Lessons Learned??

[knehrke]

I lost a decent buck on Friday night. It's not the first deer that I've ever lost, but it's been several years since I had one get away on me. In some ways, this was the most frustrating, because I don't know what went wrong, or what I could have done differently.

My season thus far has been spent mainly watching does, with a few close encounters and a complete lock-down over the past week. Then Friday night I had a spike chasing a doe just behind the stand for ten minutes, another buck chasing in front, a couple of nervous doe walk past, then a decent eight strung out behind a doe that showed about half-an-hour before dark.

The doe and eight-point wandered past at 30 yards, but I passed on the shot. I have a new Elite that I haven't shot as much as my old Parker and I limited myself to shots inside of 25 yards this season till I'm more comfortable with the bow. After moving past, the doe turned straight toward the stand and the buck, like an old drunk following a shot glass of whiskey, turned with her, about ten yards behind. I drew when he was behind a bush at twenty yards, waited after he stepped out until he was slightly more broadside, quartering toward me, let out a breath and released. The hit looked good, just behind the shoulder, though I was a bit concerned that the two-blade Rage had only penetrated halfway and that I could see half the arrow sticking out as the deer spun and headed North.

Right at dark I had two of my friends I was hunting with come over and we started to trail the deer. Lesson #1: buy a good flashlight! I had a mini that was adequate, but not great, and I think we would have lost the trail earlier if it hadn't been for my one friend's 235 lumen light that he bought from Gander Mountain after having to track one at night a few weeks ago. I now have the same light in my pack.

Anyway, we tracked the deer with minimal blood for 75 yards, found the upper arrow broken off, then we had a bit more blood for awhile. The blood was alternating bright and foamy, then dark almost purple. We guessed that I hit both lung and liver, and that the blood was pooling inside the deer. Still, not a great trail and eventually it gave out completely. We had gone about 150 yards from the site of the initial hit.

With the threat of rain after midnight, I hated to give up, but we were on the edge of a large swampy area (not much water this year, though) and without blood to follow the deer could have gone anywhere. To finish up the story, I came back the next morning, but the light rain overnight made even the original blood trail difficult to see. So I set a GPS from where we'd lost the blood and went 250 yards three times in the general direction the deer had gone, making sure not to cover the same ground twice. Then I did circles around where we'd lost the blood. No luck, no deer. I wish I could have wandered further, but the trail ended near the property line and the neighbor won't let us cross over without a blood trail to follow.

I wish I could say what Lesson #2 should be...maybe I could have waited until the deer quartered away from me? I replay the scene in my head, and the hit looked good, but I guess I can't rule out a graze to the shoulder that threw the trajectory off. But I did see the arrow in the deer clear as day as he took off, and it seemed to be just behind the shoulder, which is where I aimed for a quartering toward shot. Maybe the lesson is not to hunt near a swamp in the evening? Or not to shoot if it's going to rain overnight? I just don't know.

Anyway, I've decided that, for me, that's my buck. I'm not trying to be goody-two shoes, but my personal feeling is that I couldn't handle losing two in one season, and the best way to do that is to not shoot at another. Plus, it's not fair to my hunting buddies, when we all pay the same to lease the land. Hopefully I will have a chance during gun season to redeem myself. Until then it's time to restore confidence in the bow by putting a few flatheads in the freezer.

I think that writing this was meant to be cathartic, but advice is always appreciated. Remember: good flashlight! At least one lesson was learned.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Quartering to is not a high percentage shot with a bow. Let them walk by or get broadside, or just pass on it. Its a bummer about the neighbor, Ive run into that before as well. Sorry about the lost deer.

[shawnhu]

Great story, and I like the attitude of not shooting another. It's what I think all hunters should do if they missed and fatally injured their target.

[growalot]

Sorry for the loss...I took a shot on a lrg racked 7pt...same situation...he made it 1/2 mile before dieing ...never laid down...neighbor found him in their laneway the next morning but so did the yotes...no more quartering two...and I rally dislike quartering away shots...reason one...both doe one shot managed to go rt under the shoulder...tons of blood for 100yrds then nothing...never found the arrow....another went in good and I actually heard it hit the opposite shoulder....no blood trail to speak of ...she made it to the swamp never to be seen...I think you perhaps waited just a bit longer before trailing...but there's that hind sight thing ....

[MikeP]

Sounds like you learned a few things. #1 is good. If your gonna evening hunt a great flashlight and a great backup is a must. And I also recommend a small spray bottle of peroxide. Losing deer sucks. I also lost one this weekend. Only my second on in 20 plus years, it was a bad high hit and I would guess he's still walking.

Like WNY said quartering toward is not a good shot for a bow. To many things to go wrong. It happens to a lot of us the best thing is to learn from it and know there will be plenty of opertunities for shots.

[erussell]

Lesson #1 That one little twig in your lane that you think will never hamper a shot will.

Lesson#2 The shoulder is not your friend, no matter what poundage you are shooting.

This concludes my lessons learned this yr.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I would also go with a cut on contact head. To many bad words about the rage and that kind of head for anything but a perfect shot. Sorry about the lesson!

[shawnhu]

What's a cut on contact head?

[erussell]

one with fixed razors that dont move.

Edited November 13, 2012 by erussell

[First-light]

You gave it your all. Going back the next morning was good. We tracked a deer this weekend that was liver shot. After jumping him once we waited. We also had the blood trail end and did the circles from last point. We found the deer about 50 yards out from last point. Yes a good light is a must. I shot my deer last weekend towards the end of the day Saturday. Waited until dark and got out my light. It was fine to get me into my stand in the darkness of morning but not bright enough to look for blood. I hit an artery and he didn't go far. You sound like a real good hunter, I wish you luck this weekend!

[WNYBuckHunter]

What's a cut on contact head?

Look at the G5 Montec, thats a perfect example of a cut on contact broadhead.

[Fletch]

I would wait for the quartering away, I have learned that the hard way as well. There is a spot on that shoulder I do not care if your pulling a 100 pounds you hit that you will hear a big crack at get about an inch of penetration. If you do not cut your own when you go to the butcher watch them butcher one and look at that shoulder.

I always carry three lights, my cap light, a 220 lumen and an mini mag light.

And do not start a rage bashing thread, my chisel tip 2 blade rage did just fine on a 200 pound buck last week. Big hole and a pile up after 70 yards. Just about ANY well made broadhead will kill a deer if put in the proper place. I certainly have put a few in the wrong place and now just try stay level headed or I guess they call that controlling buck fever. We do not make good decisions when we do not think. The key is patience and being able to pass up marginal shots even if it means no shot. That is the toughest lesson of all.

[irish_redneck]

another went in good and I actually heard it hit the opposite shoulder....no blood trail to speak of ...she made it to the swamp never to be seen

My first year bowhunting I did the same thing, knocked the deer right off it's feet, could see my arrow sticking out of it. All I could think was "oh no, it's going to run across the main road and people are gonna be pissed about the stupid hunter and his porcupine deer" , it circled around not knowing what had happened and I go to knock another arrow, it looked up and noticed the cause of it's issue... and took off. NYbuckboy and I searched for a while but never recovered that deer

[Pointer]

I guess we all learn many lessons don't we?...I learned one yesterday as well...if you have a good opportunity, make it work instead of trying to turn it into the prfect opportunity...

I'm in my blind and after about 30 minutes I can see a deer coming off the hill on the trail I'm hunting. I had made a mock scrape and placed some scent wicks around it so any approaching buck would have a reason to stop and investigate while standing in my shooting lane.

After he gets within 50 yards or so I can see sunlight reflecting off of antler tips...a nice respectable 6 point... The only problem is that he's not really on the trail but seems to be just above it and walking parallel to it on the upwind side of the mock scrape and scent wicks. I reason that this will cause him to keep walking since he won't get the scent so i decide I will grunt and stop him in the shooting lane. Mind you he's walking at a nice easy pace in no hurry to get anywhere. I shoot a recurve and prefer a stationary target when I can find one but I can shoot a walking deer at under 20 yards with little difficulty. Still....I prefer them to stand still so I grunt when he hits the lane....3 times!...he never broke stride...like he was deaf or something.

After the third grunt he's getting near the limit of my range so i decide to try for him....As soon as I got to about half draw his head whipped around and he had me instantly...we played that stare and head-bob game for a few minutes before he walked off while constantly checking for movement from me. When he got to about 50 yards ai hit the bleat can...4 times...and he never reacted..just moseyed off down the hill...

I tell you what fellas...I was kicking myself all day..I should have shot as soon as he hit the lane..he was about 18 yards and totally relaxed and moving nice and easy with a steady gait...what a wasted opportunity...It's not every day you get a chance at a 6point on crowded public land like that...

Never again will I take a good setup and try to make it perfect...

[knehrke]

Thanks for the advice on the fixed broadheads. I agree that a quartering toward shot is not optimal...the shot I took was really a slight angle and so I chose to shoot...probably could have waited three seconds and had a better angle.

I learned another lesson today, but no animal got injured, just my pride. I had a doe that gave me a twenty yard look broadside as she turned and walked over a rock wall toward the neighbors property. I was at full draw and there was a good window, so I let fly. Well, even when you think you're in the clear, branches near the tree are an obstacle that aren't easily seen, and your line of sight isn't the same as the arrow's line of flight. Or so I learned. Particularly when the obstacle is within a couple feet. I clipped a branch about two feet out that I thought I'd easily pass over and the arrow made a killing shot on some very large rocks. The doe startled, then calmly pushed onto the neighbor's property and walked within fifteen yards of me before disappearing into the thicket. No way I'm shooting onto the neighbor's property, even for a good buck, much less a doe, since that's part of the deal with leasing and one of the drawbacks of having a stand on the property line (the only spot for it in this particular high traffic area). So, she lived to see another day and I'm eating tag soup during the bow season this year. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

[arrow nocker]

YA LOL.DON'T STAND UP TOO QUICK!!!

Had two deer coming at me.I was like it's about time.KNOWING BETTER, i stood up quite quick.As soon as i did they and i knew we were both screwed.I never even saw what the second one was.Just saw white tails.I know better too.I don't know what i was thinking.