I screwed up. First bow deer

[Molonlabemike]

So I messed up my first deer and I feel like yugo about it. Yesterday I got into the tree outside LBL around 7:50am. Little later then I wanted but when you have a 2 hour drive in plus a boat ride i'm just happy to have made it. 10min into my sit I see a deer Ive never seen on camera and in the time hunting in the area never seen this deer. He's about 2 but a pinbald deer so I figured he was mine. 20 yards out I stop him, settle my pin and let it fly. Shot from my point of view was a little forward and maybe an in high (assuming it hit the shoulder). Instantly saw the shot open up, he kicks and runs off. I give it about 30 min before climbing down and seeing if I can find my arrow.

After about 15min of looking I find a piece of flesh and an arrow is not in sight. I thought remembering where I shot him location wise would be easy but I was way wrong. From the tree it was easy to spot but from the ground it changes everything. I wait about 20min and start on a small blood trail that took me about 20 more min to follow till I bump a doe. Back out and then about an hour I start back on the trail, I find the first part of the arrow and then the fletching portion of the arrow. Unfortunately no broad head was recovered. A short bit of blood later I found the first blood pool where he needed down until that doe blew him out.

From there I should have backed out and waited longer but in my mind I figured he would be dead. I started to search and unfortunately a few hours later I bumped him out of his bed. When I bumped him the 2nd time it was about 4pm and it was clear he wasn't gonna be dead for a while. I hung my head in shame and backed out, jumped in the boat and headed home as I was limited on time that I was already over.

I learned a lot from this deer. First, watch where he goes until you can't see. This sounds easy but I was working on getting a second arrow and relied on my ears to watch. Second, mark the spot I shot him in Onx to the best of my ability and probably take a photo before leaving the stand. 3rd, if I can't find significant blood or heard/saw a crash BACK OUT. 4th that toilet paper tracking trick really helps with blood trailing. Lastly I need to look at my arrows. I'm shooting a 29in carbon express Maxima RED 350 spline arrow with a 100gr G5 3 blade broad head. I'm not sure if it's because of my shot placement or too light of an arrow but I feel like it should have been a pass through at 20 yards and 70lbs on my bow.

 

[Spurhunter]

You didn't say how good the blood trail was and how much he was bleeding when he laid down, but you bumped him twice, presumably where he laid down to die. How did you know he wasn't going to be dead for a while?

 

[megalomaniac]

sounds like single lung hit, but maybe you just hit no mans land and he will recover just fine.

unfortunately, you will lose more deer in your lifetime. It's the worst part of hunting. All we can do is make sure we minimize the chances of a unrecovered animal

 

[Molonlabemike]

You didn't say how good the blood trail was and how much he was bleeding when he laid down, but you bumped him twice, presumably where he laid down to die. How did you know he wasn't going to be dead for a while?

Blood trail was thin and took a while to trace. I should have backed out and let him pass in his final spot. I wanted to believe my shot lethal and kept pressing with that belief. I was dead wrong

 

[Spurhunter]

Blood trail was thin and took a while to trace. I should have backed out and let him pass in his final spot. I wanted to believe my shot lethal and kept pressing with that belief. I was dead wrong

That happens. Mistakes happen. Misjudgments happen. I was more curious what told you he wasn't going to die and made you throw in the towel.

 

[Molonlabemike]

That happens. Mistakes happen. Misjudgments happen. I was more curious what told you he wasn't going to die and made you throw in the towel.

I know in my heart he's dead but I ran out of time. I'm trying to get some buddies to head up and cut out of work to find him.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Good luck finding him when you go back. Looks like he was probably bleeding pretty good, I bet he is not far from where you last saw him.

 

[74MOPAR]

I hope you get a chance to go back and find him. May have to have help from buzzards. Also what is a pinegold deer?

 

[Molonlabemike]

I hope you get a chance to go back and find him. May have to have help from buzzards. Also what is a pinegold deer?

I hope so too as it would be a rare first deer also confirmation I'm not a total idiot. Sorry piebald not pinegold

 

[74MOPAR]

I hope so too as it would be a rare first deer also confirmation I'm not a total idiot. Sorry pinebald not pinegold

Oh piebald
Don't beat yourself up too bad. You can make a good shot and deer live longer or run further than you think. They are tough animals.

 

[knightrider]

It wont be the last lessons you learn, just keep it in the memory bank for the next round

 

[Gravey]

Lost the first deer I ever shot with a bow. Not sure there's a sicker feeling out there. Good luck finding him.

 

[Dennis]

I've seen bullets not pass through the thickest part of the shoulder bone. If you hit that thick part of the bone with a bow, you're not gonna get a pass through no matter what arrow/broadhead you use IMO .

I've hit that bone a number of times myself with a bow , and for me it's never been a good outcome. Don't beat yourself up over it but keep in mind the position of that near side front leg when taking the shot. If that leg is back and you shoot tight to the shoulder that shoulder bone can cause you grief.

 

[cbhunter]

Looks like the fletching has blood which would lead me to think there was an exit wound

 

[waterman]

Lost the first deer I ever shot with a bow. Not sure there's a sicker feeling out there. Good luck finding him.

me too. and your correct. there is not a sicker feeling

 

[Molonlabemike]

Thanks y'all. I'm leaving in a few hours to make the trek there to see if we can find him. I'm thinking I know where he will bed (only a few thickets) so with him having some white on him it should be easier. Not how I pictured my first bow deer but par for course

 

[Spurhunter]

Thanks y'all. I'm leaving in a few hours to make the trek there to see if we can find him. I'm thinking I know where he will bed (only a few thickets) so with him having some white on him it should be easier. Not how I pictured my first bow deer but par for course

Good luck! Find that buck!

 

[Ski]

I feel for you. It's never easy wounding an animal.

It sounds and looks like you hit neck. The tiny sporadic bubbles in rich red blood are indicative of muscle hit. Lung blood would be watered down or pink hued with much more bubble than shown. My guess is the deer will not die. But you should do your due diligence and search to be certain, as you've planned.

Please accept my words not as criticism but as an old bow hunter advising a new bow hunter because I've already made these mistakes. There's no reason to ever aim for the "vital-V" on a whitetail. The "V" shape opening that is made by the shoulder & leg joint will close as soon as the deer is startled by the sound of the shot, thereby covering that window to the heart with heavy bone. Soon as the shoulders drop that window is closed. The safer option with much more margin of error is aiming mid cage. A deer's rib cage extends half way back its body and inside it is lungs & liver that have no heavy bone protection. Still just as lethal as "vital-V" but no threat of hard bone and it doesn't drop out of the way when a deer loads up to run. Aim behind the shoulder crease about mid body height. Huge kill zone that's hard to miss. The "vital-V" on the other hand is hard to hit, impossible if it's closed. Heaven forbid you hit too far back and hit gut, it's still a dead deer and easy recovery IF you don't pursue too soon. But if you hit too far forward the deer likely won't die at all. It'll just suffer for awhile as it heals.

 

[Snake]

It happens don't beat yourself up too bad . Buzzards have to eat as well. Just try and learn from your mistakes . By looking at your arrow looks as if it did pass through .

 

[Molonlabemike]

Thanks everyone. Heading up now to go see if we can find him. What a day