TCL

Man that's a beautiful score! It was a nice morning to hunt. I'm in the Sapulpa area. I will probably go out tonight - hope I see something like that!

Well, first of all, I REALLY appreciate the feedback. You guys were nicer than I feel like I deserved and I will get over this, but I still feel pretty rotten. It's now 6 pm in Oklahoma and I did go back with a buddy and walk practically every square yard within 100 yards of where I last saw him. We even went into some REALLY thick stuff where I think a lot of deer are bedding and just went back and forth trying to step on him. We came up empty. We walked the creek up and down for a couple of hundred yards as well, and just couldn't find any blood or anything. I'm seriously bummed, but its just not gonna happen. I'd say the only good to come from this, is I never want to feel this way about doing that to another deer, and I will only take a shot that I feel 100% about. I'm serious - this takes all the fun out of the sport when this happens. I would rather just not see a deer, or completely miss than take a questionable shot. I also tried to find a diagram of the front of a deer's chest, but only see side shots. I just want to see what I hit - I mean it was obviously a bone because the arrow didn't pass - and where the kill spot is on a frontal shot. Not so I can do this again, but just for the knowledge. Anyway - thanks again for the feedback. I really mean that.

Well, I guess I'm posting this because I feel so terrible about a decision I made this morning to shoot a small buck in the chest at 12 yards. I had 2 bucks come into my area, I was up in a tree stand and decided on the one with bigger rack. I had to stand to make the shot and when I did, he bolted and his smaller friend was clueless and just froze with his chest fully facing me real close. I immediately rotated to put my pin on his chest and had about a 2 second deliberation in my mind as to whether to take the shot - this is only my second season to hunt which might explain the really poor decision I made to take the shot. I guess I thought thought since he was so close, the 3-blade broadhead would bust his chest and hit the lungs. I hit middle of his chest just off-center, and he ran with the arrow sticking out of him. I lost sight at about 50 yds and he went down a steep creek bank. I want everyone to know that I feel absolutely sick at myself for doing it - I really knew better and just got overly excited. Well, needless to say, after a thorough search about 2 hours later, I was unable to find either a deer or a single drop of blood. Because of my inexperience, I really need some seasoned hunters to give me feedback on this. Do you think the deer will die? Did I just wound him and he's running around with an arrow stuck in his chest? I'm just about to give up hunting after this...I hate the way I feel and I just don't know what to think of it. I'll probably go back again this afternoon and look some more, but I don't even know if a shot like that could kill him or how long it would take for him to die. LIke I said, any kind of feedback would help...thanks - Tim