Thanks for the clarification. I would agree that a shot right under the heart/lungs, that a deer could live. I guess it wasn't specified just where the shot was, it was just low and didn't hit vitals. I guess that when someone say vitals, I immediately think of lungs, and heart. I was thinking more that the shot could have been low, but further back, where it could have clipped intestines, etc. A shot where the deer could have lived a long time before expiring.

Not actually shooting the first shot I did not have the oppurtunity to follow the shot all the way through. From my perspective I wrongly thought the "hit" had been low and automatically went for the follow up shot that was a prayer at best. I think that subconsciously I was aware that another friend had shot a buck earlier this season that we never got after trailing for about six hours and little to no blood.

In retrospect, I think I would not be having such a hard time if we had just let the deer lie down and die. But instead we pushed it and then had the miserable experience of having to put it down 20 minutes later. This is the part that is eating me the most.

I thank all of you for your replies.

I will be taking next weekend off for sure but hopefully I'll get the drive up to get back out before the season is over. Just not to eager to go through that again and now with my confidence shot, I feel I would be better off cooling down before going back out and possibly making a mistake due to nerves and having to go through another ordeal.

If I ever hear of someone making a shot at 70plus yards again I don't think I'll ever look at them the same. I definately have a new perspective on life and hunting now. For better or for worse I can now say been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

Jolly-R:
The fact that you are so distraught over the incident says a lot about your character. We all make mistakes- you got this one out of the way, and won't make it again. You corrected the &quot;wrong&quot; by finishing off the deer and ending is pain. <font color=red> DO NOT ABANDON BOWHUNTING! </font id=red> Did you ever play Football, Lacrosse or any other contact sport? When you get the snot knocked out of ya, the best thing you can do is get back in the game. Take your bow and go hunting at the next opportunity you have. &quot;Get back in the game&quot;. You are now a better hunter for the experience. Hopefully by telling you story, you have educated someone else who won't make he same mistake, thus helping the sport.

&quot;Measure twice, shoot once <img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>
http://www.hunting-pictures.com/memb...owhunter&quot;

What was so wrong about this....

Your friend made what looked to be a bad shot on the deer. You made an attempt, and a successful attempt at that, to try and put another shot on the deer to prevent the potential loss of the animal. I don't see anything wrong with that.

High Country Archery - &quot;Driven to greater heights...&quot;

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Just not to eager to go through that again and now with my confidence shot,<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

The best thing you can for your confidence is get back out there.
Once again back to the bicycle story you have to get back on to build your confidence back up.

Sitting at home is not going to do anything for your confidence so get back on that bicycle and get back out there its the only way your going to get over this.

Jolly we actually need more hunters like you out there, the fact that you openly admit that a 70 yard shot was wrong shows that you have learned from a mistake. Obviously you are an ethical hunter who made a mistake and will learn from it. Most important of all is the fact that you did recover the deer. I(knock on wood)have been very fortunant over the years and only had to use a second shot on one animal, and that shook me pretty bad. Just one more note on myself, I have not had a bowkill yet, so I hope that by forcing my self to limit my shots to 20 yards and under(25 if deer is still and broadside)that I will still be able to say only one took more than one shot.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

Live and learn,under the circumstances you done nothing wrong IMO

dont quit Jolly...You thought she was wounded, i would have done the same thing in your shoes. You recovered the deer, so you did the right thing.

Jolly, how can your confidence be shot? You hit the deer at 110 yards and recovered it. If anything that should boost your confidence. GET BACK OUT THERE!

So, did you get to tag the doe? Get your butt out there and shoot a buck. Hunting sometimes ends with killing something. If truth be told, I'd bet many more ecounters end like yours did, with the animal knowing full well the jig is up. It's happened to me, and everyone I know at least once. It's a part of the deal.