ladydiehard Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Well I finally took my first shot at a deer with the bow. Two shots in fact. Shot over the first doe and under the second one. I misjudged the distances both times. I'm admittedly not good at judging distance and it came to bite me twice Saturday morning. I have a range finder and ranged some trees around me but there was no time to range the deer themselves prior to a shot. The first doe came right down the logging road quiet as a mouse to my right. I was watching to my left at the time and when I turned she was already within 30 yards and coming straight for my tree. I froze. She stopped beside my tree, almost under it and looked up at me and I thought uhoh, busted. But she didn't see me. She went behind my tree and when she started to get a bit away from me, I reached for my bow and slowly turned around. I couldn't see her. She had went up a small hill and there were too many trees in the way. So I figured what can it hurt to try the little can? So I grabbed it and called once. Wasn't but a minute and here she comes back the way she came. I picked an opening, drew back as she approached it, stopped her with a grunt and let fly. And watched the arrow go over her back. Not even 30 minutes later, more deer came through and another doe came within range. This time I shot under her. I know experience is the best teacher and my judgement of distance should improve. But right now I've got rookie bowhunter blues. I've also received mixed opinions on shot placement when shooting from a tree stand. I'm only 15 ft up and some say to shoot low but others say that this isn't high enough to require compensation. Anyone care to share some more thoughts on this matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Personally when I look at a deer I divide the body in two halves vertically. Shoot for the bottom half right behind her shoulder. Misjudging range is probably what happens most when people mis dear. Walk around to different spots and shoot at your target and it will help you with your confidence in taking a shot from any distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowtechTurkeyHunter Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! For sure it happens to all of us dont get frustrated...I'm sure next time you will nail her it just take a bit of experience to get it just right ... GL on the next hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Finn Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Congrats on your first 2 shots. You'll get em! I always aim about a third of the way up, just behind the shoulder. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Thats a bummer....I pile up some sticks in a triangle 20 yards out around my stand..If they step into that..its over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Sorry you're singing the blues but we all miss on occasion. As far as compensation goes for stand height I don't ever worry about doing that even when I'm higher up than your 15' stand. I don't believe you should either. Any compensation I make is for the deer to duck and move when the arrow is turned loose. Not for any height of stand adjustment. Far more often than not, when a deer hears an unnatural noise it will duck down on its front legs to load up the muscles in its hind legs to bolt out of there from any possible danger. I just aim directly for the heart and if the deer ducks, it's still a good lung shot. Hutchies had a great way of making that heart shot thought real simple. The heart area is close to the middle of the bottom half so that's a good way of thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master_Chief Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Keep at it. You will score eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beagleboy Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! When I first started I would go to my treestand and tie liitle pieces of ribbon at each distance in all four directions according to the pin sights on my bow. If the pin was set at 30 yds and the pin was orange that was the color ribbon I would tie at that range. This way when a deer came into range, I would see at which ribbon it was at and use use that color pin to aim with. Always worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydiehard Posted September 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! I'll be back at it in a couple days if not sooner. I hope the third time will be the charm. Thanks for all the good advise and encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Misses happen,don't worry. When wep ut stands up, we mark the shooting lanes with orange flagging at 20 and 30 yards. That way if a deer comes, I know if it is at those distances or inbetween or closer and can betetr judge the distance. Good luck to you and keep at it. I missed 2 bucks the same morning one time my second year of hunting; shot under one and over the other, my bow was part to blame but when beginning, misses come. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEAVIER_THAN_STEEL Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! i did the exact same thing last year it happens to the best of us good luck on your next shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad dryden Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Been their done that but 3 shot I hit her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffy Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Been there also! Eventually you will adapt to judging distance without a range finder and it becomes instinct. It only gets better. Good luck on the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! at least your seeing deer. before i had a rangerfinder i use to step off different objects from my stand to help with my range estimation. better luck next time and remember a clean miss is better than a bad hit anyday! todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydiehard Posted September 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Thanks guys and gals. You make me feel a bit better. Most certainly I am thankful that I didn't end up with a bad hit. And I'm certainly not giving up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosdog2 Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Remember if hunting was easy, everyone would do it. Do you sight your bow in from a stand? I usually spend most of the summer shooting from the ground and then before the season starts re-check the sights from a stand at the height I usually hunt from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missed160 Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Better a clean miss then a bad hit.. You are doing something right to be getting good shots.. Now you just need to learn the lesson everyone has learned, and that is to become better at knowing ranges, & to check the distance to certain reference points long before the deer are there.. Good luck, keep after them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeremiah_Johnson Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! I always aim for the heart. If they drop, it's a double lung. If not - heart shot. If I miss low - clean miss. If I miss high - double long. Only bad scenario is a string jump and a high miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydiehard Posted September 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! [ QUOTE ] Remember if hunting was easy, everyone would do it. Do you sight your bow in from a stand? I usually spend most of the summer shooting from the ground and then before the season starts re-check the sights from a stand at the height I usually hunt from. [/ QUOTE ] I only practice from the ground. I don't have a stand to practice from or anything that equals 15 ft. 10 is about as close as I could get...maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutchies Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Get on your roof and set your target at 20 yards. Be sure and have a person to retrieve them for you and a rope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowhunter56 Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Get a pendelum sight, no guesstimating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preacherman Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Don't get down on yourself. I think most everyone probably has missed some deer! I know I have. Hope things get better for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheDanishDanger Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! I'll probably be right with ya, this is gonna be my first year shootin with a bow, I'm goin out there with confidence but my expectations aren't high, best way to learn is from your mistakes, and I'm probably gonna learn a lot of them. so don't feel bad and forget them blues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedicast Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! Like missed 160 said, at least it was a clean miss, and not a marginal or bad hit. A miss is much easier to get over than a bad hit, and an unrecovered deer. Thats from experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longislandhunter Posted September 27, 2005 Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Re: I blew it - Twice! we all miss. as long as it's a clean miss it's ok, and it serves to make the "thwack" sound from a solid hit even more exciting. Hang in there,,, you'll connect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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