well hit a nice one saturday night, and maybe i am writing this because i don't know what else to do. i can't sleep or eat and just replay it in my head every few seconds. heres what happend. about 6:00 i see a buck run up this flat i have my stand on, full tilt run, he stops about 30 yards out and looks behind him, i could see it was a nice buck, well then he starts to run again, taking him past my stand on the uphill side of me (so he is on an even shoting plane) i drew on him and blated at him, he stops 15 yards broad side looking at me. i shot, hiting him in the shoulder(a little forward and high i think). he turned 180 tail down and ran off, short striding it. let him sit till 9:00. and started to track him, found blood but not much of it, and a little foam blood, found the arrrow (carbon) about 200 yards from where i hit him busted off with about 12 inches in him. track untill 11:00 and let him go till morning. in the morning found only about 10 more drops of blood, the whole time he is heading up hill. so now have tracked him about 350 yards up hill. last blood brop was on the top of hill befor it opens up to a big oak flat that was logged off this summer with about 3,000 tree tops laying everywhere. i surrched all day sunday in the treetops but nothing, i had to go to work today otherwise it would be still out there. i don't know why i am at work i can't even think but to replay that hit and try to figure out where he is. i feel he is dead, has 12 inches of arrow in him but no exit hole and a little bit of foam blood. i don't know i thought that i might feel a little better by writing this but i don't, so sorry just triing to fugure out what to do next. i think he is dead up in those cut over tree tops, and now i am just waiting to walk across him now, any help or thoughts, suggestions?
G
GunnerJon
Guest
I would say round up as many friends and family you can and keep searching that area with all the downed tree tops.....he is probably there. Good luck!
-GunnerJon
-GunnerJon
Old Buck
Life Member
I think I know where you are coming from. I've been there and almost quit bowhunting over it. All you can do is your best.
From what you are saying I'm picturing two possibilities. Either you are high and forward in the chest which is usually rapidly fatal but leave a sparce blood trail. I don't think you hit the dorsal aorta which leaves the heart and runs forward then across the top of the chest cavity going to the rear because you would have found him already.
The other possibility is that you hit above the chest. The backbone gets lower as it goes forward on the chest. Depending on body angle etc you might have actually not gotten in the chest. With shots like that the deer often recovers. The Mascoutin nontypical in Old Rivals I was hit like that a few years before he was finally taken.
At this point what I would do is gather up as many people as you can find and do a major search in the area you expect him to be.
Another alternative is to take a few of the best trackers you can find. It is always tough when it is the deer you shot. Some one without the emotional involvement you have at this moment could be a great asset.
The cool weather we have right now should help the meat last a lot longer.
Another possibility is to watch the behavior of crows in the area and also listen to the coyotes evenings and at night.
Something that may help in the future is study every animal you butcher. Note where the kill zone is and isn't. Study how the front leg bones lay relative the chest. Also note the effect of rotating the body and taking angling shots. How many inches from the bottom of the body is the bottom of the chest? Where is the top of the chest compared to the top of the back? If you start to hunt other big game how are they different. It all helps.
Good Luck!
Old Buck
From what you are saying I'm picturing two possibilities. Either you are high and forward in the chest which is usually rapidly fatal but leave a sparce blood trail. I don't think you hit the dorsal aorta which leaves the heart and runs forward then across the top of the chest cavity going to the rear because you would have found him already.
The other possibility is that you hit above the chest. The backbone gets lower as it goes forward on the chest. Depending on body angle etc you might have actually not gotten in the chest. With shots like that the deer often recovers. The Mascoutin nontypical in Old Rivals I was hit like that a few years before he was finally taken.
At this point what I would do is gather up as many people as you can find and do a major search in the area you expect him to be.
Another alternative is to take a few of the best trackers you can find. It is always tough when it is the deer you shot. Some one without the emotional involvement you have at this moment could be a great asset.
The cool weather we have right now should help the meat last a lot longer.
Another possibility is to watch the behavior of crows in the area and also listen to the coyotes evenings and at night.
Something that may help in the future is study every animal you butcher. Note where the kill zone is and isn't. Study how the front leg bones lay relative the chest. Also note the effect of rotating the body and taking angling shots. How many inches from the bottom of the body is the bottom of the chest? Where is the top of the chest compared to the top of the back? If you start to hunt other big game how are they different. It all helps.
Good Luck!
Old Buck
D
deerman
Guest
I've been in your spto before too!I was ready to throw my bow in the Iowa river.But bowhunting is such a big part of my life.Sounds like the area you hit is questionable.But,I would curry comb the entire area with friends and maybe climb some trees so you can look around and down threw the tops instead of just threw them.I'll be praying for ya.But if you don't find him,please don't throw your bow in the river.Take a few days to recover and go hunting with a good friend.Thats what I did and I shot a nice 9 pt.that dropped right in front of me after 40 yrds.Yes there were some tears.I was thanking God.Just do your best,God knows.
dblmainbeam
Member
I did that when I was 15. My first bow hunting season I was so sick I didn't hunt with a bow again until I was 26. I can't beleive how much I missed. If you can't find him don't quit. Sometimes they circle back on you and if theres water around check that Ive found that they will head for water. Good luck
J
j.z.
Guest
theres a good chance you got him but they can hide good if he's not in those trees he will be near water you might try a heat tracer those things do work and will help look in places you might over look good luck
F
[email protected]
Guest
Tip- Up ,
I hear ya , the pain runs deep . It happens to every bowhunter eventually . But I may be able to ease your mind a bit.
If I am correct you said the deer never bedded???
I read a study done on this topic in Minn. I believe it was something like 90 % of the deer shot in the study with a bow that where not recovered never layed down and a very high percent of them recovered themselves and lived on. On the other hand deer wounded with a firearm got sick and parished from infection at a much higher rate.
Don't be so sure you killed that buck. You used a carbon and those can break away from the body easily on trees or braches. A aluminum will bend where it leaves the body and will give you a better judgement of true penetration.
In 2 of the last three seasons I have killed nice bucks here in WI with broadheads lodged in them. One of which was right above the chest in the spine shoulder area and it did not kill the buck!!!!!!!
It is my oppinion that you did not get even one lung . If you did that buck would have lost airsupply and never went climbing up hill for 350 yards without laying down to rest!!!!Esspeacialy when you gave him time.
I think you may have hit the buck Higher then you thought and caused mainly flesh and shoulder plate damage. and your arrow being carbon snapped off away from the body and that buck will recover to be hunted another day.
I would recommend that the best recovery for you , the saddened hunter, is to practice more religiously to reduce the chance of it happening again and then get your butt back in a tree and take a doe and build that hunter confidence back up . Confidence in your abilities is the biggest part of making a good clean kill shot . If you have lost any confidence that confidence need to be retored through a successful kill shot .
Good luck to ya,
Gritty
I hear ya , the pain runs deep . It happens to every bowhunter eventually . But I may be able to ease your mind a bit.
If I am correct you said the deer never bedded???
I read a study done on this topic in Minn. I believe it was something like 90 % of the deer shot in the study with a bow that where not recovered never layed down and a very high percent of them recovered themselves and lived on. On the other hand deer wounded with a firearm got sick and parished from infection at a much higher rate.
Don't be so sure you killed that buck. You used a carbon and those can break away from the body easily on trees or braches. A aluminum will bend where it leaves the body and will give you a better judgement of true penetration.
In 2 of the last three seasons I have killed nice bucks here in WI with broadheads lodged in them. One of which was right above the chest in the spine shoulder area and it did not kill the buck!!!!!!!
It is my oppinion that you did not get even one lung . If you did that buck would have lost airsupply and never went climbing up hill for 350 yards without laying down to rest!!!!Esspeacialy when you gave him time.
I think you may have hit the buck Higher then you thought and caused mainly flesh and shoulder plate damage. and your arrow being carbon snapped off away from the body and that buck will recover to be hunted another day.
I would recommend that the best recovery for you , the saddened hunter, is to practice more religiously to reduce the chance of it happening again and then get your butt back in a tree and take a doe and build that hunter confidence back up . Confidence in your abilities is the biggest part of making a good clean kill shot . If you have lost any confidence that confidence need to be retored through a successful kill shot .
Good luck to ya,
Gritty
S
ssteury
Guest
Tough one; been there.
In '96 I arrowed a 160+ brute at close range.
If you are fairly certain he's dead I might suggest hiring a pilot to fly you over your area.
I was positive I found mine that year from the air. Unfortunately, it was a calf carcass the farmer had pitched in the woods, and I never got him. But, it was a cheap $50 flight that got me some great views of the land I still hunt, and the landowner loved the aerial photo enlargements I gave him.
Good Luck.
In '96 I arrowed a 160+ brute at close range.
If you are fairly certain he's dead I might suggest hiring a pilot to fly you over your area.
I was positive I found mine that year from the air. Unfortunately, it was a calf carcass the farmer had pitched in the woods, and I never got him. But, it was a cheap $50 flight that got me some great views of the land I still hunt, and the landowner loved the aerial photo enlargements I gave him.
Good Luck.
Old Buck said what I was going to say. Get on the highest spot near those old tree tops with a pair of binoculars and look for crows. If he is dead, the crows will lead you to him. If there are no crows, it is likely the buck is still alive. They can recover from surprisingly hard hits if they are not hit in the vitals.
NWBuck
PMA Member
tip up,
October 12, 2002 at 6:35 PM. I've been playing that date and time back in my mind for the past 2+ weeks, as I had a similar sickening incident. I made what I thought to be a perfect heart shot on a dandy buck at about 12 steps. A nice 9 or 10 that I have a trail cam picture of from this summer. Probably in the 120's or 130's with great mass.
The part that still frosts me is I can't think of a single thing I'd do different if I had it to do over again. When I saw the arrow disappear behind the shoulder I really believed I would watch him fall...but obviously something wasn't quite as perfect as I thought. I now think I probably just got one lung and perhaps the deer is still alive, as I did get a solid pass through.
Anyway, I hung my bow up after that weekend and it hasn't moved since. I KNOW I need to get back out there, because bowhunting has been such an important part of my life the last 20+ years, but I haven't done it yet...maybe in another week or so. Just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one. Hang in there, and good luck!
October 12, 2002 at 6:35 PM. I've been playing that date and time back in my mind for the past 2+ weeks, as I had a similar sickening incident. I made what I thought to be a perfect heart shot on a dandy buck at about 12 steps. A nice 9 or 10 that I have a trail cam picture of from this summer. Probably in the 120's or 130's with great mass.
The part that still frosts me is I can't think of a single thing I'd do different if I had it to do over again. When I saw the arrow disappear behind the shoulder I really believed I would watch him fall...but obviously something wasn't quite as perfect as I thought. I now think I probably just got one lung and perhaps the deer is still alive, as I did get a solid pass through.
Anyway, I hung my bow up after that weekend and it hasn't moved since. I KNOW I need to get back out there, because bowhunting has been such an important part of my life the last 20+ years, but I haven't done it yet...maybe in another week or so. Just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one. Hang in there, and good luck!
S
Shooter
Guest
I did the exact same thing this weekend, When I read your post I thought you were talking about me. I did have a little more blood than you might have had. I hit him in the exact same body location with out the arrow going through. Me and a couple of fellow hunters who have experience, trailed the deer from 7:30 at night to about 11:00 following a good trail of blood. I shot the deer at about 5:30 that day. I knew it wasn't the best shot possible so I gave him two hrs time before blood trailing him. We eventually trailled him into a slew where we thought we better stop, and pick up the trail the next day. I proceded to find the blood trail that next morning. I eventually caught up with him, I found his bedding area for the night, along with a few does, When I found his location he looked to be dug in very deep into thick Brush with multiflora rose every where, I couldn't even figure how he got into the spot. Well he wasn't there? I began to become frustrated and almost gave up. On my way back to my truck I found him, He wasn't dead though. He ran accros a small field, It wasn't really a run? but he reentered the timber area. I went back home to get my bow and some clothes to see if I could get within distance to put another arrow in a better location than previous. Evidentally while crossing the field he reopened the wound and began to bleed well once again. I trailed him for the next 5 hrs, getting within 50 yds on him on a couple of occations. I'm still frustrated today, and I really don't know what to do. I would have continued to trail him but the snow started to cover any blood that I needed to locate the animal. I think it's frustrating, But he'll show up eventually. You just need to create the general area where you last found blood, let him be, and like the others said use your friends to cover the the area well, and you might be surprized. Make sure you look in heavy cover areas. They tend to dig in when they know there in trouble. Good luck!
Tip-up,
I hate to sound like a pessimist, but you rarely find fatally hit animals traveling that far uphill. They normally go downhill. Try to find a water hole or seep up on that flat and try to keep the faith. Keep looking until your pretty darn sure he is not up there. Good advice on looking for crows. The will find him if he is there. Good luck
I hate to sound like a pessimist, but you rarely find fatally hit animals traveling that far uphill. They normally go downhill. Try to find a water hole or seep up on that flat and try to keep the faith. Keep looking until your pretty darn sure he is not up there. Good advice on looking for crows. The will find him if he is there. Good luck
BW
Member
Nothing to add to recovery suggestions, everyone has hit that very well. Even if you do not find him he will not go to waste.
If you are going to be a bowhunter, then you have to deal with this sooner or later. I doubt many have totally avoided it if they do much hunting. It is part of the program. If we wanted perfection we would use another tool or poison arrows.
Hang in there, do your best and that is good enough. Being a responsible hunter is not always being a successful hunter. Keep hunting if you have the desire.
Best Wishes.
If you are going to be a bowhunter, then you have to deal with this sooner or later. I doubt many have totally avoided it if they do much hunting. It is part of the program. If we wanted perfection we would use another tool or poison arrows.
Hang in there, do your best and that is good enough. Being a responsible hunter is not always being a successful hunter. Keep hunting if you have the desire.
Best Wishes.
well haven't found him yet, been looking for crows and listening for coyots at night, finnally was able to take the day off of work yesterday and look in the tree tops, spent all day going from tree top to tree top but no luck, talked to all the neibors and told them to keep an eye out, was not able to take the dog up there yesterday because i didn't want to screw up the hunting for the neibor who was going to be hunting yesterday but i am going to take him up there sunday. i sat in the stand and replayed it, i know that he is dead now i just have to find him to put the puzzle back together and find out what happend. their is a creek in the bottom of the valley, i think i might walk along that tomorrow and see if he headed for the water. i do thank you all for you thoughts and help. i still replay it a hundred or two times a day in my mind, but i will find him and when i do i will let you all know what happend and why, maybe i will be able to help someone some day with what i find out.