Hanging up the bow for good
 

Im thinking of giving up the bow after wounding a buck on thursday. Im so sick, and pissed at myself that this was the final straw. The shot seemed good at first, then I saw a spot on the deer high on the opposite shoulder. I waited over an hour to start tracking, found decent blood with air bubbles in it and then it dried up after 200 yards or so in a field. Came back the next morning to grid search the field and found my buck...slipping away through the valley. He wasnt limping or dragging a leg and he didnt have my arrow in his side anymore, but I could see matted hair and dried blood on the opposite shoulder. I grabbed my gear and tired to cut him off to finish the deal but with no luck. I feel horrible and needed to rant.

Had my share of bowhunting failures the 1st few years as I was mostly self taught but never let it make me wanna quit. It actually made me a better hunter because I learned how to bowhunt the RIGHT way(not saying yours isnt right)

Heres a few things that I changed about my habits and gear that I believe has prevented me from losing a deer in the last 7 years and probably killed close to 20 cleanly since.

1st and foremost I did not shoot until the deer close enough that I KNEW, not thought, my arrow was gonna go exactly where I was aiming no matter what. At 1st it was 15 yds then I felt comfortable out to 25yds.

I keep my gear simple, I use a bisquet rest, 1pin fixed sight, fixed heads, and I leave my quiver on my bow , less moving parts , less chance of something going wrong. JMHO

I made sure my bow was tuned properly so that my arrow was flying and strikeing the deer in a perfect straight line. If you dont know how to paper tune or "walk back" take it to a pro shop and have them tune it for you.

Another big thing I believe in is going heavy with arrows, at least 400gr TAW, and draw weight low enough so you can draw with out raising your bow up at all(speed means nothing to me) and I personally only use cut on contact fixed heads. my choice is sonics and the penetration at all angles is amazing!

Practice shooting from all kinds of weird positions with heavy clothes on at really far distances , so when you get a deer at 20yds its like a chip shot.

Dont quit! hang in there and good luck.

I think everyone who has hunted has had a heart break or two when it comes hitting or missing a deer. Even if you practice shooting continuously and are confident about your shots there is a lot that has to come together. In my opinion if you feeling the way your feeling your a good hunter. Dont let one bad hit stop you from hunting it happen to most people if youve hunted a long time. I got a nice buck this year that I hit further back than I wanted to because I didnt stop him when I released my arrow. I thought I stopped him but I didnt. Keep hunting dont stop. Great comments from
deerandbearhog.
Dave

Like deerandbearhog Ive had to teach myself how to bow hunt, but I dont want every new lesson end up as coyote bait. Ive wounded a few when I was in high school, and missed a few seasons while in the Navy, but got back into it the past few years with some good luck but now its like reliving a nightmare.

dont quit now... one deer i never recovered made me a better hunter. take my time now, and pass on lots of shots, because i am more aware of what the outcome could be. after that they wernt goin more than 20-100 yards from impact.
i passed on more deer, just because of circumstances. who wants ta lose a deer? not me.

I've badly wounded one before, and it does make one a little more picky about the shots they take. Let it be a learning experience, not a punishment.

if you want to become a better archer and more accurate and be able to keep your mental game in check learn to shoot a bow the right way thru backtension.stop punching the trigger learn a shot sequence and backtension youll enjoy archery so much more and be able to make the shot

^five here!!!!! It is sad to shoot a deer and not recover, but it should make you a better bowhunter, don't rush your shot, don't shoot long shots to see if you can get the deer, and practice shooting as you were shooting at a deer.

Most if NOT all of us know how you feel,I also have had this happen and although it makes you feel sick believe me it will make you a better hunter! like anything we learn from our mistakes(not saying you made any) but now after this you will take more time aiming and picking a spot!
Don't beat yourself up and don't give up!!

Your not the only one to have had this happen. As stated above, most everyone has these unfortunate happenings. When I was younger, I had a nice 8pt broadside just inside 30 yds. He had his head down, I drew, he raised his head, and right as i released, he took one little side step that made the arrow hit a little far back. Had he not moved it wouldve been a great shot...we waited a while. Tracked him for hours. Finally we ran out of bloodtrail as it crossed a road and couldnt pick anything up on the otherside. Judging by the bloodtrail towards the beginning he was hit pretty decent but not good enough. I felt so bad I literally cried at the thought of the deer struggling around. It changed me, I still think about that hunt. Can remember it like it was yesterday. Since then I've passed on numerous, NUMEROUS bucks that are bigger than anything ive shot due to less than terrific conditions because if I'm going to take a shot it's got to be lethal, in fairness to the animal.... It happens to the best of us, keep your head up

Don't stop bowhunting unless you just don't like it anymore. mistakes are going to happen. You are going to wound deer. It's the nature of the beast. No one can be 100% perfect 100% of the time. When I was younger I had my share of wounded deer. One day I decided that I had enough and changed the way I hunted. I focused more on my shot placement, aim small miss small. I didn't take any shots over 20 yards with most inside of 15. wait for good shots not maybe shots. Let the deer get broadside or quartered away. You may have to pass on a few deer, but there will be others. Also, practice practice practice. Eventually you will develope a muscle memory for shooting a bow. I am proud to say that I have not wounded a deer in 7 years and have killed at least one with a bow for the last six. Keep your head up and good luck.

i feel your pain. i had gun hunted for 12 years before i picked up bow hunting and first afternoon out i had a real nice 8 point follow a doe down my trail. drew when he was behind a tree and had him dead to rights at 22 yards. i had practiced alot and was comfortable making shots out to 60 yards and 4 in 3 shots groups at that range. also robin hood at 25 yards. everything changes in the woods though. broadside and looking ahead but when i shot i had a an old bow real old bow. like 2 wheels old not even a cam and he heard the bow and swung his head. arrow went through the back of his neck and he just walked off. found nice puddle when he bled for a bit but the trail stopped dead. spent the next day looking to no avail. its a horrible feeling but i wouldnt miss being out in the woods for anything.