A question some older members here can answer...
 

Do the stories on this forum about hitting and loosing deer outnumber by 2 or 3 to one the stories about harvesting deer EVERY single season? I havent kept track but it seems that way this fall. I know people dont report every deer they take on here, but if you look at just big bucks thats still about the average. it makes one think[:'(]

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

yes we get alot of that every year...but thats the reality of hunting. happens even MORE then you think..more then people that come forward. i give props to the guys that come forward...they are almost ALWAYS asking questions on tracking and how to find their deer..instead of the guys that stick em and dont give a fighting chance at finding the deer they shot. atleast the guys here TRY to find their deer....some guys just dont practice enough or know their own limits...other deer jump or duck or the infamous invisible twig get in the way or buck fever or a number of things can happen...if you hunt long enough you too will make a bad hit..sometime youll find the deer if you play the cards right..other the deer will be lost..sometimes the deer will be fine....

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

Well remember most of the I lost him threads are

My Brother, Uncle, Dad and friend not members here[&:]

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

They pop up a lot this time of year, yes. My first year on the boards I even had a "help me find this deer" thread. Not a ton we can all do but help think through the details. It is unfortunately part of hunting.

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

Yea I guess that is true:eek:....

Believe me, I am not claiming to be better than everyone. Bad hits happen, I have done it, it just seemed excessive.

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

Also a lot of the questions are from new members..perhaps they are searching on the net for some help..which is good, and this web site pops up on a earch engine so they log on sign up and ask if we can help.

You know how it is ..you've just hit a deer maybe your first..now it's dark outside what to do? where to turn? Well the logical step is the internet at least you feel like you're doing something!

That's not to say this doesn't happen to expirienced guys cuz it does or will..but be mindful of thier total post count when you psycho-analyze the site.

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

Joe RE.....theres more to huntin than firing a gun or bow...its not like TV where everything goes down within camera rangeafter being hit....... tracking should be first and foremost in hunter education.... LEARN TO TRACK before you learn to kill....other wise...................??????

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

Yea there are a ton of lost one threads every year. In years past it has come to a head and big arguments ensued. Things have toned down some. I hate seeing them, IMO there is almost never anything that can be done to help someone that isn't already posted in the tracking thread.

I kept track one season way back....never again.

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

You gotta also remember that there are way too many people out there who would rather say they 'stuck one' and lost it, rather than admit they didn't see hide nor hair of a deer all season. They seem to think it doesn't make them sound like near as much of a failure as a hunter.

Not to mention that some of them are really suspect... Animal rights twirps who flood the forums with tales of wounded and lost deer, trying to make bowhunting look bad.

But then, there have been respectable studies conducted that show a wound/loss ratio upwards of 25%, and that's way the heck too high. Bottom line, a lot of these stories are true, but a whole lot more are male bovine excrement.:eek:

RE: A question some older members here can answer...
 

I truly believe that it has to do with people not practicing enough during the off season with hunting clothes, from treestands, and with broadheads.

I also think a factor is people overestimate their maximum effective ranges on live animals. I'm a pretty good shot according to most people I've shot with. I can shoot 3" groups at 60 yards in the yard. However, I almost lost a nice buck this year because I chose to stretch my maximum range a little bit (he was 35 yards). Luckily I got him (the one in my avatar) but I vowed never again to shoot anything over 30 yards and preferably 25 yds or less. I've double lunged all 4 deer that were less than 20 yards. The first time I took a 35 yard shot I had to track it for 2 days! Never again....