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.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Here's another one, just great news.[:'(]

What the hell is being taught?

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Thank you for that advice...

However, that's a call for the individual to make. Of the 23 deer I've taken with my bow, 7 of those have been inside of 20 yards. If I wasn't capable or confident of the shot, I wouldn't have released the arrow.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Dustin.

Sorry to hear about the buck but man thats why it is called hunting and not killing.

To all those that have not lost an animal all I can say is your turn is coming.

I have lost a few over the last 46 years and it is not easy to come to terms with.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

So I would be out of line to say you failed to do so?

RE: That sick feeling...
 

What does that have to do with... Anything in this thread?

Failed to do what?

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Have you ever made a shot and failed to recover a deer when the shot was under twenty yards?

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Dustin....The internet world is a unique place. On here everybody's Fred bear, they're independently wealthy and they're married to Pam Anderson.

I thought you knew.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Hunting in the mid west is differant than here but the consistant failure rate on long shots is gettin old.
Thirty plus is sounding more like poke and hope than shot placement.

I'm saying close it up and be sure.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

No I'm not:):D

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Boy, aint that the truth! That's why when you guys come on here in honesty ... they don't know how to handle it ..... except to keep their cyber identity what it is ....perfect

Dustin ... I feel for you, knowing how you are feeling I've been there a few times myself .......... frustrating, to say the least ..... I still can remember each of them like it was yesterday ....

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Nope, but until this deer... I hadn't failed to recover any of the deer I shot.

You're correct, I needed someone to pull me back into "virtual" reality... I've been gone from here for too long.
And why do you think they always marry Pam? I mean come on, why would every self-taught Fred Bearmarry an "Envrionmentalist"? :D

RE: That sick feeling...
 

UMMMMMMMM do I have to draw you a picture:D

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Dustin,
You mentioned Google Earth, try mapquest.com's aerials. I have had luck with them sometimes and Google others.

Separate subject, dogs work, check into it if you can. I just had this experience last week with a deer a friend hit. Rob's dog is simply great.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

I musted one up and that feeling is real hard to get over, at under twenty I'm 100% and thats where I want to be. And its not a bad place for you to be. Its a goal. Shoot for it. And you will sleep better.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

That sucks you lost that buck. Losing a deer is the worst feeling in the world. It just goes to show the importance of knowing your yardages, and that bowhunting is literally a game of inches.

Hopefully, you'll get a chance to get out there and redeem yourself.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Hey Dwd2001 just let me say I wish I would have caughtthis threadearlier in the night.


I feel for you. Granted i'm fairly young but i've logged A LOTof hours in a tree. You just played out almost the same exact scenario that happened to me last year on a great 10 pointer. I was prepared and it sounds like you were also. The arrow broke about 2/3 of the way down the shaft. I DID NOT find that deer and I searched w/ my dad and 2 buddies for almost a total of 14 hours in 2 days. I had a great quartering away shot at 24 yards and great blood for the first 200 yards and then nothing. On the flip side I believe I saw my deer a month laterduring our late ML season and he seemed to be doing fine w/ a little limp. Maybe there's hope and he survived. Anyways, I truly feel for you and nobody wants to ever wound or kill a deer and not find him OR her.

It sounds like you've done everything you can in your power. Keep your head up and hopefully he'll be under your tree and you'll get another chance at him.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Dustin i feel your pain, if you have hunted enough and i know you have its gonna happen. Mabey you will still find it and i hope you do. I have been in this situation and it sucks. good luck buddy.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Sorry to hear about that bud. Sounds like you did everything right. I applaud your persistence in your recovery. Keep your head up.

lol... aren't you Mr. possitive? Thanks for the encouraging thought.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

Dustin I'm sorry to hear it. You did all you can searching. I'm working on training one of my dogs for trailing. If it ever happens again, and I hope it doesn't, call me. I'll drive up with Pepper. She is getting really good.

RE: That sick feeling...
 

The only thing I would say is that a single lunged (only) deer is one of the hardest to find. Worse then a stomach or intestine. The deer will not bed down or seekwater anytime soon. I would say that if you were sure of the left/right position of the arrow and knew that it could only be a single lung - no liver, then I would have gotten on him to possibly bleed him out. - Easier said then done though.

FWIW, some deer will survive a single lung hit.