so close but yet so far away
 

Well first i went to the local rifle range to shoot my bow out to 60 yards. Figured the dirt hill would make a ok backstop and it is flat and out to 100 yards. I got my 20 30 and 40 set good. My 50 and 60 was both a little low. Well i lost my wrench i was adjusting the pins with so i had to drive in and get a new one.
When we where heading back out we saw three does in a field. I swear not an hour before i had been by there and had just bought my tags.
I get out nock a arrow and walk just in the wood line about 10 yards as to make everything legal. Though my permit for my bad knee would allow me to shoot one from my truck parked i did not want to do that i figured alittle stalking would make for a great first kill any way. I step out real slow and get ready to draw the one big doe walked away with her ass to me. Then she turns i ranged her she was out at 68. I thought if i am alittle low i should be perfet if i set the pin on her spine. I was dead on with the heart when the arrow went. The killer was as i let my release go a good gust of wind came by. My cousin was with me and said i missed here by about 8 inchs he said it was heart, lung level but just on the other side of her neck.
She moved another 25 yards which was way out of range so i went back into the woods for some more stalking but when i came out she was gone.
The sucky thing is i lost my 15 dollar arrow. :cry: Where going to go look tomorrow and finish sighting my bow in.
Question will a metal detecter find the arrow because of the metal insert. I think it is in some knee high brush so i thought it would help find it.
One good thing is unlike the season before last i did not have much in the way of deer fever as far as shacking and all that. I just thought of her as my glendale full rut and let the arrow go. Which makes me fill better about my next shot.

Tim......oh Tim.:rolleye0011:


Ya, the metal detector will work.

Cool story, maybe next time. Good luck.

Tim....oh Tim
Keep at it bud. Yea the metal detector couldn't hurt.

SHe would be hanging if it was not for the wind. ERRRRR. I am glad none the less as i think it will help me later. Atleast i got to shoot at something this year. Opening day driving down the road and a short stalk already better then last. If my stand does not get stolen. OHHH and this was public land should have added i don't want anyone thinking i was tresspassing.

Oh dear 6 pound 3 ounce sweet baby jesus, where were you during this?

Tim.. if the dog didnt stop to take a ****, he'd have caught the rabbit too.

It's a BOW. Keep it to 30 and under. You're playing with fire with anything much further. 68 is plain stupid. Too many variables, too many if's, too many bad things can happen. As abow hunter we try to rid ourselves of all possible failure possibilities - not walk into them! IF the wind was right you'd have hit her. Maybe. What about IF the wind was wrong and you hit her in the leg and never recover her?

I'm wasting breath.

Lets hope this post is a funny - haha type post. Wowsers.

I have read here and other places where many bow hunters have taken deer out that far. Might have been a mistake properly was. How are we going to become better hunters if we do not discuss our hunt, success and mistakes with fellow hunters.

:hit:





Dan

It was a bean field with the wind to my face and my right. It was not blowing but gusting. When target shooting just down the road i had little issues with the rain. We have what if with every shot. Your not wastling your breath. If i did not want your thoughts i would not have posted it. As for keeping it under 30. I do not disagree or agree. I have read many a post about kills out to 60 yards. 68 properly pushing it, heck i watched ted nugent make a 80 yard shot without a sight. With the wind a semi spooked deer and just getting sighted in sure it was properly a bad idea. Now with a tree stand no wind, a good range finder and a clear shot maybe 60 is fine. Now i am not saying i have the experience bowhuntering to say it is or not

First off Im not trying to start anything with you.
If you are going to post about it be prepared to take some slack.

If you are consistant and comfortable with a 68 yard shot more pwoer to you I guess. Still It is something I personally would never attempt.

Part of the problem I see is that you were just sighting in your bow and stated you were not proficiant at that distance---a "little low at 50 and 60" you say. Thus you had to make a guesstamation on hold over for where you was hitting at 60 plus another 8 yards.

Deer move, most targets don't.

Tim you missed a target and hit a shed.

Yet, you think you are good enough to shoot at a living animal - AT 68 YARDS?

Deer move you know.

Most guys that shoot 60+ have been shooting their bows for more than a week.

Wow, 68 yards, I would take that shot with my muzzleloader, don't believe I woulda told that story!

Tim, take this for what it is a learning experiance. I would never take that shot and I've been shooting that bow for 4 years. A live animal can do many differant things at 70 yards before the arrow gets there. Practice paitence and you will have better luck.

wow man thats tough luck good luck finding it

Tim - I am an avid bowhunter and have been for 16 years now and 30ish yards is my max for whitetailed deer...IMHO they are too jumpy and always moving...heck when you practice at 50 yards if you breathe incorrectly and release your impact can be a foot off and thats without adrenaline in your system and on a stationary target.... do as you will but I think 60 + is a little extreme...

Tim is right, if we don't discuss our hunts with more expierenced hunters, then how does the unexpierenced hunter learn.

I know guys out west who will take a 60-70 yard shot in a heart beat, but they have been shooting that distance all year prior to the start of the season. Learn what your comfort zone is and stay within that zone. Conditions may cause that zone to vary. For example, I shoot my hunting setup at 40 yards in my back yard all year, but would not take a 40 yard shot at a deer unless the conditions were perfect. Normally for me, I stay 30 yards and in.

Hunt hard and learn from your mistakes, it will eventually payoff for you.

You guys are properly right. I thought it might be a bad idea before i did it. I expected to get slammed. How would i know weather i was right or not if i did not ask. As for the shed. That was a sighting mistake i was moveing the pins wrong. Still can not figure how my arrow end up right behind the hay though seems it would have had to bend around at a angle. But who knows
She did not move untill the arrow landed. My guess is it hit near her and scared her off.
68 wont be a issue in my stand it is on 5 trails and a bean field all under 40

As stated above, stack as much in your favor as possible. 68 yds. at deer size game IMO is a crapshoot definately not in your favor. Live and learn bud, keep youe shots to 30 yds. and under and your chances go way up.

Shane

Timmay.. its probably btw.. not properly.

It really isnt the distance that bothers me, unless you are a new shooter, but the fact that you hadnt got it dialed in at that distance yet. Most those guys out west that shoot those big shots, Practice at 100 yards or more, and limit themselves to 70 yard shots.
If you havnt put 1000 arrows downrange at 70 yards, you should probably not be trying to shoot a living creature that far away
lesson learned eh?