  It was a pretty good shot although I know for a fact I only got one lung as I shot down on him at about 5 yards from the base of my tree.  Arrow stuck in the ground below him. We tracked him for over 300 yards and then the blood ran out. I swear he left a gallon of blood on the forest floor...no joke.  I looked for another drop for over 3 hours and then searched for another 2 1/2 for the carcass and never found him.  That deer still haunts me to this day.  I felt aweful about it, but the only consolation was that I know it was a fatal shot and I didn't leave a broadhead in the woods as I recovered the arrow.  Still though it sucks to lose one no matter if its a buck or a doe.

[tbtool]

I shot a 6 pointer 4 years ago with my bow.  the dear was limping when it came in, i couldnt figure out why until i skun the dear when i was hanging it.  The dear had a broadhead stuck in its front shoulder with the arrow broken off at the skin.  It looked like a month old or so.  He was still walking and eating.  I had to throw the dear meat away cause of gangrene. i guess it didnt hit any vitals

[Pikeguy]

Well, there's a good chance that I saw her again last night, as I kicked up 3 deer and the lead doe was bobbing her front end. She still got out of there fast and I didn't see any blood. Hopefully, she'll offer me another shot soon so I can seal the deal and end her suffering and my questions.

[fastribs85]

thanks for the info dwayne i hit one on saturday a slight angle shot put it into the front of her from the front of her right shoulder to the back of her left almost no blood and after 3 hours of searching nothing it really bothers me that i couldnt and still havent found her or the arrow especially cause i had just put a new broadhead on and a brand new illuminock the night before 10 bucks for that thing what a waste nothin but a clean broadside shot from now on

[Dr. IceGeek]

fastribs....that's definately a low percentage shot.  Broadside or slight quartering away shots are the only one's I'll take. 

[fastribs85]

thanks what really bothers me know is i know a guy who hit one in the hind qaurtes and killed it but mine went into the chest and it didnt hardley bleed 

[fastribs85]

they tracked for for about 1 1/2 hours or so and found out today my bro was hunting the same area on tues. and noticed a gut pile down from my stand and only 1 or 2 other people hunt that small patch of woods and she was headed in that direction

[smokepole]

Deer are a tough animal.  I got one about 4 years ago that had 12 inches of arrow and the broadhead still in it, from the PREVIOUS season.  The arrow was in the loin next to the spine.  I don't remember whether it was going towards the front or the back, but either way, the hunter took a bad shot at the deer - head on or at the ass.  Either one is an irresponsible shot at a magnificent animal.  The best shot at a deer is broadside or quartering away.  With quartering towards, there is not much of an angle, and without out a perfect shot, there is too much of a chance to hit the front leg bone, or the stomach area.  Plus, the deer has a decent chance of seeing the hunter, further making it hard to hit the right spot.  Which means the deer is gonna suffer, and nobody wants that.  With a broadside or quartering away shot, the vital kill zone is at it's largest, and a good shot here means the deer is most likely dead in 10 seconds, not wandering around with an arrow hole thru the guts, or a broken leg and nasty hole in the foreleg.  I am not saying I have never made a mistake, but I have learned from them, and will not make them again.  Being pysically sick/upset for a week knowing I took a bad shot and now there is a deer out there in pain or slooowly dying will teach a lot...

[fastribs85]

thanks still bothers me on that shot but ive learnd so i will not do it again if only i can get one close enough or let alone see another one guess its also a little bit of inexperiance only my second year out with the bow and never had that problem