This is a subject that most of us would rather forget, but I think we all could learn alot from information involving poor hits that may benefit us and others in the future. I've got25 years of bowhunting behind me and as I sit here and read some of the "poor hit" posts, it got me thinking back at some of my own "poor hits". As we all consider a gut shot a "poor hit" it definately is a killing shot. In this post I would like to hear about your lethal"non-abdominal" hits. As I was thinking back, I came up with 3 of my "poor hits" where the arrow did not penetrate the abdominal cavity but the animal was still recovered.

#1) Arrow hit hind leg, I remained on stand for 1 hour, as I stepped out to take up the trail, I heard a stickcrack and turned towatchthe buck walk in and fall dead only 20 yards from where he had been hit.

#2) Still hunting in a creek bed, a buck walks up on me. I release the arrow at 10 ft. and drive it into thebrisket. Too far forward, thebuck sprints about40 yards and piles up in a heap. Absolutely no blood inside the chest cavity upon field dressing.

#3) 40 yard shot, half past dark, can't see where the arrow hits. The buck runs about 30 yards and stops. I watch through binoculars as he stands there. He starts to cough! Iknew I had him then, but still did not know where the hit was. After 15 min. of coughing, he starts walking back towards me in the dark andfallsonly 15 yards away. Arrowsevered the wind pipe!

Believe me,it kills me to acknowledge these poor hits, but if it will help someone recover an animal after such a hit then it was all worth it. None of these hits resulted in any blood in the abdominal cavity but deadly none the less!