SHOT awesome 8pt...cant find..need help..lol

[dmitchell28]

I will start out by going ahead and stating the obvious. I know it was rifle season and I was hunting with a bow, AND I know that a front facing shot isnt exactly the smartest shot to take. Now that that is out of the way. Okay, I had a AWESOME 8-9 point, by far biggest deer I have shot come within 10 yards of my stand. I am very confident with my bow. I have a Parker Ultra lite 31, I shoot it fairly good, and it has pretty good speed also. The deer was very alert coming in and he came straigh in to me, I didnt want him to get downwind of me, so he came to 10-12 yards, he dropped his head and I decided to live or die with the straight on chest shot. He raised his head back up and I slung it. He kinda jumped the string, and it hit him more right chest than dead center. It made a really loud THUMP and the deer turned and ran off with arrow sticking out of it. It was evening, so I decided to go check about 3 hours later for blood. Well me and my father searched, NO BLOOD. The next day, we looked and looked and searched the area I last seen the buck, along the hollar and hillsides, and NOTHING. Went back and found footprints, we followed what we hope was the footprints of the deer, through a field, down a road, through another couple of fields and then no more tracks, NO BLOOD EITHER. The reason I think it was the deer, is because the last 100 yards of tracks, seemed to be just the right front foot only, and hooves spread wide, showing me he was putting all his weight on the right foot. No left foot track at all. The tracks ended at the end of a ridge, it had one of three choices, could of went down a very very THICK gap ( i thought would be hard to manage with one leg and a arrow sticking out, down steep steep hill) go to the main end of a dead pine, ivy thick ridge, or button hook back towards the way he come. My question to anyone that is reading this, is there anything, other than the shot that I ahve did wrong, what should I do from here? Do you think the deer has expired/died, or do you think it is still alive? Please, I need input from some experienced bowhunters. Thanks guys

 

[DBLAARCHERY]

Wow...That is a very low percentage shot...This is just experience talking so bare with me...Depending on how far the arrow actually went in...He might live for awhile...If the arrow went straight in than you would most likely hit vitals...If what you say is true he favored one side over the other than you probably wedged the arrow back under the front shoulder...I would guess this deer is still alive...If possible carry your Rifle back in the morning and start all over again and try to track him...Maybe you will be fortunate and jump him or find him expired...Good luck...

 

[dmitchell28]

he never really favored one side over the other when he ran HARD out of site...the only way i noticed he favored one side was the tracks I found at the end of the ridge. It was only the right side tracks and no left side. It was one big foot print with dew claws pressed in hard, than another Big footprint, directly inline with the first one, than another big footprint about 4 ft..than all over again. Kinda like this P...P............P...P..............P...P
and it was def the same side foot, cause there was nothing on the left side.

 

[dmitchell28]

do you think this could be his prints???? or am I looking too far?

 

[BigCountry71]

Depending on your bow set-up. You would half to have some serious kinetic energy to get thru the chest cavity.

Even if it got thru. And by chance you got a lung. There would be little blood if any, cause he would bleed inside.

Slim chance in finding this deer. Keep a eye out for buzzards. But i think the yotes will get him first cause he wont be able to defend himself.

 

[Back Home]

I had a buddy shoot one in the chest two years ago. We found blood but not very much. We caught up with her several hours (and 2-300 yards later) and she was still alive and limping.

It's a terrible feeling. I've been there. Stick with it and use your instincts. Good luck.

 

[102]

My advice to you is to learn from your mistake. Take it to heart and remember next time, wether huge buck or spotted fawn, we owe it to the animals we hunt, to make the most humane, ethical, high percentage, quick, clean kill shot we can make. ALWAYS consider the EXIT wound BEFORE the arrow is released. If no exit, then often times no blood trail!

My advice in finding this deer is to look for buzzards for the next few days. But remember, deer are VERY tough animals. He may survive!

102

 

[Radar]

We all make bad shots . It's best to learn from those mistakes and not repeat them.A frontal shot is a low percentage shot .
I hope you find him and learn from the experience .

 

[Jubal]

Yeah.... low percentage shot, and also a low percentage on recovery. Hope you find him, but I doubt you will. If one has hunted very long, they have made a bad shot. Learn from it.

 

[dmitchell28]

Well I figured I would go ahead and update on this story. I found the deer about 2 weeks ago. Me and my finance went for a little walk and she noticed something down in the hollor and sure enough it was the skull and and horns and a carcass. The shot was deadly, the only thing was, the deer somehow backtracked and was actually somewhere I NEVER expected! I have the skull and horns and have mounted them on a plaque to remind me that every shot doesnt have to be AWESOME. From the way it looked, the shot actually got great penetration, just a very strong willed deer. i think next time i wont wait so long to take up the trail!!!

 

[Hoss]

I have the skull and horns and have mounted them on a plaque to remind me that every shot doesnt have to be AWESOME. From the way it looked, the shot actually got great penetration, just a very strong willed deer. i think next time i wont wait so long to take up the trail!!!

Wow! Is that what you are taking away from this. Please reconsider. Remember that feeling you had in your gut when you were looking for this deer. Keep the skull and horns but look at them and remind yourself to never put yourself in that position again.
The straight on shot is one of the most difficult and lowest percentage shots there is. You have been demonstrated that lesson very graphically here. Take THAT from your experience. You did not harvest this animal you wasted it. Had you taken up the trail earlier the outcome was most likely going to be the same. He did not bleed because of the poor shot placement. Even though the shot was fatal it was poorly placed or you should have had a blood trail to follow.
The straight on shot is not impossible to make effectively, but is is very difficult. It should not be attempted. Wait for a broadside/ quartering away angle, or wait for another day.

 

[TN Deer Slayer]

 

[102]

Hoss is right.

102

 

[BigCountry71]

I have the skull and horns and have mounted them on a plaque to remind me that every shot doesnt have to be AWESOME. From the way it looked, the shot actually got great penetration, just a very strong willed deer. i think next time i wont wait so long to take up the trail!!!

Wow! Is that what you are taking away from this. Please reconsider. Remember that feeling you had in your gut when you were looking for this deer. Keep the skull and horns but look at them and remind yourself to never put yourself in that position again.
The straight on shot is one of the most difficult and lowest percentage shots there is. You have been demonstrated that lesson very graphically here. Take THAT from your experience. You did not harvest this animal you wasted it. Had you taken up the trail earlier the outcome was most likely going to be the same. He did not bleed because of the poor shot placement. Even though the shot was fatal it was poorly placed or you should have had a blood trail to follow.
The straight on shot is not impossible to make effectively, but is is very difficult. It should not be attempted. Wait for a broadside/ quartering away angle, or wait for another day.

Dead on Hoss..... There is only about a 2 inch window on that shot. Low % shot...

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

Pictures ??

 

[dmitchell28]

I will get some pictures posted asap. All I have to say to you guys is...you are all some very negative individuals..honestly. If you read my post, I said it was a reminder to me not to take that shot..it dont have to be an awesome shot. I would think shooting a dead horse, well actually shooting a dead horse peroid is a lil stupid. You all seem to forget, not everyone is perfect, not everyone is a professional. If I didnt love hunting and it wasnt instilled in my blood as a young child, people like you guys would just discourage a man from even trying. This is some of the reason why most people dont get into hunting. Way too many UNPAID Pros!!!! I see guys on TV tha dont find deer sometimes, I just wonder if you sat back in your recliner and criticize them the same way. Probably not, cause they are on TV and they are PAID pros. It just goes to show you everyone makes bad shots. The real question is, in all your years of hunting (few are many) you have NEVER taken a bad shot or a so so shot that you didnt feel good about later. I just cant fathem this being true. Thats most of the problem with some things that go on today, too many peoples glasses are half empty instead of half full. Im just glad I wasnt a 10-15 year old who was just getting into hunting, cause you all would drive them to quit. I really dont know what else to say about it. I guess I will end it with what my grandma taught me, "if you cant say anything nice, than dont say anything at all" Thanks to everyone for all the nice comments and thanks to everyone for the informative commments. God Bless

 

[dmitchell28]

another thing, The reason I put the penetration thing in there, is cause it made me feel 200% better knowing that I didnt just wound a deer, or have a crippled deer running around in the woods! I have a heart too!

 

[SALECREEKHUNTER]

I know what you mean dmitchell. You ask for help and a few people want to bash you for everything you do wrong. You took the shot that you felt like you should've took and nothing can take that back now. JMO I hope this deer made it or you at least find its skull so you can have something to show for it. Everyone learns from their mistakes. Good luck to you

 

[Radar]

I'm glad you found the skull and bones , and you have something to remember and learn from . We all have lost deer with marginal shots . The key is to learn from those shots and not repeat them again .
I have lost bucks that haunt me to this day , but I can't take those shots over and redo the scene . It's something I have to live and learn from .

 

[102]

dmitchell28,
I can't speak for anyone here except myself. Re-read my first response. I would have left it at that. But when you wrote that the lesson you learned from this was not to wait so long to take up the blood trail, it disapointed me. I have made MANY bad shots. Lost several deer. And gut shot several. But we are talking 25 plus years here. The BAD thing about this forum is it is OFTEN hard to get ones meaning as there are no faces, or voice inflections to go along with what is said. So often meanings are missed. I would NEVER want to discourage anyone from hunting, especially bow hunting. But I want you to be successful. And what you wrote that you learned from this hunt will NOT help you in the future. There are several things to consider about your recovery on that buck:

One-did you put your buck tag on it?

Two-are you 100% CERTAIN it was YOUR kill? (remember, deer are capable of traveling LONG miles after taking a hit)

THREE-Did the buck die from infection, coyotes, dogs, another bullet, etc., days after the shot?

These are all questions that are tough to answer without finding the animal while you can still examine organs and wound. It is VERY hard to learn from mistakes or find out what happened when you don't find an animal soon enough. There are good reasons why the books, B/C and P/Y, do not allow entries when the blood trail was abandoned.

Having been right where you are (were), many times in the past, I took away from my bad experience that I would strive to do whatever it took, even letting the animal walk away, before taking a shot I wasn't SURE I had a high percentage of making, AND...having an exit wound. I also try to visualize the path of the arrow, and organs affected BEFORE I let it go. I also am VERY serious about practice, and checking my equipment. One of the FEW things we have control over in bowhunting.

So often, the difference between a successful recovery and a lost deer is the decision as to how long to wait before taking up the blood trail.

Generally speaking, the better the shot, the less skill and experience is involved in the blood trail. THe worse the shot, the MORE skill and experience you have, the better your odds are in recovering the deer.

I apologize if this seems in any way to be talking down to you. I don't mean to come across as a know it all or whatever. I just want to help.

102

 

[Hoss]

 

[Hoss]

"All I have to say to you guys is...you are all some very negative individuals..honestly."

I don't see the negativity you seem to be offended by. I would call it blunt not negative.

"You all seem to forget, not everyone is perfect, not everyone is a professional. If I didnt love hunting and it wasnt instilled in my blood as a young child, people like you guys would just discourage a man from even trying. This is some of the reason why most people dont get into hunting. Way too many UNPAID Pros!!!!"

No one is claiming perfection. The reason most people do not get into hunting or drop out of hunting is not what other people say. It is usually due to a lack of access to quality hunting property. One of the reasons for people to get discouraged is the aforementioned access and lost deer. One of the reasons for losing access is Lost deer. The two are related and pertinent. Unpaid pro is actually a pretty good description of me.

"I see guys on TV tha dont find deer sometimes, I just wonder if you sat back in your recliner and criticize them the same way. Probably not, cause they are on TV and they are PAID pros."

That is why I rarely watch TV shows, I really do find it frustrating and I do yell at the tube. Ask my wife.

"It just goes to show you everyone makes bad shots. The real question is, in all your years of hunting (few are many) you have NEVER taken a bad shot or a so so shot that you didnt feel good about later. I just cant fathem this being true."

Actually, once when I was 15 years old I did take a stupid shot. I missed clean. In the 32 years since I can honestly tell you I have not. I have blown some really good shots. But I don't remember taking any shots that were less than awesome. I just did not execute awesomely. I do not shoot at deer when I don't know can take that deer quickly, cleanly, humanely. I do not rely on what "might" happen. I have choked and puked there is no denying that. But, the shot was AWESOME. I just missed. That does happen, but I do not tempt fate by taking shots that are less than "AWESOME".

"Thats most of the problem with some things that go on today, too many peoples glasses are half empty instead of half full. Im just glad I wasnt a 10-15 year old who was just getting into hunting, cause you all would drive them to quit. I really dont know what else to say about it. I guess I will end it with what my grandma taught me, "if you cant say anything nice, than dont say anything at all" Thanks to everyone for all the nice comments and thanks to everyone for the informative commments. God Bless"

If the comments posted here are enough to make you or someone else quit then I would recommend thicker skin or golf. Because, I have reread this post several times now and I stand behind what I said. Your Grandmother is right. The difference I believe what I said was nice. To have you to walk away from this situation with the opinion that you should have just taken up the blood trail sooner would not be very nice on my part.

"I know what you mean dmitchell. You ask for help and a few people want to bash you for everything you do wrong."

I don't see any bashing just an honest, impartial evaluation of how he responded and reacted to this situation. No one likes it when someone point out the obvious.

 

[Hoss]

So please, don't shoot at deer walking directly toward you, directly away from you, running or directly under you. Not because these shots can't be made. Because, these are low percentage shots that more often than not will result in the same exact scenario you experienced here. Connecting on a perfect "awesome" broadside or quartering away shot is tough enough.

The ancient Indian word for PATIENCE is ARCHERY }}}------->

 

[Radar]

Hoss was not bashing , just giving good advise . Take it or leave it . Live and learn .

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Great posts, Hoss. I agree 100% with you and I know your intent is to help archers and that is exactly the way I read it. Keep up the good work.

 

[Radar]

It is one thing to take a bad shot , lose the deer , find the remains almost two months later and be humbled by the experience , knowing that you lost the deer because you took a risky shot .
It is another thing , to come back after finding the remains two months later and boast about the shot you made as being a good shot , and one you would repeat .
You can learn from the experience , and not repeat the shot again by taking the advise of those who responded to your boast , or you can take it the wrong way and interpret it as bashing when it's not .
Everyone who has bowhunted long enough will lose deer . Try to learn from the mistakes and not repeat them .

 

[Hoss]

Thank you Radar. That is my point. Thanks to to you Rich you understood me also..... I feel so misunderstood.. (I would put a crying smiley here if I knew how)

 

[dmitchell28]

Okay I will just say, I have been humble all together, I wasnt boasting, none of you fellas knew how I felt after I gave up on looking for the deer a week later!!!!! You dont know how I felt about it all. I wasnt boasting that I made a GREAT shot!! I didnt, thats fact!!! It was a reminder to me not ever try to take incredible shots ever again. How can you get I was boasting!! I was just happy that the deer wasnt running around with a arrow stuck out of his leg suffering all winter! Im not a cry baby, im a grown man and what you guys think about me really dont bother me and I bet you guys feel the same. Its called being your own man. I just know that some people on here do bash, and there is some people who would come on here asking for help and all that some would do is bash them about what they did wrong instead of keeping their head up. The glass half full thing ya know. Im not gonna lie, before I took the shot, I was comfortable with the shot, I practice regularly, and just wasnt meant to be. and it wasnt a high percentage shot. I played the game of inches, and anyone can say a couple of inches the other way, he wouldnt have went 50 yards, but thats neither here nor there. I will just be honest with you, most the people I have talked too and the other people on here seem to realize what I said and were I am coming from except for a few and thats just a differences of opinion and thats why we live in this great land, for freedom and having our own opinions. I appreciate your help Hoss, I just dont appreciate the picture you have painted of me being a cry baby so to speak! and I just really dont see where anyone gets I have boasted about making a aweful shot, and I never shot a walking deer, or anything like that. I just wanted to give a update to close out the thread. I wasnt bragging, I had people asking me if I ever found it after i gave up and well i was just answering the question. I really understand when people point out the obvious and I respect people who are truthful and up from. I just dont see any need of running it in the ground! Im pretty sure I learned the lesson to be learned from this situation right after I shot the animal, dont you think? I mostly have learned from all this that, if you ever get on this forum, you have to word every word exactly right, or someone will pick it apart like a vulture on a dead dog. With all this being said, and hopefully this clearing everything up. Lets just all be friends! I think Hunters are more friendly than any other sportsman on the planet, except maybe birdwatchers or something..lol. I hate to say it, but this mainly shows how arrogant we ALL can be. I know this isnt the true case, but to some it probably seems that way. Thanks to everyone for the great advice, good advice, and critisism. You have to take the good, the bad, and the ugly all in stride! And in ending, Hoss please dont take any of this the wrong way, cause Im really not trying to take anything you have said extremely wrong. I think the both of us might be guilty for trying to read between the lines of what each other have said. If you think I have said something wrong, just pm and we will talk about it to clear it up. God Bless you all, and have a great weekend

 

[Radar]

The shot was deadly, the only thing was, the deer somehow backtracked and was actually somewhere I NEVER expected! I have the skull and horns and have mounted them on a plaque to remind me that every shot doesnt have to be AWESOME. From the way it looked, the shot actually got great penetration, just a very strong willed deer. i think next time i wont wait so long to take up the trail!!!

I'm sorry if we took this quote as boasting instead of being humble .
If the skull and bones were from a doe you shot , would you feel any different without having anything to show for it ?

 

[dmitchell28]

Honestly, if it was a doe and I found her dead, you dang right i would feel the same way!! This has nothing to do with antlers on a skull, this is just all about peace of mind. Its all good if somethings I said were misunderstood. Thats the internet! Its like the bible, 10 people can read the bible, and you can have 10 different views of what you read. I guess this is the same case.