nzarcher

SB. I think it is great that you went to such lengths to try and find that deer and i i'm sorry the story didn't have a better ending for you. I to have been in that situationn and it sucks but has made me want the perfect shot placement even more. I feel your pain but please realise that many of us bowhunters are sure that this deer suffered only a flesh wound and he will be bigger and better next season. Keep your head up and happy hunting.

BigJ71

Judging by this quote, I would say you probably hit him in the opposite shoulder area, this would explain the limp.

Again judging by this quote, I don't think you hit any vitals.

The deer will most likely live through this and I admire your persistance looking for this deer. I do think you aimed too high and too far forward for that close and steep of a quartering away shot. LikeDavid wrote, you should have been aiming for the last rib center mass. This would have put your arrow right straight through the boiler room and guaranteed a solid hit.

As far as going after himafter only 2 1/2 hrs,next time take what happened and what you saw into consideration before you start your search. What happened: After the shot, the deerkicked then limped away from you, never going down and never ran. What you saw: Red blood on your arrow, not bubblyand not much of it.

These two things should have told you that the deer was not hit well at all. At this point you should have given him more time, odds are he may have stuck around, gotten tired andbedded down within a few hunderd yardsmaybe evenexpiring....maybe not but either way you would have stood a better chance if finding him and knowing for sure.

GMMAT

Atlas and BigJ:

Atlas, first....I've been humbled like you'd never believe.....but David must not have read the entire thread before posting. If it had been lung blood (and I do know that it's pinkish and bubbly) I think I'd have known it. We mention a few times throughout the thread that the blood was very crimson red. So...when I asked the question about the blood color....I was trying to make a point.

You took me out of context, Atlas....and spun my words to make me look foolish. There's another "wow". Status quo.

BigJ:

Again.....back in the heart of the thread I mentioned that we had a front coming through. I understand about the wait. I do. I just knew we had IMMINENT rain coming (100%). It didn't disappoint. It started during our search......and rained for 33 hours, straight. I appreciate the reminder, though. We had to make a decision.

Jeff

GMMAT

In "Atlas" format....

I won't/didn't dismiss EVERY option. I dismiss the ones that add conjecture. I always have.

I have learned a LOT from people here. When someone adds something to the element that doesn't belong .....solely for the reason of making me look the fool.....I discard it. I know there were things I did wrong. I admit them. I've apologized to my God. I've apologized to my son. I've asked myself for forgiveness. I've wondered how that animal was feeling in its bed. Don't you think for a SECOND I don't want to know what I could have done differently.....but don't also take my words out of context to make me feel any MORE a fool. I'm not one. Instead of telling me what I did.....ASK me if I COULD have done this. I'll tell you "Yes"....if it's so. "No"....if it isn't. I am a man. I'm not flawless. I'm not stupid, either.

I just don't know how you could keep saying things like this to another man. When I speak of my aim point.....it's in vague language. If I aimed at the shoulder....I'd tell you I did. If I aimed above the shoulder and back of it....I'd tell you. I did. I aimed JUST above the joint on the front leg......and back behind it. I really don't think this is a stretch, guys.

I guess, as in business, I listen to advice of those that I trust and that have my best interest a heart (or my business...you could insert the animal, here, to draw a corellation). I listened to many.....but stopped when the "advice" got to nothing more than a finger pointing exercise and a chance to tear someone down by twisting their words.

BTW.....I think this is the first time I've seen you post since GHemry handed you your axx by catching you FLAT OUT lying about shooting a spike that you thought was a doe (and failed to properly identify). Nice shooting, Tex.....and keep up the great advice.

Jeff

MichiganArcher

Alright, who woke Atlas up?

hoyt3

in reply to the listening for crows and vultures. this is a good thing to listen for. two seasons ago I got into my stand, but my bow came off the pull string. unknown to myself, the sights had been pushed about an eigth of an inch to the right. a big doe came in right at dark. I shot, and couldn't believe that my arrow went through the guts. I watched her and listened. Nothing. the arrow smelled like arss. I didn't even bother looking for blood. I pulled out and went home. came back at dawn and started the search. it wasn't an easy tracking job. I kept hearing crows cawing and going mad. I remember hearing folks say to listen for them. long story short, I found her under the crows. gut shot for sure, but she didn't go but 80 yds. I hope you find him. I lost a deer last year for the first time in a long time. I was sick, took off work looked everywhere even with my dog like you did. I never did find her. Makes you sick, but nearly all hunters go through something like this.

bjanakos

I am willing to bet that this is because you waited all night instead of jumping her. What is the rest of the story? Did the crows ruin your kill? Or was it a good recovery?

I lost my very first deer. I was in a ground blind in hit one (Muzzle Loader) about 20 yards out right in front of me. Dropped like a rock. She was laying there dead as a door nail. There were a few more does in the distance, they got startled by the shot, but went back to feeding and they were comming our way. My Father-in-law with with me and we still each had a tag left. We thought we were cleaning up that night.

A buck comes out about 30 yards out and was making his way past us. I was the only one with an either sex tag and he was all mine. I needed him to come about another 5 feet to the left for a perfect shot when out of no where, the doe I had shot sprang to life like she was touched by the finger of God. She got right up, turned, and ran like there was no tomorrow. And you guessed it, she scared off every other deer out there.

We were both quiet in that gound blind and have idea what spooked her to get up like that. It was a little smokey for me after the shot, but my Father-in-law said it was a perfect hit. There was a nice pool of blood shere whe was laying and another small pool from her mouth. My guess is that they dont always stay where they lie even if someone doesn't jump them.

There was not much blood to be found and we tracked the next morning for a few hours. We concluded that she probably ran to the next property. It is a Native American reservation and they don't give permission to track your kills.

Sorry to hijack, I just wanted to share a similar situation and hope that SB doesnt give up hunting!

GR8atta2d

Bjankos, I just read, in one of the magazines this month, that the ones who drop immediatley are the ones you gotta keep an eye on. If the shot is not one that is fatal, they fall out of shock and can often get awayy while the gaping mouthed hunter is still relishing in his shooting ability.

atlasman

Good.................how you react to that humbling will decide if it makes you a better deer hunter or not..........that's up to you.



If you had known what the blood was and more importantly what that meant you would never have done what you did after the shot. I don't think anyone can assume you know something when your story reads FULL of errors every step of the way.


Again, you demonstrate an uncanny defensive posture. Some day you will realize that people here are trying to help you...........I hope. No one is trying to make you look foolish or feel any worse.

Germ

Some do not have to try, it just comes naturally!