Has anyone....

[bowtech.tribute]

Ever shot and wounded a huge buck and stopped hunting?

[mobow]

Huge? No, but why should size matter?? I shot a smallish 8 pt 2 years ago and never found him. I've also shot 1 doe and didn't find her. Did I stop hunting? No. Did I want to? Yes, briefly. It's a very discouraging thing to be sure.

[whitetailbowhunter]

I shot a doe and never found her did I stop? no. Did I want to? yes briefly then it passed. I agree with mobow it is very discouraging and you loose confidence in yourself for a while but you get back up and learn from your mistakes.

[Bullet Hole Bailey]

I myself have never wounded a deer and never found it (knock on wood) but i have had a tought time with turkeys.....I have shot and lost 2 and possibly 3 but the one wasnt hit hard at all so he might still be runnin around.

It made me feal so horrible and I truly almost stopped bowhunting but I cam back getting HUGE toms the next 2 springs so you just have to learn from your mistakes...

[gmil6184]

Nothing huge but the first two deer that i shot arrows at (both smallish bucks) I hit but never recovered. The first shot i thought i put right on the money, the second one I made a bad shot and hit him back farther then I wanted. I nearly hung the bow up and stopped going, it is a terrible feeling to hit one and not find it. I started to doubt my equipment, and worst of all I started to doubt myself. Took me a couple more years before I finally my first one two years ago. It was a little button buck but he gave me a perfect standing broadside shot and I smoked him with a complete pass through and he dropped within 30 yards. Some might roll their eyes at shooting a button buck but I was real proud to finally have it all come together. In a way those earlier bucks were good for me, as much as it made me sick at the time it has made me a better bow hunter. I am extremely picky about my shots now and I shoot year round.

[LittleChief]

Nope, but I've shot and lost a big buck that made me hunt even harder.

[mauser06]

i hit the first deer i ever shot at with my bow. never found him. was sick. actually had pics ready for Ebay or somewhere...couple guys on here talked me outta giving it up..and im glad i didnt. convinced the deer lived...but still made me sick...

[nodog]

No and do you think they would be here if they did? I wouldn't.

[wisbowhunter2009]

well i shot a pretty big one in the shoulder and that night it rained out so ic ouldnt find it, i got really down on myself and never went out for a couple weeks after that...