Went on my first bowhunt: here's how it went.

J162 · 10-26-2010, 05:03 AM

Well I woke up at 4 am and was in the stand by 6 am. Then I waited for an hour and then 2 turkeys came in. I’m practicing at 15 yards and I was surprised that I was able to pull back my bow undetected. Then a doe came in but the turkey’s scared her off. Then I went in at 9 pm and went back out and was in the stand by 3 pm. By then it was raining so I kinda liked that. I waited in the stand for 2 hours and then 2 does came in

It was really hard to get them both with their heads down but finally they both did and I pulled back my bow. Unfortunetaly I was so excited and I forgot basically everything I learned while I practiced. I hit one of them and she bolted into the woods. I then waited and then went back to my friends house to have him help me find it. We searched for 2 hours not finding any blood but we did find hair so I know I hit it. Then the next day 6 of us went out and looked but couldn’t find it. I guess you can't win t hem all

V8Ranger · 10-26-2010, 06:00 AM

That bites...... Better luck next time... Do you know where you hit her???

J162 · 10-26-2010, 06:11 AM

I'm a little fuzzy on that part because I was so excited. But I think that I hit her near the back of the lungs. Some other hunters think it was a liver shot. I don't know really.

kenman · 10-26-2010, 06:20 AM

What did your arrow look like, what kind of blood was on it??? That is the first piece of evidence of the type of hit. Lung blood looks a heck of a lot different than liver blood. With either lung or liver hits though, you would have found more than hair IMHO.

J162 · 10-26-2010, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenman

What did your arrow look like, what kind of blood was on it??? That is the first piece of evidence of the type of hit. Lung blood looks a heck of a lot different than liver blood. With either lung or liver hits though, you would have found more than hair IMHO.

You're probably right on that.

But the arrow never went through her. Like I said it wasn't a perfect broadside shot and I was a little hasty in the shot. It definetaly went over half way into her though. But she ran away so fast I barely had time to see where the arrow hit.

UPHunter08 · 10-26-2010, 10:22 AM

It's too late for this deer, but you might want to try out a Luminok (or something similar) if you're having trouble remembering exactly where you hit the deer. Having the nock glow brightly upon impact, even if for only a moment, is far more effective at searing the image of the point of impact into your memory than the quick glimpse of a regular nock (that you might not even see because it happens so fast). I shot one with a Luminok earlier this season for the first time, and it was really easy for me to recall exactly where I hit it.

I won't shoot a deer without a light up nok, now that I've tried it.

J162 · 10-26-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UPHunter08

It's too late for this deer, but you might want to try out a Luminok (or something similar) if you're having trouble remembering exactly where you hit the deer. Having the nock glow brightly upon impact, even if for only a moment, is far more effective at searing the image of the point of impact into your memory than the quick glimpse of a regular nock (that you might not even see because it happens so fast). I shot one with a Luminok earlier this season for the first time, and it was really easy for me to recall exactly where I hit it.

I won't shoot a deer without a light up nok, now that I've tried it.

So those nocks are worth the money?

Hey i noticed you're in Wisconsin so am I

UPHunter08 · 10-26-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J162

So those nocks are worth the money?

Hey i noticed you're in Wisconsin so am I

Heh...I kind of laugh when people balk at the cost of them. They'll spend $400-800 (or even much more) on a bow, another each $10+ on arrows (not including broadheads)...but hesitate to spend $10-20 on a couple of Luminoks (you really only need 1 or 2).

As with everything, it's subjective, but given the amount we spend on everything for archery gear, IMO it's money well spent for something that let's you know without a doubt where you hit a deer. The one I hit in September didn't drop in sight of my stand, but I knew right away I had double lunged it based on seeing where it hit, so I didn't have to wait very long to pick up the trail (only went 100 yards). I can't speak for you, but I know that my bow is fast enough that if I shoot something in low light conditions, it's going to be really tough to know where I hit it given how fast things happen in that moment of truth.

I say spend $10 on one and see if it works for you if you're curious about them.

How's the rut going in your neck of the woods? Still pretty quiet up here (near Green Bay), but I think it's about to heat up once this front passes through.

woodyw333 · 10-26-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J162

So those nocks are worth the money?

Hey i noticed you're in Wisconsin so am I

I personall do not like them.. While yes you can see where your arrow hits and where it goes, idk what it was but they just didnt fly right for me. I was ok at 20 yards but from 25 out would aim for center mass of target and would hit all over the place.. I even replaced my arrows thinking spine was too low and still had same afffect.. I would rather loose an arrow then sacarfice accuracy.. To each their own...

ISHAMKBJ · 10-26-2010, 03:27 PM

Ok need some advice.....I do not bow hunt, but my son does. This is his second year and he has gotten a shot at two different bucks in both years. In both instances he hit the deer and we found blood, but we did not recover the deer. We looked hard each time, but had no luck. My main question is about the penetration of the arrow. On both bucks he did not get really good penetration. Although, last weekend he hit the buck in the shoulder quartering away and got about 8 inches of penetration. We found some good blood, it was bright red, but it stopped bleeding or we just couldn't find anymore. We looked for 2 and half hours Sat. night and 3 hours Sun. morning and found nothing. It rained so we had no blood trail Sun. morning. Sorry if this is getting long, but I really would like to know how is the arrow speed determined and does that directly correlate with a pass through for your arrow? He shoots at 50lbs if that makes sense. Any advice would be appreciated!!!!