waiting_for_a_gift

I had this happen once. I made what I thought (knew) was an excellent hit. After the shot the deer stood broadside at 12 yards. I could not see blood coming out, and the deer was just standing there. As I was getting another arrow, it walked off. If I hadn't moved it might have gone down. Result was a goofed up recovery, preadators ate my deer. If that happened again, I wouldn't move a muscle.

Germ

Great point, the real trick is nocking another arrow without spooking the deer. Taking a follow up shot is one thing, getting your bow and arrow ready for one is another.

Washington Hunter

Personally, I'm in the "why waste an arrow" group.

If I've made what I consider a good shot and I know the deer is mortally wounded, there is absolutely no reason to take a second shot. A second arrow won't kill him any quicker and more than likely a second shot will make him run further.

I have to ask, and I'm not trying to open it up for an argument, but for those of you who shoot until the deer is out of sight or down -- why? If you're confident in where you've hit your deer, what is the real point? I can understand if you've spine shot him and a second shot is necessary (I've been there, done that), but if you've made what you know to be a good double lung shot, why continue to shoot?

GMMAT

I hope you don't think this is "gospel'.

For the same reason I put my Labrador retriever down when she got really sick. I mean...I "guess" I could have waited for her to die on her own.....(they said she was going to). So...why go the humane route, right?

rybohunter

I pretty much had this scenerio the last time I shot a buck. He took one hop and stood there about 10-12 yds away. I was reaching for an arrow and wondering HOW I possibly could have missed, when I seen the blood coming out of his side and his nose. I stopped going for the arrow and within a few more seconds he slumped to the ground.

Washington Hunter

I had to put my lab downin 2001Jeff, but there is a difference there...

The dog had cancer in the roof of his mouth and could no longer eat, the deer was shot with an arrow and would be dead in 20-30 seconds. All a second arrow is going to do (in my opinion) is stress the deer out further and send it into "flight" mode.

I'm not claiming it as gospel. I'm claiming it as my own personal opinion on the situation. Mind you I haven't taken 14 deer, but I've shot one every season I've hunted (minus last season) plus a second when I had a second tag. I've got the experience to back it up, a second shot on a mortally wounded deer isn't required in most situations.

MN/Kyle

Another annalogy I don't understand. A deer with a hole in the boiler room and really sick lab are a little different. You shoot a deer through both lungs and the heart, it's going to die, and die fast.

GMMAT

Shoot it again and it'll die faster.

That was my point.

My dog was gonna die, too..................................eventually.

MN/Kyle

Gotcha', GMMAT. I disagree. But so be it. I shoot a deer he is bleeding 10 feet away and standing there, I'll let him die right there.

GMMAT

MN/Dan....if you can get another arrow in him....without spooking him ......why not shoot him, again? I am really curious.