That sick feeling...
 

I can't believe I'm sitting here, having to type this...

Anyway, on Friday I left work about 11:30am to make the evening hunt in NW Oklahoma. I met my friends at about 2:30, showered and headed to my favorite tree (yes Buckeye... the same tree). I had to hang my stand becausedifferent circumstances have kept us from making it up there this year. By 5:30 I'm hung, strapped in 23' above the groundand ready to go.

I had seen several deer early but no mature does offered a shot, just before the sun went down behind the trees I saw that familiar "white shine" about 300 yards on the opposite side of the creek (on the photo below, that is where the white line starts). Immediately I knew he was a shooter, and as I followed him down into the creek I saw more (different) tines in the creek. A quick survey through the binos revealed a very tall, narrow,light antlered deer with excellent tine length. The second buck was an exceptionally clean eight... this deer had the ENTIRE package. I won't discuss scores since I can't show him to you... but you get the idea.Anyway, the deer (five bucks total) cross the creek and head towards me (again this is the white trail on the photo). The two larger deer gave a "whoopin" to about 6 trees in their 300 yard journey to my stand. The little bucks crossed the fence first and were followed by the two bigger deer. They milled around for a couple of minutes and the tall buck took the lead and stopped to look back where they had come from. At this point all 5 deer turned and looked directly away from me. I calmly drew back and settled my 30 yard pin behind the shoulder of the big 8pt, and curled my finger around the trigger.

My slick trick went in high, directly above the "pocket" behind the shoulderand lodged into the offside shoulder, immediately I was sick. The deer left in pretty much the same direction they had come (the green line represents the path my deer took when he left). I knew that I had punctured the offside lung but wasn't sure if I had gotten the front lung. As I watched him reach about 200 yards, I knew I didn't get both and the sick feeling really kicked in. I lost him before he got to the creek and was hoping that he had bedded down next to the creek.

For the next 45 minutes I sat replaying the scenario through my mind... over and over and over. "What did I do wrong?" Saturday morning I ranged the spot and it was about 26-27 yards depending on the exact spot he was standing. I knew to back out and not push, "if he's dead now, he'll be dead in the morning" I told myself. So the next morning I climbed in the stand without my bow and waited for daylight as my buddies were still hunting. I said a quick prayer and repelled down the tree to begin the search.

I found the arrow about 30 yards across the fence, broke off about 8" from the end. I followed tracks for another 50 yards where I found excellent blood. I was able to walk at full stride for another 50 yards and the blood stopped, completely. I followed his tracks another 30 yards until I found some blood, muscle tissue, and hair on a thorny bush. Then I followed his tracks across the creek and up into the shinery on the other side, still no blood. I lost his tracks when he got into the hard ground with grass. My buddy and I searched all morning to no avail. Saturday evening I sat in a ground blind a couple hundred yards from the creek hoping to year some coyotes or something, and again no luck.


Then this morning my buddy offered to give up his hunt to help me find my deer, so we grid searched for 5 hours over a huge area and came up empty handed.Before daylight I snuck in andsat up on top of a big sand/sage hill hoping to see coyotes as the sun came up or buzzards or crows and again nothing.

Again needless to say, I still feel sick.Not only is it disappointing to lose the deer, butknowing that Iprepared correctly shooting 1000's of arrows a year and backing out after seeing the hit, and searching for 2 full days is eating me alive. I understand that it happens, but man... this sucks! I know these threads aren't looked upon very highly, but I had to get it off my chest a little. What did I do wrong? Any suggestions? I'd show an aerial of the area but it doesn't come in clear in on google earth.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Again, sorry to hear about the lost buck Dustin. I know it is a frustrating time for you. The only thing I can think of that might help next time, is do you have a range finder to pinpoint yardages ahead of time? I am always ranging objects around my stands so when a deer does come in I know what the range is for sure. That gives me an extra level of confidence when a shot does present itself.

But it sounds like you did everything you possibly could have to find this buck. Unless it is legal to use a tracking dog for wounded deer. That is an option we have when I hunt in IL. I know a couple of guys that have told me, if I ever loose one to give them a call. Their dogs can really find them, blood or no blood. You can bet i keep their numbers on speed dial.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

My friend, I mean this from the bottom of my heart. SOMETIMES........you do everything exactly right, and things just don't pan out. From what I know of you, and what I justread......you did everything right.

Deer are amazing creatures. They spend their entire lives surviving, and they get pretty gosh darn good at it. I'm very sorry it happened, I know exactly that sick feeling you speak of.

Pick your head up and get back at it bud.

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RE: That sick feeling...
 

Dustin, there's really no words that will make that feeling go away. I know that and you'll live that one forever or at least every time you sit in that tree.

At this point it's probably mute but I do know there are some guys down in OK that have tracking dogs. I'm not sure of your laws regarding it but I do know there are guys down there. When all else fails, it's worth a shot. I had some guys call me the other night. It's not legal here in PA but I feel it's the ethical thing to do. Where those guys found last blood and after 3 hours found nothing, My little Axel took those guys another 200 yards on blood they never found. We had to quit when we entered a pasture and the cows were harassing my dog....Plus we didn't want to harrass the cows. The next day he found more and followed it to no avail. We honestly think that deers alive. Without my dog, they wouldn't have had that opportunity.

Your buck could still be alive as well..it's tough to say but I hope you see him again. Good luck.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Thanks guys. I may leave work early tomorrow and and make the long venture up there again to see if I can see buzzards, crows or yotes.

JM- I did rangeobjects around me, but in the past three years I've never been offered a shot at that point because the deer are always facing me. Unfortunately, I know the distance now. Also, there is a branch that was there last year and isn't this year, so between those to reasons I didn't even think of ranging it. It was kind of like a "pre-conscience" that says "you can't shoot back there."

Droptine- I'm 100% positive they were his tracks, all the other deer went left where he turned back towards the creek and they were the same set before I found blood, during the blood, and after the blood (at least to the creek). And I assure you I looked in the THICKEST stuff... everywhere. I did walk back and forth quartering into the wind hoping to smell a stench, but it was unsuccessful.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

I think there are likely three types of hunters in this world.

1. People who've experienced something similar to your situation.
2. People who've done so, but won't admit it.
&
3. People who've not had enough opportunities, YET.

I'm sorry this happend to you. I lnow exactly how you feel, but can find nothing wrong with your scenario, as described. Only YOU can determine how much you feel like you should do to try to recover this deer....if the evidence before you tells you he's dead.

I don't have anything else to say, except...I'm sorry it went down like this. Good luck the rest of your season.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Sure sounds like a dead animal to me.

But like you stated, going back tomorrow and looking for buzzards is a good plan. Not always do things go to a "T"; and those are the times we learn. I find it wonderful, that you are keeping on the search, I know too many whom would give up after an hour or two!

Good luck!

RE: That sick feeling...
 

If any thing comes to mind,it would be Quit shooting past twenty yards.

Everyone has great bows , great arrows & great broadheads , but guess what the deer don't change ,they are tough , smart & very hard to kill.

Let them get close and you will not fail. Read the post from guys that are killing bucks and just how far they are shooting them "twenty and in ".and you will be one of them

RE: That sick feeling...
 

I'm sorry to hear about that. It is very disheartening to have that happen.

I honestly would say this buck is dead. Your arrow did not completely passthru which would explain the lack of blood at the point of impact. Took a while for the blood to come out of the entrance hole assuming it was high, which it sounds like it would have been (treestand).

I wish you luck in finding your deer. Let us know the outcome.