Handles

I'm feeling the pain right now of not finding my buck. This is the second year in a row for me. Each year I took a doe as well with awesome bone snapping passthroughs. Both bucks were standing, fully broadside, inside of 30 yards and I never got a pass through on either one. I want to know why I didn't get a pass through, so I can learn from it. I'm not done looking for this years buck, but rain ruined all of my tracking efforts. As I stated in my original post I will quit hunting for the rest of the season if I do not find this buck. IMO.It isn't fair to the deer or the other hunters in the woods for me to shoot another one without recovering the first.
I've had to help track, never to find many bucks shot by gun hunters. All in all I would say that bowhunters as a whole care much more about finding their buck than do gun hunters based on the extra amount of time and effort needed to harvest one and that we understand that it is very unusual for a deer to just drop in its tracks. Thus

NY Bowhunter

It's a matter of precision and margin for error.
Bow you have 1 shot with an arrow to be placed in an area no bigger than a pie plate. Gun you could have 5 shots and get away with less than perfect shots and still kill the deer due to the impact and devestation of the slug. What if you could only have 1 shot with a slugun? What percentage of deer would be wounded? How many times when you're in the woods do you hear series of 2,3,4,or 5 shots as opposed to 1. I'd guess probably 80% are multiple shots.

burniegoeasily

I have only lost one deer in my life. It was with a 30-06 years and years ago. It made me so sick, I practice more self controle now. I have yet to lose a deer with my bow. I learned my lesson with the rifle. Still the lose wasnt from a poor shot, but rather my getting too excited and pushing the deer. I have learned to stay put for a considerable amount of time after the shot. I put a 150 grain bullet in a huge buck (the biggest I have ever shot) at 150 yards. It fell like a rock. I waited for about 10 min and ran after it. When I got to about 60 yards from it, it jumped up and stumbled into the woods. There was a great blood trail for about half a mile, then it stoped. It made me sick. []

burniegoeasily

NY
I have a strong belief, if you can not take the animal in one shot, dont take it. That is with rifle, pistol, or bow. I have followed up many times with my bow. Drop a deer, nock a new arrow and put it in the deer agian. Call it anal or cautious. I just dont want to lose another deer. But you are right. I have heard people cranking off rounds like it was a shot gun. I can only imagine what the deer looks like when they recover it.

adams

Although I've read alot of post about wounded deer you'd be supprised what the actual numbers are. If you interested in a good read check out the link below to a study done at Camp Ripley

http://www.nbef.org/ripley.html

Although you may read a number of post requesting help in finding a deer the percentage of deer lost to bowhunters is actually quite low. Although I agree with your rules 1,3 & 4 and 2 for a beginner there are instances when a shot other then broadside are acceptable. A quatering away shot for instance gives you plenty of access to the vitals.
Whoever gave you that list has definately got you started in the right direction. As you develope as a bow hunter and gain experience you learn what you and your equiptment are capiable of and be able to refine you "game" more. I've been at it now for 12 seasons and I still am learning.

Trustee

I agree the gun hunters do also wound a lot of deer. I think that happens for several reasons but mainly because a. the quality of the hunter decreases during gun season (basically more lazy slops hit the woods) b. hunters think they can shoot a deer from any distance. Hopefully, bow hunters can be a little more selective and cautious before shooting. I know that none of us are perfect and accidents do happen!

TURKEY FAN

Every year it seems the first deer i shoot i can never find!!!! Like my big 10pt i shot on friday.................well i think someone stole him.

oneshot 1

Lets face it Deer are tuff.I figure this way lots of hit Deer will do just fine,and yes a few will be Coyote Food.

Thing with Deer Hunting is taking your time.Take your time make sure it is a Legal Animal.Take your time make sure you want it.Take your time aim for a Killing Spot.Take your time if you don't see it drop,let it have time to die.

I've taken less than perfect shots but looked where the Arrow or bullet is going to go and figure out what Organs it is going to hit.

40 years of hunting I have wounded Animals,I make mistakes.I made one the other day,but I think the wounded Deer will be fine.I use to shoot just for the Head or Neck with Firearms.Until I shot a Deer in the Jaw,I followed her and finished her but I never try to shoot there any more,I had one couple seasons ago thats all I could see was the Head.Didn't have no problem,but not a normal shot.

I felt sorry for an old Cow one time.Guy asked me if I could get close to this Cow with my Shotgun and Slug and kill her?I told him I would rather use my .22.He didn't say no more.Then found out him and this other Guy was trying to kill it with .243.They had that old Cow full of holes and she was still going[:@] I slipped down there,got up behind her,shot her behind the Ear dropped her.Didn't say a word to them two fools.

Yes I hunt for all my meat.I try my best that no Animal shall suffer anymore than it has to.

oneshot 1

bushmaster_5bko

My standards are a little tighter. Mine has to be within 20 yrds .. no brush clear shot.. at broad side. I agree mistakes will happen once in awhile.. but if your smart with your shot.. there should not be wounded deer

Charlie P

Sorry but things happen and there will always be wounded animals, you can reduce the percentage but ol Murphy is always around the corner.

Deer are alive and react to shots even when you think they are totally relaxed. The only way to asure no wounded deer is to stay home.

Found this post of yours in another thread. That say's alot after you've been hunting for awhile you'll understand how even the perfect shot can and will go bad.