RE: Indiana Hunters
Yep, that's completely normal! I missed the buck of a lifetime last Thursday, I attribute it to not having an exact yardage to go off of. I was estimating it and I obviously estimated low because I shot directly under him. **sigh** Oh well, and the life of a bowhunter goes on.
As for other deer and branches... my first button buck/bow kill was last year, I had a wide open shot at 15 yards to his vitals, but somehow the arrow ended up at a funky angle with only 3-4" of penetration in his BEHIND area (back upper leg/hindquarters). There is no possible way I could have made that shot from where I was, so I have to assume I hit a branch and ricocheted. I got lucky, hit his artery, he only went 40 yards, but I haven't lived it down yet.... I always get the "you shot him in the @ss" remarks from my husband and our buddies. I just have to laugh about it. LOL Because of that, I won't take a shot unless it is wide open. I hada 20 yard shot at that monster last Thursday, but it was just too close to a tree for me to take the chance. If I woulda been off an inch or two I woulda slammed my arrow right into the side of the tree... missing the buck AND ruining an arrow.
I also had a smaller buck behind my stand three weeks ago at 5 yards or so, I didn't take that shot either because the leaves were still on and I could SEE his vital area.