pt0217

I have read that kinetic energy is lost in mechanical broad heads. Also, a fixed broad head would have done greater damage early in entering the cavity. This arrow bounced off somewhere. Possibly the opposite shoulder. I think it's possible a different broad head may have punched through or at least broke that leg. This would have forced that deer to stop sooner. Total speculation. My root cause for wanting to change broadheads is purely psychological. I have lost the confidence in the tool. It is my feeling that changing is equivalent to wiping the slate clean. That's all. Whether I switch to a fixed broad head or stick with mechanicals I feel the change is going to help my confidence, that I will recover deer that I make quality hits. P.S. I hit a good buck last year in the shoulder. Absolutely no penetration from 15 yards with my bow set at 60 lbs., same broad heads. I hear stories on this site of guys punching right through. Now in this case it was a less than ideal shot. But this one was no less frustrating than the one from the other day.

I went back in the afternoon and grid pattern searched, found nothing. Lost the blood trail completely. The deer may have crossed the road into a housing development. But I can't find any evidence that it did. It's very bothersome to lose any deer. This was a doe but still as a responsible hunter it kills me to have a deer travel that far wounded that badly. This happened to me last year. I tracked a buck for a half mile didn't push it once. It just never stopped. I have lost confidence in the broad heads I use. I am not saying they aren't good, just that I can't continue to hunt with them. I am going to look at fixed blades. I've heard they provide more kinetic energy and I know that whatever they hit the blades will do the job

Well, Bringing this one back to the top. I shot a doe today. I hit right behind the shoulder on the high side but definitely in money. It was a 28 yard shot I aimed a little high with my 20 yard pin. Hit right where I aimed. Arrow looked like it didn't go in far. Turns out it must have hit bone on the other side of the cavity. Finding the arrow looks like it went in 10 inches to a foot. I waited two hours. Had blood twenty yards from the hit. And it was a steady walk to follow. Bright red with bubbles. I followed for 500 yards and then the blood slowed to a drop here and there to lost blood. I'm guessing I hit one lung. But damn that deer ran full speed for 200 yards, up hill down hill, up hill. I'm at a loss what does it take to kill a deer? This is a picture of a puddle in the area where I lost site of the deer around 200 yards.

NY Bowhunter, I was thinking of smoking it as well. Thanks for posting that. What temps did you smoke at?

I don't. I am going to hang it in the basement between the bilco door and inner door to basement. I've read temps around 50 degrees for 8 weeks. I'm using synthetic casing and curing salts as well as a starter culture. They say those things help make it a little more forgiving

It's acorns or azaleas in 3s. Deer hit the yards at night.

I ordered the stuff online. Casings, curing salt, yeast. I'm going to start right after the holidays. Says it takes eight weeks to cure. Is the prosciutto smoked?

Ok, so I've decided to give this a shot this year. I have never made sopresatta but I have been studying and I think I can get r dun. Has anyone else made it? How did it go?

I'm jealous of you guys hunting in ag areas. Don't have much corn in Westchester.

Holy crap Larry!

I bought this Buck 118 personal when I was a kid. I went into the local sporting goods store as green as can be, asked the guy to look at a hunting knife. He handed me this knife. I had no clue what a good hunting knife was. Still don't. I ran my finger down the blade, cut myself and bled all over the counter. "I'll take it" I said to guy. I have a difficult time gutting with it because the curved blade likes to catch the stomach. So it's probably not the right knife but it's sentimental to me so I'll keep using it.

Congrats Witty. I definitely know your frustration. I've been hunting for 30 years. It took me that many years to get my first deer with the gun. On Sunday of opening weekend. I have gotten deer with the bow, as I live and primarily hunt in Westchester. It took many years bowhunting before I got my first deer. Like all that have said your first is very special. Best of luck on future hunts.

Bairdale, I think it's selfish. They know that others are in the woods. They don't care about screwing up your hunt. That's the problem with people today, everyone is self serving. That land belongs to all of us, not just those guys.

How many likes do you get? And how long are you out of them?

Hey CrappyIce, I'm hunting 3s, Cortlandt area where abouts are you? Been dead by me.

Morning and afternoon hunt in 3s. Saw the same couple does and same 4pointer in the am. A couple does far away in the pm. No good bucks in this new spot. No sign of the rut. Congrats to our latest killers. I'm hoping to join the group soon. I really want to make a pot of venison chili.

That was my first dark to dark sit. I am never doing that again. To all of you guys that do it god bless you. My climber is so uncomfortable. Plus I didn't sleep last night and I couldn't take a nap. 11-3 was like an eternity. I had a small 4 pointer come under me at 5. I almost blistered him just so I could justify the time I spent up in that tree. No signs of the rut in 3s so I'm sleeping in tomorrow Sorry if I sound angry. I'm not. I'm actually proud of myself for sticking with it.

Still at it in 3s. What a boring day. Just the few does early. Fingers crossed for the remainder of the day. Good Luck!

Zeek, Where is he going to make the water go? I don't know if it's as simple as digging a ditch and the water drains out.

Just finished my first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's about it here in 3s

I woke at two, a little early but I wanted to give myself some extra time. Kidding. Could not sleep over anxious for the all day sit. Settled in nice in 3s and can hear the woods great this morning. Good luck to all!

I looked at the field and Stream stuff at Dicks too. It was very close to what I bought. Price too. I got sucked into the whole scent lock thing. We will see.

I'm thinking of my weekend hunt and for me I have one area to hunt and I'm at the mercy of the wind. I will be setting up east facing but there will be a big hill in front of me so I don't think the sun will be an issue. New spot this year. So I'm still trying to figure it out. I think I have found the spot. I'm hunting a beautiful break in a stone wall at the base of a hill where the deer come down from the highlands to feed. Cross my fingers everything comes together this weekend. That's what I love about this sport. I've spent the week strategizing for this weekends hunt. If it comes together, you feel like you've succeeded even if you don't get the buck of your dreams. Getting it right is success as well.

I am using a climber so most likely I'm in a stand alone tree. Last hunt I climbed a tree too skinny. So it did not provide any cover either way but the tree I will be hunting out of Saturday is much bigger so it would work for cover.

I definitely feel more comfortable facing the action. And it actually cuts down on my movements. My ADD causes me to constantly turn my head. I have set up opposite deer movement and find myself twisting to see what's coming. Appreciate the tips.