c_lou Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 My Tuesday didn't go as planned. Well actually it did, I just didn't do what I was suppose to do. I had a doe come in around 5pm. She hung around for an hour just munching and taking her sweet time coming into range. She was pretty distracted by the neighbors cutting their corn, so that let me get away with quit a bit of movement to get ready for a shot. After an hour or so she finally gave me a 30 yard shot, slightly quartering to me. I took the shot through a small opening and connected with her front shoulder. She took two big bounds and stopped just behind a tree. She must have stood there for 15 minutes or so and then I watched her walk off into the CRP field. Now the big debate started, do I get down and check my arror or stay in the tree and wait for dark. I made the decision to get down and go check my arrorw. I was just about ready to get down, I had my bow tied to my drop rope ready to lower it down, when I heard deer coming. I got my bow off the rope and an arrow knocked just in time. I nice 8 pointer came trotting past me at 10 yards. The nice thing is he never even knew I was there. After dark I got my FIL & BIL to help me do a little tracking. We found my arror and blood right away. There was a pretty good blood trail so we backed out. I started thinking to myself, where she stopped and stood there was impressive blood. The thing is it would have been impressive if she had only stood there for a few seconds. She stood there about 15-20 minutes so I was thinking that it wasn't that impressive after all. I went back out Wednesday for 4 hours and searched the CRP field, but with grass as tall as me and thicker than I have ever seen it, I had no luck. After going over the shot, looking at my arrow, and broadhead blade that was bent pretty good, I am pretty confident she has just a good dent in her shoulder and a cut that will heal over. Don't get me wrong, I am sick to death that I blew the shot, 30 yards has been money in the bank all summer. Deer sightings are picking up. I am hoping this year ends up like 2 years ago. I shot and lost a doe (that lived) and the next time out I nailed a doe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThethirdI Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 I had a similar incident on Monday morning. I shot at a doe from 8 yards. I was sitting down and the bottom limb of my bow hit my knee. After the shot and watching her take off I decided that I had cleaned missed her. The arrow had hit my riser on it's way and wound up sticking in the ground. I got out my binoculars and looked at the arrow and it was completely clean from what I could see so I didn't get down. I just sat there rubbing my knee and mumbling under my breath. About an hour and a half later another deer came in and I absolutely drilled it. I got down to start the track job and went to pick up my first arrow. When I pulled it from the ground it had a small chunk of meat on it and the broadhead had been destroyed. All of the blades were broken off and the shaft was bent at the tip. I was immediately sick to my stomache. I called a friend to help and after a while the blood which started out pretty heavy completely dried up and we never found her. I think that the arrow must have hit a bone or something to wind up destroying the broadhead like that and that she will wind up healing, but it still makes me sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 I guess that will happen from time to time Lou. Don't beat yourself up. That quartering to shot is an iffy one. I'll take it on a doe most times mostly because the landowners just want deer dead, but I'd think twice and 3 times on a nice buck or a long shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiobuckhunter Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 I guess that will happen from time to time Lou. Don't beat yourself up. That quartering to shot is an iffy one. I'll take it on a doe most times mostly because the landowners just want deer dead, but I'd think twice and 3 times on a nice buck or a long shot. quartering away shots are always a problem for me . so much so that i won't take those shots anymore. and to me it doesn't matter if it's only a doe i respect the animals i harvest and don't want to risk shooting and losing any of them weather it has head gear or not. the horns look pretty but probably taste horrible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 All part of the bow hunting game. It happens All of us has been there and done that. Those that tell you it never happened to them have not been at it very long. Take comfort in knowing that the deer survived and there will be new opportunities. Good luck with the rest of the season... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCH Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 I've taken a quartering to shot as well with the same results. The loudest "Thwacckkk", I've ever heard followed by the doe running off. She got out of eyesight and started blowing. I checked my arrow and had only gotten an inch or so penetration. There's no doubt in my mind that while the doe may be walking with a noticeable limp, she made it through that injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisticwhitetails Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 quartering away shots are always a problem for me . so much so that i won't take those shots anymore. and to me it doesn't matter if it's only a doe i respect the animals i harvest and don't want to risk shooting and losing any of them weather it has head gear or not. the horns look pretty but probably taste horrible I assume you ment quartering to rather than quartering away. Quartering away is the most lethal bowhunting shot you can take. Quartering towards shots, unless the angle is very, very, slight should be avoided IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Born4it Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hey, Lou...If you were a person that never practiced and took a shot you shouldn't have after it was too dark it would be one thing. You obviously practice and are very comfortable from 30 yards. That's an honest mistake. It's like getting mad at Kobe Bryant for missing a free throw...you put in the time, and sometimes it just doesn't work out. Take it easy, Buddy..you'll get the next one! Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c_lou Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 What really makes me mad with myself, is I watched her for about an hour. I had plenty of shooting light left, and I choose to shoot instead of waiting for a possible better shot. She could have come closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Things happen Lou, we make some silly decisions ( Lord knows I've made some ) but we need to evaluate them, learn from them and move on .. I'm sure every bow hunter has made this shot, wether he/she wants to admit it or not .. Good Luck with that 8 point ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwoods07 Posted October 23, 2008 Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 Well guys, there seems to be a lot of us doing the same thing. Excellent archers making marginal shots. I hit the shoulder of a nice 9 point last weekend. It's a terribly frustrating feeling knowing that we could've made better shots compounded with the fact that there is an injured animal out there. Keep your head up and try to get back out there ASAP!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beagleboy Posted October 24, 2008 Report Share Posted October 24, 2008 It happened to all of us at one time or another. Don't beat yourself up about it. We all imagine the "what if" scenario but things happen and we learn from them. The doe probably survived and be thankful it happened to a doe and not the monster of your dreams. Get back out there and do what we all enjoy-hunting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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