This is my third year bowhunting. Last year I took my first shot at a whitetail deer, and I missed him. A couple weekends ago I was out hunting. I was in my stand all day. I saw two does first. Then at about 6:00 pm i saw a little 3x2 buck, he hung around the stand for awhile he checked a scrape and was just dinking around, then a small 4x4 came in. Meantime I am thrilled,the two bucks start a light session of sparring, the 3x2 backs down and the little 4x4 shows his dominance of the little buck. They start feeding in a stubble field, and i am watching and grunting a little just to see how they will react. By now I am just thrilled, i am having the time of my life watching these bucks, its about 730 now and I turn around in my stand because the bucks have gotten out of view and i see a really nice deer, long tines and wide as his ears, coming my way right to the scrape only 13 yards in front of me. He stops broadside I draw my bow and take the shot. He takes off running straight out of the trees. I get down a little bit later to check my arrow, it was a complete pass through and good blood on the deer, i assume its a good hit. I go get my ride and he comes to hlep me track the deer, unfortunately it was getting really dark and we were haveing a hard time so we decided to wait until morning and try again. this would also give him time to expire. The next morning we go out again. He asks me if i remember where he ran to, but i got too excited and xidnt see, plus it was pretty thick in there, another learning experience for me, watch where the deer runs then celebrate later. Adn the blood trail was no where to be found, it must have rained or somethinng that night. So we walked every trail looked at every possible sign and we spent hours and hours and hours out there looking for the buck almost all day. And never found it, i dont know if i didnt make a good hit and he lived(hopefully) or we just didnt find it, we walked every coulee, draw, field everything and nothing, I did kick up one really nice buck that it couldhave been, i hope so anyway.

what can i do better for next time?
am i a bad hunter cause i didnt find it?
can anyone help me, give me a few hints or tips on tracking deer after the shot, night or day?
Please help me.


I just updated my website. Go check it out. I have big bucks, paintings, my drawings and more. Sign the guestbook while there.

www.geocities.com/mvp_bballer/

JC