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Shot My First Deer... not a happy ending

Vince1

By Vince1,
in Bow Hunting

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CuseHunter Newbie

CuseHunter

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Sorry to hear about the loss. I lost a doe this year after tracking for 4 hours hands and knees finding pin drops. Lost all blood after 200 yards into a golden rod field about a square mile large. It sucks, but don't let it get you down for long. Next time you will focus and take your time and get a confidence boost after nailing a doe good. Best of luck. It happens to us all, you just see most people post about their successes so remember you're not alone. Get at it!

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Five Seasons Grand Master

Five Seasons

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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.

Agreed, but in his case it seems the deer traveled a long distance and that is not typical. It's not like he was hunting the edge of his land. Regardless, to your point having a notepad with neighbors numbers may have granted you permission. Seems that deer was traveling though. Not sure it would have mattered.

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Vince1 Newbie

Vince1

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Vince, sorry to hear about your bad first experience. Ever find out why your shot was off the mark? At that range, you should probably be hitting vitals every shot, especially broadside.

I think I know which property this is, hope you get em next time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Nerves, basically went dumb when she came in. settled down after a few seconds but then she started watching me. held by bow at full draw for a while (recurve) relaxed for a bit. she was back on me.

 

all the while I was fighting with my harness (was to low and hitting my back arm) and I had my thick fleece neck gaiter on pulled all the way up. was in awe that I missed.

 

was back in the woods today stump shooting before I left, was nailing my shots from the ground/stand. guess it all goes to inexperience.

 

went back to the same spot hoping that doe would walk back in. but didn't see not a one deer all day. go figure, hopefully they are back next week.

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biggamefish Community Regular

biggamefish

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It is a whole different story when a deer is standing in front of you.  A lot of things happen in a short period of time.

 

Somethings to think about or practice,

 

1.When I shoot I try never to hold to long.  Basically pull back, hit your release point, settle and shoot.  (i have played around with holding back at release for 30 sec to a minute and then releasing and my groups grow exponentially).

 

2.When shooting one smooth motion from draw to release. (See # 1)

 

3. Practice drawing your bow in the house (No Arrow) and holding it back.  Then letting it down super slowly.  This happens in the wood all the time to me I think I got the shot and the deer doesn't stop etc. and you have to let the string down.

 

4.  When I see a deer coming in I try to let it get into a spot where I can do #2 (on this list!!).  Recurves and longbows don't have the let off and you can't hold them back.

 

5.  Practice all year long not just a few months.

 

  We have all been in your place and it isn't a good feeling just keep practicing and you will get there.

  

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Vince1 Newbie

Vince1

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It is a whole different story when a deer is standing in front of you.  A lot of things happen in a short period of time.

 

Somethings to think about or practice,

 

1.When I shoot I try never to hold to long.  Basically pull back, hit your release point, settle and shoot.  (i have played around with holding back at release for 30 sec to a minute and then releasing and my groups grow exponentially).

 

2.When shooting one smooth motion from draw to release. (See # 1)

 

3. Practice drawing your bow in the house (No Arrow) and holding it back.  Then letting it down super slowly.  This happens in the wood all the time to me I think I got the shot and the deer doesn't stop etc. and you have to let the string down.

 

4.  When I see a deer coming in I try to let it get into a spot where I can do #2 (on this list!!).  Recurves and longbows don't have the let off and you can't hold them back.

 

5.  Practice all year long not just a few months.

 

  We have all been in your place and it isn't a good feeling just keep practicing and you will get there.

 

 

Thanks for the advice gonna use that draw and let down method at home.  happened that day to arms felt all wobbly. been in the gym  almost every day since doing my shoulders again.

 

actually had a doe present me with TWO shots this past weekend and spooked myself into not taking either at about 20 yards on the ground. was scared I would miss so I kept waiting

 

kept second guessing my shot, she was slightly higher than me and slightly quartering to me and i was staring at her bottom underside slightly quartering to me. had I taken a knee I woulda been that much lower and the arrow would have had a nice entry under her. just couldn't take the shot 

 

she bedded down and I tried to get closer and spooked her outa there. she musta heard me coming cause I was downwind of her and had a nice wind blowing. but gave me a good shot right before she bedded that was broadside but her body was curved and I studied my placement waaaay to long.

 

only deer I saw all day and all im thinking about is the last damn bad shot.

 

least I had a good time

 

 

 

been kicking myself cause that was the ONLY deer I saw all day. got me thinking about what shots I should take what shots I shouldn't

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CuseHunter Newbie

CuseHunter

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Thanks for the advice gonna use that draw and let down method at home. happened that day to arms felt all wobbly. been in the gym almost every day since doing my shoulders again.

actually had a doe present me with TWO shots this past weekend and spooked myself into not taking either at about 20 yards on the ground. was scared I would miss so I kept waiting

kept second guessing my shot, she was slightly higher than me and slightly quartering to me and i was staring at her bottom underside slightly quartering to me. had I taken a knee I woulda been that much lower and the arrow would have had a nice entry under her. just couldn't take the shot

she bedded down and I tried to get closer and spooked her outa there. she musta heard me coming cause I was downwind of her and had a nice wind blowing. but gave me a good shot right before she bedded that was broadside but her body was curved and I studied my placement waaaay to long.

only deer I saw all day and all im thinking about is the last damn bad shot.

least I had a good time

been kicking myself cause that was the ONLY deer I saw all day. got me thinking about what shots I should take what shots I shouldn't

it's good you are not rushing anything but I find there is a fine line as to waiting, if you have a good shot you should take it, not wait and wait for the perfect shot as it might not ever present itself and the longer I wait the more nerves I build and that's my biggest cause of in accuracy while shooting a bow.
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shawnhu Newbie

shawnhu

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Thanks for the advice gonna use that draw and let down method at home. happened that day to arms felt all wobbly. been in the gym almost every day since doing my shoulders again.

actually had a doe present me with TWO shots this past weekend and spooked myself into not taking either at about 20 yards on the ground. was scared I would miss so I kept waiting

kept second guessing my shot, she was slightly higher than me and slightly quartering to me and i was staring at her bottom underside slightly quartering to me. had I taken a knee I woulda been that much lower and the arrow would have had a nice entry under her. just couldn't take the shot

she bedded down and I tried to get closer and spooked her outa there. she musta heard me coming cause I was downwind of her and had a nice wind blowing. but gave me a good shot right before she bedded that was broadside but her body was curved and I studied my placement waaaay to long.

only deer I saw all day and all im thinking about is the last damn bad shot.

least I had a good time

been kicking myself cause that was the ONLY deer I saw all day. got me thinking about what shots I should take what shots I shouldn't

You did the right thing, better to let them walk away unharmed than rush a shot you second guess. I'm glad you've taken away something from your first experience, can't say much do these days. You're OK in my book!

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shawnhu Newbie

shawnhu

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Always have an arrow on your bowstring if using a release! Mechanical devices can fail!

Do you'd rather him accidentally shoot something(or someone) than dry fire if the mechanical device fails?

From the factory, our bows are dry fired and tested to comply to specific tolerances before damage is done to the bow. A single dry fire from a failed release won't kill you, or the bow. But a loaded arrow might.

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://Facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

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Vince1 Newbie

Vince1

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i shoot recurve, fingers deerskin gloves, no need for all the bells and whistles.

 

may invest in a compound next year for the wife but I think she is leaning toward rifle. she wants to start hunting with me :) course she may wind up shooting me in the back by "Accident".

 

Went out again today, think I saw the Doe that I shot. put a smile on my face :)

 

she was with the same herd in the same bedding spot, I jumped em. MAN she didn't even look this time. first sound and she was outa there.watched em run away, beautiful animals they are.

 

 

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dbHunterNY Proficient

dbHunterNY

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I must have missed it, what does this have to do with this thread?

 

yea I don't know either.  I do mostly agree with the poster in that most of the time I try to have an arrow knocked in case the D-loop gives out or the release fails.  This is mostly when working on them at my shop at home.  I've never had it happen to me but have heard and seen it happen to others.  I doubt the poster draws, nocked and loaded at his/her HD flat screen TV or worst of all a person.  I'd rather ruin an arrow stuck into my work bench or ding my concrete basement wall then my expensive bows.  I saw a Mathews Monster ruin a string, bend cam, and mess up axles and bearings all in one dry fire.  that's an expensive fix.  I haven't ever heard of the idea manufacturers dry fire every bow.  the Hoyt 1500 dry fire limb claim is them testing.  those bows wouldn't be sent out though.  also just about everything else was replaced during that effort except for the limbs.  I've seen several bows take a dry fire and turn out fine with no issues.  that said I wouldn't want it to happen to any of mine I've got now.

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dbHunterNY Proficient

dbHunterNY

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practice drawing on deer at least I'd say.  you'll come across that shot opportunity to let an arrow fly.  don't rush it but realize that perfect shots won't present themselves every time.  at times you can stop the deer or see opportunities better.  when in doubt don't shoot though, just like you've been doing.  picking your right shot opportunity will come with time.

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