RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Very well said!

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Great post Matt. Just an idea but a bit of insurance I keep is a sick day on the books just for this type of situation. I have never had to face this but I've only been bowhunting for 3 years. If night falls and I can't find the animal I've shot I will call in sick the next day. Actually I keep sick and vacation time on the books. More than enough to spend a few days looking if thats what it takes. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to do this, BUT, if you do have some sick time built up, save a day. I know if I hit a deer and don't find it I WILL be sick so I wouldn't REALLY be lying to my boss!

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

I was guilty of making afew posts like you speak of, last season. One turned out great (AM recovery). One turned out bad (recovery after 9 hours in the 90deg. weather). One turned out worse.....NO recovery....and an "unknown". Another turned out good (a far back hit.....with a mid-night recovery).

I found out last year that airing EVERY detail of your hunt isn't well-received by the masses. Lesson learned. From now on.....as far as the forum is concerned.....every hit I have will be a double-lunger with a speed recovery.

What ticks me off is the lack of patience we, as a hunting community, seem to be guilty of. Everyone wants to get on that trail right away. But, if the hunter exercises sound judgement on when to take up the trail.....AND exercises every possible effort to recover his animal......and STILL doesn't.....

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I'd also (like Matt) advise him to keep his story to himself. I don't necessarily think that's "best".....but for HIM I think it is. I have no issues, personally, living through a recovery with a fellow hunter that's giving it his all. Hunters DO lose animals. I honestly think I killed one last year I didn't recover.....though I'll never "know". I still never took a shot last year that I was ashamed of. Doesn't help the fact that I feel remorse for possibly not recovering one.....but I didn't make a mental mistake with a poor shot selection. I can live with that fact, better.

I'm gonna go against the grain a "little".....and say that MUCH can be learned if someone is willing to give all the details and put themselves out there. It just won't be me.

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Glad someone else said this, I was thinking the same thing, but I was afraid of getting flamed for bringing it up. Even tho I feel the same way, I will never post about hitting an animal, and cant find it, strictly because I have no desire to get ripped apart.

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Great post Matt!

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Matt, you're 100% correct. But.....I started a thread similar to this.....last year or the year before.....I think it was last year, and I was crucified upside down. I got the "that's what we do here is help, and how is someone going to get that help if they don't ask" nonsense. I also suggested pm's or email....but keeping it private. This of course has no reflection on your post, and I only say this because I hope yours goes better than mine....

I'm with you, there is nothing I despise more than logging on every evening and counting the "hit one, now what" threads that have been started. I don't know if maybe they're started in an attempt for some "ooo, look at me! look at me!" or what the deal is, but I can't stand them either.

Cut down to its simplest of terms, here's the answer. If in doubt, back out. When you've looked for what feels like forever, go look some more. Don't give up. It really is a simple answer. Blood trailing gets tricky at times, there's no question of that. BUT, the basics of it are static.......Give the deer time, and keep looking.

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

I agree but on the other hand you do not have to read them also.
I cover all the bases.;)

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Great post Matt! I'm glad this has been brought out into the open for discussion. It does get frustrating once the season starts to see post after post of the "now what" threads. I'm all for supporting fellow hunters but there is a point where I just stop reading those threads out of frustration.

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Great thread Matt. What really gets me, is when guys are on this forum asking all kinds of silly questions about how to find their deer, when they should be in the woods actually looking for it.[:@] Like you said Matt, folks should be learning trailing techniques/procedures on this forum LONG BEFORE they run into that situation.

RE: I hit one and can't find it!!........
 

Hit the nail right on the head here, no one told you you have to read it. I dont come on here to just BS, I come on hear to learn. And believe it or not, some of us learn things from posts like these.