Shot My First Deer... not a happy ending

[Vince1]

Shot my first deer yesterday morning. Thought I had a good shot, honestly now that I think about it I don't know where the arrow hit just where I aimed for.

 

recovered the arrow it was a pass through, white hair and blood from nock to point. not a lot of blood on the arrows but I saw a bubble in one of the blood trails so I figured it was at least one lung cause he ran far. shoulda  backed off him the minute I realized he was running over 200 yards, but I didn't with all the excitement.

 

thought he was bleeding hard cause in some spots there was a TON of blood, while in others it was just drips and spots.

 

finally I lost the trail after maybe 300 yards as he came to an open area that had two intersections. got on my hands and knees looking for blood in EVERY direction then walked a bit father out looking where I could. finally went to eat lunch. at about 2 and give it a think.

 

called deer search from the woods but of course no reception. did a bit more looking all over and couldn't find him.

 

finally left the woods and drove a ways till I got reception, got deer search and the guy came out at around 8:30. Those dogs are AMAZING found the trail probly 50 yards away from where I lost it and the blood was just drips at that point but he found it.

 

kept following for another 100 yards and finally the deer crossed the road into private property.

 

GO FIGURE, the guy from deer search had to go find another guys bear further upstate in the AM so we called it a night at about 10:30 at night.

 

live and your learn.

 

think I pushed him to another guy who pushed him outa the woods, had he run in the other direction deeper in the woods I woulda found him, if I had the mind to just back off. Guy from deer search said the blood looked like a liver shot, INCHES from where I aimed. was a broadside shot and I was aiming First to low now that I think about it, right above his right leg and I was about 17 feet up between 13 and 16 yards away.

 

big thanks to deer search for coming out.

 

gotta love lady luck.

[TeeBugg]

It happens unfortunately. Shoot some more arrows at the target and keep your head up. Happens to the best of us. Its hard to not start tracking right away but lesson learned. Keep your head up and go get em!

[Five Seasons]

Deer search is really great. Sorry to hear you lost the deer. I can relate. I fatal gut shot my first bow kill and I also was too eager to wait. But after 300 and a diminishing trail I did back out. 4 hours later I was lucky to get back in and recover him. Single lung hits are fatal but they'll go a long way if you don't slice something else too. Keep at it brother, it only makes the next one sweeter.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Belo

[Cabin Fever]

Sorry to hear that, especially with it being your first! Sounds like you did everything you could have to recover it. Maybe it wasn't a fatal hit afterall...

[fasteddie]

Vince are you hunting somewhere there isn't snow on the ground ? 

[bluecoupe]

Vince are you hunting somewhere there isn't snow on the ground ? 

 

Hard to tell. No location filled in on the profile.  Hunting location just says Catskills. But looking at the snow depth maps it doesn't look like anywhere in the Cats have snow cover.

[Vince1]

Vince are you hunting somewhere there isn't snow on the ground ? 

 

 

I WISH there was snow on the ground, but im down in Westchester right now.

 

gonna head back out in the AM. decided to give my spot a day off since I just shot the momma doe and head out tmw to see if any of the others that where with her come on back.

 

oh, that was my second mistake. I shot the biggest doe and she was on it, from the minute she walked in she knew something was up. the others that were with her didn't know what was going on and just went about their merry business.

[Vince1]

Hard to tell. No location filled in on the profile.  Hunting location just says Catskills. But looking at the snow depth maps it doesn't look like anywhere in the Cats have snow cover.

 

 

this is my first year and I don't really have a spot I hunt, I been doing sterling / Westchester / long island.

[Five Seasons]

Shooting the biggest doe isn't a mistake. You simply need to pick the right time to draw. Preferably with her looking the other way or head down

[fasteddie]

Shooting the biggest doe isn't a mistake. You simply need to pick the right time to draw. Preferably with her looking the other way or head down

And sometimes you just have to be Lucky ...........

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Tough deal Vince. Sorry it didn't turn up.

[thphm]

White hair, You should have called Deer Search Inc. there eastern headquarters is in the Westchester area or not far from there.

[GreeneHunter]

If your trying your still in the game .... It Happens !

[Vince1]

White hair, You should have called Deer Search Inc. there eastern headquarters is in the Westchester area or not far from there.

 

 

yup called them, they came out. deer ran up on private property and it was game over. was late at night by time we finished up

[bubba]

half of the story was about deer search coming to help

[thphm]

My, Bo Bo ,Did not read the whole story. Question Did the Deer Search person recommend that you get permission from the other landowner to go on there property to search for the deer.

[Bowshotmuzzleloader]

As a general rule when I bow hunt and shoot a deer if I dont see it drop, I leave the woods for a hour after marking the blood trail.. Give the deer and yourself sometime to calm down and think about a game plan and your shot..

Sorry about your deer probably safe to say we have all been there..

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Online tax maps can be a blessing, just for future reference. I don't want to see your thread blow up into a woulda coulda shoulda bashing session. Sounds like you did good and deer search would have had to depart anyway.

[Steve7]

As a general rule when I bow hunt and shoot a deer if I dont see it drop, I leave the woods for a hour after marking the blood trail.. Give the deer and yourself sometime to calm down and think about a game plan and your shot..

Sorry about your deer probably safe to say we have all been there..

 

Couldn't agree more.  When I arrowed my 8 point this season with a good double lung hit I backed out even knowing that it was good.  I waited until he was out of sight and backed out and got some help.  Didn't want to drag it alone.       

 

Don't beat yourself up over it Vince just learn from it and you did the right thing calling Deer Search.  It happens

Edited November 30, 2013 by Steve7

[HUNTINGS IN MY DNA]

Sorry about that brother sometimes it happens

We will be known forever by the tracks we leave!

[Vince1]

My, Bo Bo ,Did not read the whole story. Question Did the Deer Search person recommend that you get permission from the other landowner to go on there property to search for the deer.

 

 

nope, but it was 10:30 at night and we tracked for over 2 hours and glanced the property noting there were no lights on in the place. he wasn't able to get back out there the next day cause he had to go upstate to help someone else.

 

don't think two guys dressed in camo coming up to your door late at night with flashlights asking for permission would have been a welcome thing.

 

now if it was laying in their driveway, that's a different story. but since it seems only the dog could find the trail we called.

[jjb4900]

biggest mistake is taking up an uncertain trail without waiting...been there myself.

[Elmo]

Sorry to here, Vince.  You'll get it next time.  Keep at it, keep practicing.

[alwaysarchery67]

It happens...you tried

Good job

[treestandman01]

Sorry to hear that. Happened to me upstate 2 years ago a 6 pointer. the shot was back and I recovered the arrow full of blood. did same thing went looking for him it was My first buck. Started raining and snowing and lost the trail. Its hard to take but just get back out and learn.