Getting over a lost deer

[moog5050]

Its the hunters that don't feel bad about lost deer that concern me. Those that do, like you, do everything possible to recover the deer and if its a lost cause, do what they can to ensure that it doesn't happen again. You do have to jump back in the saddle though. My guess is that you will encounter that same deer again if its a property you hunt regularly.

[whitetaildna]

Just had it happen to me this weekend as well. Made a series of poor decision though that led to the bad shot. I was lucky enough to have a camera to show me I just clipped the back leg of the buck after my shot deflected when it hit a branch. It's a horrible feeling, but learning from those situations I think is the best thing to do. Even if you feel you made a good shot, and did everything right, try and figure out what happened, and if there was anything you could have done differently (not to beat yourself up) but to apply for the future, because you will have other deer that you'll shoot at. I just wrote an article this morning going over this topic. I'd also say the worst thing you can do is to not hunt for awhile. Get back out there right away.

http://www.whitetaildna.com/journal/201 ... na-journal

[Rich M]

I quit bow hunting for a long time after losing a 2nd buck to jumping the string. It does fade with time.

Best thing is to get back out there. Wish they'd stand still when we shoot, sometimes they do...

[bowmike]

Thanks for all of the words guys. As you know I have an engineering mindset. I just cant let it go. I keep replaying it over and over in my head. I drew up the shot on AutoCAD.



I have a 30' bow rope that was just a little more than able to fold in half. I put the platform at rougly 14' and added 4feet to where the arrow was. I paced it at 10 yards.

Looking at that angle there I am just flat out baffled how I did not hit heart or lungs on that shot. If you didn't follow the conversations. When I jumped her at 3:15, I saw the exit wound. A few inches behind her front leg but low, on the transition between brown and white.

Looking at the line of the shot and where the exit was, I just can't come up with how that deer did not get hit in the vitals. There was a bit of the brisket fat on the arrow, but at that angle I could see it happening on exit. But if that was the case, and you can see in the angle I drew up, there had to be some sort of vitals his.



She was just in that opening. That larger stick was on the ground, and at the shot she kicked it up. I remember that for sure.

The only thing I can think of is that there was an unseen obstacle that had to change the trajectory just at the hit. I am not sure that a rib at that close with how my bow is set up could deflect it any.

The moral of the story for me is. That things can just happen. It is not all scientific. There could have been a branch I didn't see. I really did give it my 100% to try and recover her. I took a screen shot of my phone.



6.91 miles going through this stuff.





THe next image is where my stand was. The top red dot is where I was hunting. the deer went back into that reclaimed strip mine. The shot was at 7:40 am. I jumped her at 3:15 pm. I left for 2 hours and went back out. The lower red dot is the last blood. I was up and down that hillside, I checked the creek bottom, and everything.



It is what it is and it is part of bow hunting. I will be shooting my bow every night as much as I can before I go out again. I will be re shooting with my practice blades as well. Head scratcher for sure, but I appreciate the kind words and messages. It helps.

[Dewey]

Its the hunters that don't feel bad about lost deer that concern me. Those that do, like you, do everything possible to recover the deer and if its a lost cause, do what they can to ensure that it doesn't happen again. You do have to jump back in the saddle though. My guess is that you will encounter that same deer again if its a property you hunt regularly.

I completely agree. Guys that say brush it off and go kill another seriously worry me. Been a long time since I wounded a deer and it still bothers me just as much now many years later. It's the reason why I only take shots I feel completely comfortable with and passed on some very large bucks because of that. One thing is guys that aren't afraid to take those risky shots have a much higher wounding rate. You can guarantee that. Those are the guys that can go out the next day and take another low percentage shot without even thinking about it.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[bowmike]

I feel ya. That is the worst part that makes me feel the most sick. This was a standard SLAM DUNK type shot in my book. No risk, no if ands or buts about it. I can hit a cricket in the eyeball at 10. Who know what happened for sure, but I can promise you this. I will be taking extra time on the next shot and practicing my but of to be back to 100% confidence. heck I shot the Thursday before and was shooting lazers out to 35 yards. It is what it is, but I am not the best at accepting these kinds of things.

[Ghost Hunter]

Don't beat yourself up about it. When you know you made a good shot! You know that you did all you could do to make a good shot. Then you did all you can do. Things happen. Just move on. Another weekend is coming up.

[bowmike]

Thanks,

I went and shot the bow last night to ensure everything was hitting correct. Some how between Last Thursday and Today the bow was about 2" low, and 2" to the right. I am not sure if that was before the shot, or during the searching process of going through the tangles.

Non the less I have it hitting good, and grouping tight with the practice broad heads. I will be out this weekend for sure, and maybe tomorrow if I can play my cards right. Glad to feel more confident. And I appreciate the kind words.

[MN_DeerHunter]

I lost one last year (would have been my first bow buck kill ever) and my confidence plummeted. I thought about and replayed the shot over and over in my head and felt terrible about it.

Last weekend I shot a doe (easy recovery) and can say my confidence skyrocketed. In my limited experience, I can say that the only thing to do is to get back on the horse and keep at it.