GH - I think most of the guys on here realize they are human and prone to making mistakes. I also think that's why alot of them would not take a shot similar to the one you described. Obviously the farther away the more chance of errors and then throw in low light and the chance of errors increases only much more. It was your shot and your decision and not ours so nobody can say for sure if it was right or not. However, I think the guys are giving you some good food for thought. I'm sure there have been countless threads on fixed versus mechanical and IMO it boils down to personal choice same as what type of bow, rest, etc. you use. Alot of guys use mechanicals and the same ones you were using and are quite happy and successful with them. Good luck.

I appreciate the responses from some....but others have been a bit harsh in their responses.

Just wanted to follow up on the mechanical wasp I was using. Looked closer at it this afternoon and one blade was bent about 45 degrees......

BTW....I'm not a young hunter (40 +)........So don't talk to me like I am.

Close this post please mod..........Later.

"I don't blame or change my equipment when I have bad luck on a shot. I try to figure out what went wrong and then correct my problem. "

Well spoken Bees.

I see nothing wrong with shooting a 30-35 pound bow!
I would have taken that shot too!!!!!
the only thing i do not agree with is the fact that you stopped tracking. I think you should have gone onto the neighbors property/land. He would understand that you were following game laws to search for the animal to the best extent that you can.

My 2 cents.......You didn't know where you hit the deer and you heard a loud crack. HHmmmmm.......I would have waited alot longer than 1 hour, at least 6 hours, probably 8 before even taking one step down that blood trail. I would have gone to the shot site to see if I had missed.(the loud crack might have been a tree) If it was a perfect shot, I would have waited 1 hour and then started tracking. The arrow came out and thats very common if its no a pass thru. If you did hit the shoulder bone, it wouldn't matter what broadhead you shot. I've shot 4 deer with Wasp Jackhammers and my buddies have combined for about 16.... very devistating results!

A 35 yard shot by those that can make them aint bad shots at all - this guy didn't make it. Enough said there or you'd think, but he's already said he'll gladly take those same shots again.

Buck Magnet - Would you say that you were troubled by losing those deer and the experiences you learned from and made you a better hunter ? Thats what we're all getting at here I think - learn from this GroundHunter that 35 yards near dark aint a shot you can make at this point or in that situation or whatever. Theres too many what ifs - obviously or you'd have a filled tag and this post would never have been made. I've lost animals too - always my fault and I always have learned from them.

I do things harsh sometimes - direct and to the point often works better than beating around the bush and sugar coating everything. YOU were in error for taking a shot you couldn't make. C'mon man, you DIDN'T make it, how can you continue to say you can and will in the future ? Chuck Adams makes those shots, Larry Yien does, a lot of top bowhunters do, but fact is you DIDN'T make it. What have you learned here besides the fact that others aint going to sugar coat things ?

Your broadhead DID NOT FAIL YOU, you failed you and you failed the deer you were trying to kill. Figure out WHY the shot went bad - was it the low light conditions ? Was it the distance of the shot ? Was it a spooked deer, wired and ready to jump the string ? Was she moving ? Did you flinch in anticipation of killing your first deer with a bow ? Was it cold, did you have more clothing on than you practice with ? Were there unseen twigs/branches in the way ? WAS IT A COMBINATION OF THOSE THINGS MAYBE THAT LED TO YOU NOT MAKING A KILLING SHOT ?

The man maybe be totally capable of making the shot 99 times out of 100. Just because the shot went bad doesn't mean he isn't capable of making the shot. If I miss at 18 yards should I only shoot at 17 the rest of my hunting career.

Take ole Stealthy with a grain of salt or pound which ever works better.

Learn something from this and don't repeat the same mistake, It wasn't the broadheads fault.

We all do stupid things, Ask Stealthy about his Elk trip this year, you'll find out he's not perfect.

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If bowhunting is going to be reduced to taking 15 yard pot shots, then I'll quit and throw my bow away......

Gee's 15 yard shots are my bread and butter. It is the very distance I try to achive before shooting the bow.

You statement shows a gun hunter mentality. Maybe you should throw the bow away, because thinking like a gun hunter is not going to produce the results you want from bowhunting... []

Real bow hunters want to get close before they shoot.

Blade bent on the broadhead. It hit something solid that is for sure...

Groundhunter...regarding the mech heads. I will agree with most of the others that said the head did not fail. My opinion is it only did the best it could given the circumstances. There are some good mech's out there and alot of folks have mcuh success with them. But I'm like david, I really don't care for them. Personally I prefer a strong cut on contact head for that exact reason. If I make a "not so great" shot, I have a better chance of turning it into a killing shot. I shoot Magnus 2 blade heads, and have had some wicked penetration with them, even in heavy bone. I'm not saying they are the greatest and everyone should use them, but I've been very pleased with my results. Obviously shot placement is the key regardless of head type. Tune your setup, and shoot what you are confident in.