RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

The only thing that I don't understand is this:

And then this:

The two statements don't go together.

If you hit in the leg, and there was snow, was there any indication of limping or dragging. Should have been.

If you hit as stated in the first post, low boiler room,you may have not gotten enough penetration to get both lungs. Or because of the angle, you may have only gotten one. A single lunged deer will also act as posted. The blood will also be a bit different then a double lunged deer.

How was the deer standing when you took the shot?

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

Forgive mebut and I don't want to answerfor tschaef but there have been times where I have replayed a shot in my head and have been wrong as to aspects of a shot. It sounds that the first quote is the "knee jerk reaction that we get" and then the second is the was " after replaying the shot."

Tschaef you made the attempt to find the deer and in my opionion you have beat yourself up pretty good. Live and learn and now you can turn a bad experience into a positive lesson

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

Bob-Co, low chest was my 1st thought, thats what I thought I saw, however I shoot a slow bow and the deer was already starting to react by the time the arrow hit him.
You do make a good point about limping, there was no indication of limping or dragging that foot.
Whenhe ran away I couldn't see my arrow till he had his back directly to me, about 80yrds away, just before he entered the treeline, all I saw was the fletching flailing around.
I was at full draw when I stopped him with a grunt, so he was only still for 1 second before I released.

The thing is I am positive that I didn't hit high, or too far back, the fact that he didn't bed for over a mile whithout getting pushed convinced me that I didn't penetrate the chest cavity. Coupled with muscle blood in one hoof print, and dark hair found near the shot location, I figured I must have hit the bi-cep.

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

You respected the animal by searching long and hard. Ive lost a few animals too, the important thig is you looked and searched. Some guys would give up early and get back in the stand. That being said,get over it , get off the computer and get back on stand!

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

I haven't lost a deer yet but am sure it will happen some time and I will beat myself up just like you are I'm sure. It sounds like you gave a great effort in tracking him nothing to beat yourself up with anymore.

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

Sounds like you hit him in the leg. I think that he will make it...dont be so hard on yourself. You looked hard for it and found no evidence that he might be dead. Hopefully next year you will shoot a big boy and find your broadhead in his leg!

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

I'll call you a name........Bowhunter !! It is bound to happen at some point and time in every bowhunters life. We don't have to like it, but we do have to accept it. But I commend you for searching for the deer the way you did. I wish you had recovered it, as I am sure you wish that even more, but sometimes it just doesn't happen.

Chin up, and use it as a lesson to stay within our own limitations and our own better judgement.

Good hunting and God bless

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

sam ething happend to me this year except i hit mine high i got over it and hope that is the only one in my bowhunting career but it probably wont be ( it was also my second animal and it was a 140s class 10 point)

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

no need to beat yourself up for it man, get over it, move on and go give it another try

RE: My consience is killing me (really long)
 

I'm still thinking single lung though. Deer reaction sure seems like it. They will not bed and will travel long distances on one lung. They do not feel sick, so besides not bedding, they will also not seek water. I would think you would have had a passthrough even at that range at a leg muscle or even leg bone. And you would have seen some scuffs or dragging in the tracks. Since the arrow never came loose (you would have found it easily in the snow) I assume it was burried in heavy bone. But who really knows.

Still wondering how the deer was standing in relation to you. Broadside, quarting to/away, etc.

I believe the deer could survive either hit. But it will make him more open to predators.

When you activiely participate at mother natures table, things are like this are decided by her. So let it be, learn and move on.

This may be a good time to read the book "Tracking wounded deer" by Trout. There is some great stuff in it.