pistolp71

Thanks Joe. PM sent.

Joe, I did not hunt a single minute after releasing the arrow on that buck. The only thing I had on my mind was to find that deer. I lost sleep every night. And searched like a man posessed. I found that buck, me, nobody else. I scouted that buck. Hunted hard and smart. Put an arrow through him and recovered him. To say that I should enter him as "found dead" is BS. And to NOT mount him as a personal harvested trophy? He WAS a personal harvested trophy. I do consider it a great kill. After what I went through trying to recover him, even more!

But I would enter the buck in the Big Buck club as found dead just to make sure the antlers were recorded for future hunters to see.. I would mount the deer for the deers sake not as a personal harvested trophy... Joe, what exactly is the reasoning behind that statement above?

Just to clarify. Broadside shot, exit very similiar to the entrance. And yes, big bucks die hard!

Thanks Geno. I am proud of the recovery of that buck. I did everything I could. Unlike what some others feel here, he'll be on my wall and I couldn't be happier.

I didn't gut the deer, for obvious reasons so cant be sure. Looking at the hole, I would say no part of the diaphram, maybe part of the liver. After the shot, knowing it was a little far back, I immediately backed out. I read a book I have about finding wounded deer. I also went online and read various other articles. The consensus seemed to be to wait approx 6hrs. I paced around the house all day and after waiting almost 7 hrs I went back in. That's when I bumped him, I backed out again and he wound up going 2/3 of a mile from that point. I know it to be 2/3 of a mile because I measured it on google earth. So if anybody can learn from this, and I have told everyone I can, that 6-7 hrs is NOT enough. I don't care what the books say. If I would have left that deer until the next morning, he would have been dead 100 yards from where i shot him.

Here's a couple of pics. The shot wasn't terrible. Another inch or so and I would have recovered him that day. I was still amazed he went as far as he did.

Thanks G-man. Steve-B, You are entitled to your opinion. For me, the deer is going on the wall where he belongs. But I am curious now, why exactly would you reduce that buck of a lifetime to knife handles or nailing to a shed? I scouted that deer, have pics. Hunted him hard, and put an arrow through him. The deer wasn't found dead because he died of natural causes. I shot him.

Hey Guys, I am the one who shot this buck. I just stumbled across this post about it and read all the posts. The shot I put on that buck turned out to be just a little far back. I can try to post a pic. It happens. I have been bowhunting for over 20 yrs. Hunt long enough and it will happen. I did everything I possibly could to recover that deer. I waited almost 7 hrs before trying to recover him. There was ZERO blood. I bumped him about 100 yards from where I shot him, backed out again. I searched every single day after that. Zero blood. I did not hunt one second after letting that arrow go. I walked 2-3 hrs a day, every day. I actually had blisters on my feet. The deer was in some big woods. He ended up going 2/3 of a mile. Grid searched with my dog every day. It doesn't take a dam thing away from the experience. Actually more rewarding. I hunted that deer hard, have trail cam pics. Put the arrow through him and searched even harder to recover him. Knife handles?? I think not.