eman1200

So pumped, first doe I've ever taken. Good news and bad though, will 'try' to keep it short:

GOOD NEWS:
2 medium size doe come into range. Waited for a good broadside shot, about 14-16 yards. Took the shot, immediately thought I missed completely, thought it went underneath.

Both doe run about 40 yards away, I watched for about 5 minutes but could only make out one. Within 15 minutes or so, the one I can see makes her way back to the exact same spot. Draw back and THWACK!!!! Perfect perfect shot, she runs about 30-40 yards and drops. Fist pumps, knees shaking to high heaven, totally friggin pumped.

Voice in my head says a few things: [ul][*]You missed the first one but nailed the second!!!![*]Wait 20 minutes before doing anything, just in case.[/ul]So 19 minutes and 30 seconds later, I may as well have jumped out of my stand, and first thing I do is go look for the two arrows. Found the second one first, blood the whole length of it. Then, found the second....blood on it too, although not as much as the first.....uh oh.

Found the second doe right away, perfect shot, 1 inch behind shoulder blade, exiting about 4 inches lower on the other side, frothy bubbles...quick, clean kill.

BAD NEWS:
Found a blood trail for the first shot....maybe I just 'thought' I was low? We tracked the trail (called my friend to help) to a point and the blood just stopped. Could not find another drop anywhere. We searched until 11:00pm, decided to try again in the morning.

Went back in the morning, searched for another 4 hours, no more blood to be found anywhere. I was literally turning leaf by leaf over hoping to find one more drop. My friend is thinking that I hit a non-critical area that caused a little blood, but nothing too damaging. I really really hope that's the case. The rush of the actual kill is somewhat marred by the unknown one.

Couple more thoughts on this....
Blood was bright red, didn't look to me like a gutshot. My bud thought it looked 'watery'. I didn't.
I think we did everything we possibly could to find her. I know this could happen to anyone, but A) it sucks when it happens to you, and B) my friend is a seasoned veteran hunter. He knows his stuff, and he also thinks we did everything we could (circles around last blood, grid searched, etc...).

I'm thinking that I suck, but I'm also thinking I'm not the first, nor will I be the last, to have a not-so-perfect result from a well-practiced, perfect opportunity shot. I mean there were no second thoughts about this shot, perfect yardage, perfect broadside, nothing in the way of the shot..just a bad result. Sorry guys. What do you think?

GR8atta2d

Did you check over the downed doe to make sure it wasn't her you hit the first time?

eman1200

absolutely. when I hit #2 I watched her run for about 35yds, then drop. definitely was not the first. anyways, two separate, distinct blood trails. Thanks.

RugerM77.270

You may have hit her low and put a wound in her chest real low causing blood but not killing her and the bleeding stopped.

GMMAT

I had this same scenario occcur, earlier this year. I was lucky enough to recover the first deer, but the second deer is my only question mark in three seasons. I can't tell you, for sure, if she's still alive or not. I just don't know. What I do know is.....unless I see the first deer go down in sight....I'll never nock an arrow for a second attempt.

Congrats on your first downed doe....and I'm sorry the second one wasn't recovered. Hopefully you'll learn the same lesson I did.....and hopefully she's lived to see another day.

HuntingBry

Well, congrats on the one doe you got, and welcome to the club on the second. It sucks, but it happens to everyone. Follow what GMMAT said and try to learn from it.