130woodman

Al-Man Law applies here. Don't want to sack punch you or anything.

NY/Al

Haha sorry Dan, i didnt have anyone to take pics for me. I can get you a picture of the carcass, or the tub of meat???

PreacherTony

Al ..... noone believes you [:-]

130woodman

Just giving you some greif. I never took pics of my does until I was a prt of this. Just showing off my skills. Please don't post the tub of meat pic.

NY/Al

Haha dont worry Dan, didnt plan on it.[8D]

quiksilver

Well boys, I had my chance tonight. Long story, but I just pounded a really, reallynice buck - took an ugly shot, got almost zero penetration. Headed out now to track.

I was set on a field edge, watching a forkhorn in the distance, when he started acting funny. At first, I couldn't figure out what he was so edgy about, b/c I had the wind, and was in good cover.... Well, I started to put 2+2 together and realized that there might be another deer in play... Well, I tilted my binos away from my eyes and quickly found that the source ofForkie's anxiety was standing 15 yards, quartering toward my tree - a solid 120+" 5x5. I about puked.

When the big guy picked his head up to eyeball the youngster, I got to full draw,but the buck showed absolutely no interest in giving me any more vitals to shoot at, so I held for a while, and opted to take the quartering-toward shot. My arrowhit right on my mark. Thinking back, I probably held a little high, but there was a steep downhill angle. I'm guessing the arrow caught the tight spot between the spine and right shoulder blade - at this point, I'm just praying that I got some shaft through there and into the chest cavity with a couple inches of broadhead.

He took my arrow, but I'm guessing I got about 8" of penetration. From what I saw, at least. Things happen fast.

Really solid 3 year old, great character, boxy frame, just a great, great buck for my area. I'll be sick if there is no recovery . . . and I'm not feeling very good about it, to be honest.

It just sucks, b/c I hit exactly where I was aiming - there's just a lot of big bone structure in there, and I wasn't able to sneak it through.

I shot him at 6:00. At this point, he's had 4 hours. If I bump him, I'm backing out and going back in tomorrow night. However, just by the very nature of the shot, he'll either be there, or he won't. If the bone stopped my arrow before it got into the cavity, he'll be fine. IfI got a couple inchs of arrowinto the front lobes of the lungs, he should be laying within a couple hundred yards.

I'm comfortable with the whole thing. I took the shot I had, and executed it. I knew there were a lot of bones in play, and took the gamble. If I tried to let down my draw, I would have exposed myself to a whole new series of potential potholes. Ugh. Win some, lose some. He's probably either dead right now or laying in his bed with a sore-ass shoulder, wondering what in the hell just happened. Time will tell boys. If he's down, I'll be happier than a pig in new mud. It's all in the hands of the man upstairs at this point. Wish me luck...

dukemichaels

Frannie.. good luck dude.

Sorry I couldn't text this past weekend. I was in JoDavies county Illinois where the hills along the Mississippi prevent phone travel.

I'll say a prayer.. but good luck Fran.

quiksilver

No dice fellas. After the shot, heheaded straight down off the ridge, into the bottom. Good blood the whole way. After about 250 yards, he got on the opposite bank and bedded. I didn't hear him bust out, but there were a few sprinkles headed out the backside, and leading into a cornfield.

Oddly enough, despite it looking like the arrow was about to fall out just after the shot, I never found it.

The positives were that he didn't go too far before lying down. Also, the blood was better than expected. He "acted hurt" until he bedded down. There was a point where I was optimistic that I was going to find him.

Negatives: On the backside of the bed, the blood was very sparse, obviously clotting. In addition, no bubbly pink blood - just the deep crimson variety.

The verdict is that there is no verdict. Since I couldn't find the arrow, I can't measure the depth of the penetration. Likewise, the fact that he bedded is at least indicative that he felt like he was in trouble.

My next angle of attack will be gridding the cornfield and watching for crows/buzzards. I'm gonna need a break at this point, because the tracking has been exhausted. Hell of a nice deer tho. I hope he's either dead or recovering nicely. Gonna be a long night...

bloodcrick

Fran, i wish you the best dude. you may still find him. I have had my share of mishaps to, and know how it feels. My last was in 2005 on a 140" buck. It was a solid hit in the shoulder in probably to low of light to shoot. but as you said, it happens. good luck!!

rybohunter

I was in on the tracking effort with Fran last night, and likehe said for a short while I was feeling good about finding this buck. But after finding the bed, the trail went from following at a leisurely walk, to single tinydrops every 10-15 yds or more. It was about 5 hours from shot to track, and I don’t feel that we put him out of the bed. I believe he was up and out before we got there as there were no signs of a hasty exit. I believe he laid up, licked his wounds and then headed for he corn field. I am rooting for Fran to still find this buck gridding the corn, but I think he (the buck) will be chasing does in a couple weeks here.
The big mystery is the missing arrow. If it was along the trail I don’t know how we’d miss it, his wraps really lit up with out lights. But I’ve followed blood trails to dead deer in the past and kept walking the trail to find the arrow and never have, so who knows?
I feel bad, it’s a downer of a situation for him.