What was your worst death?

[fairchaser]

What was your worst death of a critter that you experienced that made you pause and even made you think about never hunting again?

 

[Jcalder]

2 come to mind. Several years ago I shot a doe in the spine during the late juvenile hunt. She rolled down the hill to an area I couldn't see and started bawling. Nothing I could do but listen.

2 years ago I was setup over some acorns during bow season. 25 yards and I have a doe in my sights. Let the arrow fly and spined her. She dropped and I quickly went to reload. You guys have me tore up about some dead zone or just stunning one and they coming back to life in a few minutes. Drew back and sailed one right over her. Fairly certain I seen catman do in one of his videos in a creek a couple seasons ago. At this point I no longer have a clear shot and she's scooting herself down the hill. I get out of my stand and quick as possible. Circle behind her and sling another arrow. Spine shot. At this point I'm ready to sling my bow. I grab my knife and slid between her ribs. No response. I finally slide it behind her arm pit into her heart. Worst feeling in the world. The initial shot wasn't terrible and it not sure if she dropped to bolt or I slightly missed my mark. But everything after that snowballed. Ended up cutting my broadheads out when I skinned her


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[fairchaser]

Early in my hunting career, I was bow hunting and any deer was a trophy. A buck fawn appeared and excitedly I made a poor shot. I tracked him for two hours and finally saw him laying down like a dog, chin flat on the ground. I drew back and shot and hit him in the body and he took off and jumped in a creek. The creek was just deep enough to cover him except his head. His head was the only thing I could see and he was scared to death. I finished him off and nearly quit hunting over it. I vowed to not shoot young deer and to try to only make lethal shoots and quick kills. That little deer still haunts me.

 

[knightrider]

as a young man in my twenties I became a pretty good crackshot with a bow, I had killed my fair share and then some. I was using a frankinbow I made out of two pse back in the day, I was pulling 80lb using big ole 2413 Easton arrows with muzzy broad heads. nearly every deer I hit with that bow it would knock it off its feet, so as evening was fading away I had a big doe 15 yards right under me nice and calm chewing on acorns. I had never headshot one so I thought why not this would be a good chance, wrong!!! I hit her right between the ears her facing away from me sounded like smacking the water with a 2x4, knocks her down she jumps up with my arrow sticking out of her head. next morning I find her in the pond still very much alive, with my arrow sticking out the top and bottom of her head :bash: so I slip one in her heart game over. I learned my lesson and have never tried another head shot

 

[Matador]

I have spine shot 2-3 through the years. Was able to finish them quickly. The one that made me vow to make better shots, I shot low on it (yearlin spike) and cut it across the belly. This enabled some of the intestine to drop and be exposed. I was 2 hours trailing it before I was able to finish it off and that was just because it was so weak it couldn't go anymore. That one made me feel bad so I vowed to make better shots. None of them have made me think about giving up deer hunting.

 

[Bone Collector]

Never considered quitting, but they made me feel bad for sure and sorry that the animal suffered unduly at my hands.

A few years back I am bow hunting and have a doe come in. 20 yds shot and I hit high (high lung). She runs in a circle and falls down almost where I shot her, but behind a big oak. She thrashes a bit and stops. I think ok, good enough. 2-3 minutes pass and she starts thrashing again. I am about to get down and she stops. I watch for another minute and she doesn't move. 2-3 minutes later she starts thrashing again. I get down, but by the time I get there she stops moving and is dead when I arrive.

Last year I took a rifle that is not my normal rifle during season. I had a doe, come out at 90-100 yds. She is facing me and I know better, but I think I can make the shot. Clean miss. She runs into the woods up what was basically a 80% grade and stops on a bench about 125 yds away. I am rushing now and hit her, but I hit her back (liver/front of guts). She runs about 40 yds and stops behind a tree. She is breathing hard and I can see the steam from her breath. She finally moves forward enough and I try to sneak one in to kill her. At this point I feel bad and just want to end it. I'm anxious because of this. I hit her again, but what looked like more front shoulder was actually more brisket. I blow through it. She hops about 20 yds and I can't shoot her again. I get down and just as I hit the ground I hear a loud thud. I look across and there is a creek ravine and I realize what happened. I walked up the creek and there she was. I don't know if the fall or my second shot did it (probably my shot) but I about blew her front left leg off... some of the worst shooting I have ever done. Wasn't pleased with myself at all. I got ribbed too, but I deserved it.

 

[MUP]

Spine shot 3 deer and it was tough during the time getting reloaded(ML) and getting to them to dispatch them. But I've not considered quitting hunting bc of it, knowing that death is part of this equation, and not every death will be immediate. This is not to say that I don't feel remorse after every kill tho, bc I do.

 

[Snake]

Was hunting late in the season with a friend and he was wanting one of to try to shoot a doe to give to a guy that was going to let us hunt his property . I was buck hunting but up in late morning I seen two does in behind me so I tried to position myself to get a shot . I was pretty high in my climber and although I got on the biggest there where alot of limbs in my path but they were fixing to book so I took a shot . Down went the doe but she was dragging her backside so I thought I had clipped her high near the spine . She was headed towards a big ditch that bordered the property so I know she wouldn't get away . So after a while I got down went to the deer sure enough she was in the ditch and couldn't move but I had shot both of her back legs at the joint so she was very much alive . So looking I thought I'd just head shoot her , boom man it get worse . She must have moved just as I shot , shot her lower jaw about off . Man was I sick deer bawing to no end my friend walks up and sees me bent down shaking my head , sad !! Had to end up down in the ditch cutting her throat just couldn't shoot her again .

 

[catman529]

I've had to chase down a couple deer before and finish em off. One was a huge buck that would not die. I didn't shoot it, but I sure as heck tracked it. Left bow in the bushes and pushed this deer till he crossed creek (a second time) and layed down on the bank. Knife wasn't long enough for how thick this deers body was. I do not like to knife a deer and it is a last resort. After that he still got up again and swam the creek a third time before dying, he almost sank too.

I've spine shot a few that I was able to put follow up shots and the deer died quick. No big deal there but I hate hearing them bawl.


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[duckduck84]

Thankfully every deer I've shot and recovered has died fairly quickly with minimal tracking, except for my first doe that I hit in the hams.

The worst for me continues to be the 2 I have shot and not found. A doe and a buck. The buck was the first deer I ever shot at and I'm pretty sure it was a high leg hit. The doe felt like a good shot but we never found her. I just hate knowing I wounded something and it suffered.

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[RUGER]

Gut / spine shot small buck with a pos muzzleloader.
Chased it down and tried to cut it's throat, tried kicking it in the head, tried everything (except shooting again due to it being after dark and I didn't want to break the law).
Very slow death and very loud bellowing.
Freaking sucked.
Last time I ever hunted with that gun.

 

[Mike Belt]

The two things that bother me the most are a deer going down unable to move but bawling loudly and when you shoot a doe that has unseen fawns at the time of the shot and then they come running in standing over their mama and partially following you on the drag out.

 

[rem270]

when you shoot a doe that has unseen fawns at the time of the shot and then they come running in standing over their mama and partially following you on the drag out.

Yep that just tears me up. What really drew the line with me on that was my dad killing a doe 5 or 6 years ago and the fawn lived but all season long she was by herself and you could just tell she was having to learn everything on her own. Even seen a doe with 2 yearlings run her off during rifle season.


I shot a doe with a crossbow once. Perfect shot and she made it about 15 yards and piled up in sight. She let out 3 huge deep breaths that sounded more like a cough. Although she didn't suffer it still bothered me. I closed my eyes and turned my head and just kept saying please hurry up and die. Took a total of maybe 10 seconds but I hated it.

Shot a buck with a mz 10 years ago ( I hate powerbelt bullets). He let out a loud bellow and took off dragging his front end. Never found that deer. I felt terrible about it.

 

[fairchaser]

My friend shot a doe and didn't see the fawn till it was too late. That afternoon he went back to hunt and the fawn was right there where the doe had fallen that morning. He climbed up anyway to hunt and the fawn moved away a few yards and laid back down. He could see the fawn clearly and he could tell it was hungry. It once tried to eat a leaf and gagged on it. No lie. Tear your heart out.

 

[Gobbler88]

One evening, I had a big doe coming down edge of the field edge I was hunting. I watched her for 20 minutes before I decided to shoot her. Of course, about the time I make my mind up she starts walking straight at me. She gets to about 50 yds facing me and I let the smoke pole roar. I aimed dead center of her chest and I could tell she was hit when she bolted. She runs maybe 100 yds and stops. Then she starts coughing. By this time, I can barely see her it is so dark. So, I called my buddy to come help me look for her. The field was an old cow pasture and the fence was still up. This deer crossed the fence and was bedded down looking at us when we found her. I asked my buddy if he was going to finish her off since I left my gun at the tree I was sitting at and he merely smiled and said "No, you are." So I cocked the hammer and shot. Knowing my luck, she bellows and makes one of the worst sounds ive ever heard. I felt horrible, but that's part of hunting. Everyone makes mistakes.

 

[poorhunter]

Shot a doe in the head a couple years ago at 10 yards with a rifle. Boom drop. Went and drug her to the edge of the woods got the truck and put her in. Drove home and started to gut her and she starts to kick a little...then she tried to stand! Whoa there girl! Took my knife and slit her throat which is not easy . She still kept thrashing around for 20 minuets before all got still. Didn't make me want to stop hunting, but it sure did bother me

 

[XXL]

I know a guy arty: ...? who once took a very questionable AKA "terrible" shot at Buck running away. After waiting the required 10 seconds, he got down to see the results. Bingo, blood trail, ten yards later some type of grossness on the ground, 10 more yards a stomach, few yards
further intestine, and so on until I found a nearly completely field dressed animal still alive. Bullet ran right down the belly and opened it up like a zipper.

 

[cozy23]

I had only been hunting a couple years. Early season I'm perched on a field corner. The fence line is all cedars. I hear something making its way towards me but can't see through the cedars. Finally, after what seemed like 30 minutes a deer pops out of the cedars right in front of me. It was probably the first deer I had in range that season so it didn't take long for me to decide to shoot. I hit her high in the spine. She dropped and started BAWLING! I didn't know a deer could make so much noise. I quickly followed up with a kill shot.

The worst part was it was a fawn. Her mother started hopping around snorting and stomping her hooves behind me. It was like she was trying to get the attention of whatever had hurt her fawn.

Anytime I have a shot opportunity now I'm thinking about that.

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[Big Pop]

Shot a young doe at Oak Ridge once in spine. She was lying next to a log and I had to knife her. My son was hunting up a ridge across road about 400 yards away. He asked me later if I heard that awful sound earlier. I said yes but you should have been standing over the top of it when it made the sound......awful!

 

[JeepKuntry]

I've failed to recover a few and that is heartbreaking. Worst so far is a 7pt I shot with my muzzleloader. 20 yard ahot and he ran towards me into a shallow creek. Center mass lung shot. I watched it die within 10 yards of me. U actually reloaded and was about to put the cap in when it died. Definitely gave a new perspective.

 

[ROVERBOY]

Shot a doe in the spine once. I aimed for the neck but, missed. She was dead in a few seconds though.

 

[reloadxx]

I shot a 6pt with a bow once the shot was a little back liver shot buck ran 65yards. I could see the buck from the tree but could not get a shot to save my life. He just layed there and tried to get up and fall down I was tore up. I took my climber down the tree trying to get a clear shot but I couldn't I set there for about 2 hours watching this deer before I couldn't take it no more I got out of my stand and sneaked up to where I could get a shot to finish him. Now I dont rush my shots I have let a lot of deer walk because of this but I try not to let it happen again if I can.

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[Mike Belt]

reloadxx... Just a tip if that ever happens again....Climb down immediately and finish your deer. I shot what may have been my biggest buck so far and he dropped like a rock. He laid there and then began trashing and trying to drag himself. It looked like I had hit him back and high in the spine. After I saw he wasn't going to die soon I lowered my rifle and began to climb down. Between beginning my descent and getting to the ground he had regained his feet and stumbled off into a cane thicket. When I got to where he had fallen there was almost no blood and more of a watery substance. Evidently I had hit him just under the spine but above any organs. The shock had knocked him off his feet and reacted just as if he'd been spine shot. Almost no blood trail at all and I looked for several hours and never found him. As I trailed him down a narrow section of woods towards it's ending in the corner of a big bean field being worked by the farmer at the time the farmer stopped and told me he had just seen what sounded like my buck chasing a couple of does out of that corner of woods. I'm surmising my buck went on to live his life as usual even though being shot just a couple of hours prior to that. That "near" spine shot may put them down but if they regain their feet they may be gone forever. Shoot again.

 

[MUP]

Solid advice Mike. I've made a point to keep my sights on a downed deer for sever min after knocking one down myself as I've had them rouse back up and go further after appearing to be dead. And with a ML, I reload ASAP and try to do the same.

 

[reloadxx]

reloadxx... Just a tip if that ever happens again....Climb down immediately and finish your deer. I shot what may have been my biggest buck so far and he dropped like a rock. He laid there and then began trashing and trying to drag himself. It looked like I had hit him back and high in the spine. After I saw he wasn't going to die soon I lowered my rifle and began to climb down. Between beginning my descent and getting to the ground he had regained his feet and stumbled off into a cane thicket. When I got to where he had fallen there was almost no blood and more of a watery substance. Evidently I had hit him just under the spine but above any organs. The shock had knocked him off his feet and reacted just as if he'd been spine shot. Almost no blood trail at all and I looked for several hours and never found him. As I trailed him down a narrow section of woods towards it's ending in the corner of a big bean field being worked by the farmer at the time the farmer stopped and told me he had just seen what sounded like my buck chasing a couple of does out of that corner of woods. I'm surmising my buck went on to live his life as usual even though being shot just a couple of hours prior to that. That "near" spine shot may put them down but if they regain their feet they may be gone forever. Shoot again.

You are right Mike I will for sure go out of my way to make sure no deer ever suffers. Lesson learned I was young just started hunting with out my dad and just didn't know what to do I was worried if I started walking to him in the leaves he would get up with adrenaline pumping and I would loose the deer.

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[csi-tech]

I've been lucky. Worst ever was a very low brisket shot. He trickled a little but absolutely lived. I maimed a doe's front shoulder with an arrow. She limped for years after that. Every other shot was successful with under 50 yard recoveries.

 

[Old cull buck hunter]

I gut shot a spike and the internals were hanging outside the body and got tangled in a briar thicket while the deer was trying to continue running. I never thought about giving up on hunting, but I started putting more time into shooting.

 

[Duck dogn]

#1 I was walking out and see a nice buck on a ridge, so I prop up get a shot nothing clean miss he walks about 15 yards stops and I send another one, he falls flipping and rolling towards me so I set and ait for him to expire, ok he done I lean my gun against a tree cause I have to climb a steep hill about 50 yards to get to where he is laying against a tree (not moving) he jumps up staggers into a run only to never see him again.
#2 hunting a field edge I see a buck running in and out of rolls of hay chasing a doe I let out a bleat/grunt to get him to stop let the muzzy roll he falls I reload and look at him in the scope nothing walk over to him bout the time I get there he lets out a sigh and his eyes where watering.
3rd buck is the little nine point I have mounted it was raining and and he walks in front of my hunting house I let the arrow fly hit high but looked descent, found fletchings and approx 6 inches of shaft no deer or blood due to rain, next morning I go hunting same place here comes a buck can't tell much about it other than he looked smaller than the buck from the evening before so I choose to not shoot. He gets alot closer and I see my arrow sticking up out of out of his back so I shoot him perfect in the heart when I field dressed him his stomach cavity was full of blood he wouldn't have made it much longer all three of these was within two or three years I about said forget hunting!

 

[TreeTop]

I'm at a loss for the question even being asked, unbelievable.