The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
09-23-2008, 07:32 AM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
I didn't tell the "rest of the story", last night forseveral reasons. 1....Nobody asked about the other deer I said I had in range. And 2.....it served no purpose, until now.
I don't tell this ...tootin my own horn. I'm not proud of the shot placement....but the story does give two lessons.
I shot my first doe at 5:33, last night. She went only 40yds or so and was dead in 10 seconds. Having her in sight....I settled back down to finish out my evning's hunt.
At 7:15 I had a HUGE doe, a yearling doe and a fawn come in. At the same time....I had a doe fawn come in from downwind of me. The big doe, the yearling and the fawn were heading down a trail that would have them come within 5 yds of me. The fawn caught my wind and got ALL of them "squirrely". The big doe backed up the way she'd come and crossed the creek to get downwind of me with the fawn. She could tell something wasn't right....but she soon crossed back and got upwind of me, again. She coudn't figure it out....but she was nervous. The yearling and the other fawn stayed upwind of me the whole time. The big doe stayed a good distance out....but the fawn and yearling were at 20yds. The yearling was behind a tree.....but when she finally stepped out....I pegged her at 23 or so yds. I settled my pin on her vitals and shot. I saw the shot hit her "back". I was crushed. She was antsy.....but she didn't move on the shot. I hit her back....and now I had a dilemma.
They bolted in the opposite direction of the doe I had down....and I contemplated whether or not to retrieve my downed doe or back out, completely. I decided (rolled the dice) that I could get the downed doe out....if I drug her a different route. I had a LONG drag to an area I didn't know....but I got her to a place I could pick her up. I left my stand attached to the tree......for reference. I never even looked for the arrow.
I took my son to school this morning....put on some tracking clothes....grabbed the binos....and went to look for doe no. 2. I glassed from the old logging road and saw nothing. As I moved towards my stand......on the line I tought she may have traveled.....I walked right up on her. Thank God.
I drug her out to the same place I'd taken doe no. 1.....and she's now on ice. What a night. I felt like crap and didn't sleep well.
Lesson 1......Don't shoot again if you don't see your first go down in sight. I learned this lesson, last year.
Lesson 2......BACK OUT on a questionable hit. I'm proud of this...but not proud of the shot placement.
Lesson 3.....It was probably 75deg. when I shot this doe, last night. Our evening temps got down to the low 50's. The meat is JUST FINE.
Here's the doe....and the entrance/exit....for reference. Again....not proud of the hit......but proud I did everything right to assure my best "chance" at a successful recovery, afterwards.
Doe no. 2 for the year is on ice. Some solace, there.
Entrance wound
Exit wound. I must have gotten the back of the liver....or I'm thinking I did. I didn't field dress this doe....because I felt like I was on a race against time. She layed for 13 hours.....and the only meat I sacrificed was the inner tender loins. She had only made it about 50yds, based on where I recovered her.
I don't tell this ...tootin my own horn. I'm not proud of the shot placement....but the story does give two lessons.
I shot my first doe at 5:33, last night. She went only 40yds or so and was dead in 10 seconds. Having her in sight....I settled back down to finish out my evning's hunt.
At 7:15 I had a HUGE doe, a yearling doe and a fawn come in. At the same time....I had a doe fawn come in from downwind of me. The big doe, the yearling and the fawn were heading down a trail that would have them come within 5 yds of me. The fawn caught my wind and got ALL of them "squirrely". The big doe backed up the way she'd come and crossed the creek to get downwind of me with the fawn. She could tell something wasn't right....but she soon crossed back and got upwind of me, again. She coudn't figure it out....but she was nervous. The yearling and the other fawn stayed upwind of me the whole time. The big doe stayed a good distance out....but the fawn and yearling were at 20yds. The yearling was behind a tree.....but when she finally stepped out....I pegged her at 23 or so yds. I settled my pin on her vitals and shot. I saw the shot hit her "back". I was crushed. She was antsy.....but she didn't move on the shot. I hit her back....and now I had a dilemma.
They bolted in the opposite direction of the doe I had down....and I contemplated whether or not to retrieve my downed doe or back out, completely. I decided (rolled the dice) that I could get the downed doe out....if I drug her a different route. I had a LONG drag to an area I didn't know....but I got her to a place I could pick her up. I left my stand attached to the tree......for reference. I never even looked for the arrow.
I took my son to school this morning....put on some tracking clothes....grabbed the binos....and went to look for doe no. 2. I glassed from the old logging road and saw nothing. As I moved towards my stand......on the line I tought she may have traveled.....I walked right up on her. Thank God.
I drug her out to the same place I'd taken doe no. 1.....and she's now on ice. What a night. I felt like crap and didn't sleep well.
Lesson 1......Don't shoot again if you don't see your first go down in sight. I learned this lesson, last year.
Lesson 2......BACK OUT on a questionable hit. I'm proud of this...but not proud of the shot placement.
Lesson 3.....It was probably 75deg. when I shot this doe, last night. Our evening temps got down to the low 50's. The meat is JUST FINE.
Here's the doe....and the entrance/exit....for reference. Again....not proud of the hit......but proud I did everything right to assure my best "chance" at a successful recovery, afterwards.
Doe no. 2 for the year is on ice. Some solace, there.
Entrance wound
Exit wound. I must have gotten the back of the liver....or I'm thinking I did. I didn't field dress this doe....because I felt like I was on a race against time. She layed for 13 hours.....and the only meat I sacrificed was the inner tender loins. She had only made it about 50yds, based on where I recovered her.
09-23-2008, 07:40 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
Great lesson Jeff and I have mentioned before, what you do following a shot might make or break a recover.
Oneshot7, I hope you read this.
Great start to a season Jeff. Keep it up.
Oneshot7, I hope you read this.
Great start to a season Jeff. Keep it up.
09-23-2008, 07:48 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central, WI
Posts: 1,860
RE: The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
Congrats Jeff!!
Way to back out when in doubt. Did that with my brother in law this weekend. He hit her back and we started looking 5 hours later found the arrow and backed out till the next morning and I found her dead the next morning.
Way to back out when in doubt. Did that with my brother in law this weekend. He hit her back and we started looking 5 hours later found the arrow and backed out till the next morning and I found her dead the next morning.
09-23-2008, 08:05 AM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 9,445
RE: The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
Congrats Jeff!! You did everything right In my book In leaving her go In fear of a gut shot/to far back shot. Well done!
Experience Is the number one best teacher out there, everyone learns from a prior expierence or someone else's experience.
One more thing to add. That shot Is still a very lethal hit (liver and or guts). You didn't miss the lungs by much. Don't beat yourself up over It, there both just as dead as the other!
Experience Is the number one best teacher out there, everyone learns from a prior expierence or someone else's experience. One more thing to add. That shot Is still a very lethal hit (liver and or guts). You didn't miss the lungs by much. Don't beat yourself up over It, there both just as dead as the other!
09-23-2008, 08:08 AM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Phoenixville, PA USA
Posts: 5,541
RE: The "rest of the story" - Doe No. 2 Recovered
Well, it's better to have a story with a bad beginning and a happy ending than the other way around. Good job on playing it smart and getting her found. Congrats.