Follow up shots.

[d_rek]

I spine shot my 2017 buck. Dropped him where he stood. He proceeded to grunt and spin in a circle on the ground. I had to get down on the ground and put a 2nd arrow into him at 10 yards. This is the 2nd time i've had to put a follow up shot on a deer. I don't hesitate to do it when I have to. Hate to see that animal sit and suffer. Worse if it runs off and the potential for losing it increases.

The other deer was a liver shot doe. Bled like a pig and tracked her to her 3rd bed where she just stood there looking at me from about 30 yards. That followup was with a shotgun. Again no regrets. I would have felt way worse had I lost those animals.

[mauser06]

I will do whatever I can to finish what I started so long as it's safe.

Rather "force" a shot and make a 2nd bad hit than only have 1 bad hit.


I've only done it once with a bow...first shot was actually perfect straight down..nicked the spine and the head stopped as it poked out of the bottom of the heart. I didn't know that...2nd shot as he was flopping was pretty bad in the shoulder. 3rd arrow was a solid chest hit...which broke the initial arrow..lol. 2nd arrow also busted as he flipped over on it.


Rifle and flintlock I've done it but many were spine hit and not going anywhere fast...but I'm not gunna sit there and watch.


Say a gut or liver hit deer I was tracking and I came up on it...I'm taking what I can when I can to get a 2nd hole in it.

[JoeRE]

Just a word of advise to everyone not to describe finishing off an animal in an unauthorized manner on a public forum or anywhere else for that matter. I bet some of the things suggested in past posts are technically illegal in most states.

I'm not saying let an animal suffer. I'm saying don't get yourself in trouble by talking about it. All you need is one warden who doesn't understand the concept of discretion and you are in trouble.

[Dewey]

Just a word of advise to everyone not to describe finishing off an animal in an unauthorized manner on a public forum or anywhere else for that matter. I bet some of the things suggested in past posts are technically illegal in most states.

I'm not saying let an animal suffer. I'm saying don't get yourself in trouble by talking about it. All you need is one warden who doesn't understand the concept of discretion and you are in trouble.

I don’t know any wardens out there that would prosecute under these circumstances but like you said it only takes one. With that being said I would do the same thing and pay the fine with no regrets if faced with that situation. Watching an animal suffer is not an option for me. I always follow all game laws to the book but sometimes doing the right thing is more important. If that makes me a violater then I guess so be it and I will live with the consequences.

[<DK>]

My first big buck looked like a pin cushion when I was done with him... I was in-exp and freaking out BUT he kept trying to get up right in front of me. The taxidermist called and asked what happened to the deer

Looking back on it, I probably would have done it just the same except maybe one less shot. They dont blow up like being shot w a rifle, if the opportunity is there then I say take it. Just have yourself centered and gathered before the next shot

[ghoasthunter]

With a wounded deer I will do whatever it takes to speed up the end including taking shots that I would never on a healthy deer just to slow it down so I that I can get close enough to kill it quick. Its not pleasant but its just a matter of finishing as quick as possible what I started.

Like many others I agree with this approach. A side benefit is you get some knowledge about lethality and penetration. Say the deer has some leaves and twigs about a foot away from vitals but otherwise it’s a clean shot? If it’s a safe shot to take and it’s also morally responsible bc it’s a follow up, you get to see what that brush did in terms of affecting your accuracy and penetration.

I’ve always wondered about that type of shot. I’ve never taken one even though I had one at 20 yards. I’ve had guys tell me I should have fired away, especially bc I had a fixed blade broadhead and I would have punched right through, but I don’t know. Follow up shots are a nice way to test that out.

with a gun with a solid heavy bullet like a slug a twig or 2 only a foot or 2 will work a rifle round can explode though and for an arrow well its 50 50 it could deflect only an inch or it could totally miss ill admit it ive done it before on purpose and accident.

[NH Teufelhund]

With a wounded deer I will do whatever it takes to speed up the end including taking shots that I would never on a healthy deer just to slow it down so I that I can get close enough to kill it quick. Its not pleasant but its just a matter of finishing as quick as possible what I started.

Like many others I agree with this approach. A side benefit is you get some knowledge about lethality and penetration. Say the deer has some leaves and twigs about a foot away from vitals but otherwise it’s a clean shot? If it’s a safe shot to take and it’s also morally responsible bc it’s a follow up, you get to see what that brush did in terms of affecting your accuracy and penetration.

I’ve always wondered about that type of shot. I’ve never taken one even though I had one at 20 yards. I’ve had guys tell me I should have fired away, especially bc I had a fixed blade broadhead and I would have punched right through, but I don’t know. Follow up shots are a nice way to test that out.

with a gun with a solid heavy bullet like a slug a twig or 2 only a foot or 2 will work a rifle round can explode though and for an arrow well its 50 50 it could deflect only an inch or it could totally miss ill admit it ive done it before on purpose and accident.

That’s what I assumed. Could work, could be a complete miss. That’s why bow hunting is so awesome.

[ghoasthunter]

With a wounded deer I will do whatever it takes to speed up the end including taking shots that I would never on a healthy deer just to slow it down so I that I can get close enough to kill it quick. Its not pleasant but its just a matter of finishing as quick as possible what I started.

Like many others I agree with this approach. A side benefit is you get some knowledge about lethality and penetration. Say the deer has some leaves and twigs about a foot away from vitals but otherwise it’s a clean shot? If it’s a safe shot to take and it’s also morally responsible bc it’s a follow up, you get to see what that brush did in terms of affecting your accuracy and penetration.

I’ve always wondered about that type of shot. I’ve never taken one even though I had one at 20 yards. I’ve had guys tell me I should have fired away, especially bc I had a fixed blade broadhead and I would have punched right through, but I don’t know. Follow up shots are a nice way to test that out.

with a gun with a solid heavy bullet like a slug a twig or 2 only a foot or 2 will work a rifle round can explode though and for an arrow well its 50 50 it could deflect only an inch or it could totally miss ill admit it ive done it before on purpose and accident.

That’s what I assumed. Could work, could be a complete miss. That’s why bow hunting is so awesome.

im not promoting shooting threw brush in any way though but ill pic a hole if i need to

[JoeRE]

Just a word of advise to everyone not to describe finishing off an animal in an unauthorized manner on a public forum or anywhere else for that matter. I bet some of the things suggested in past posts are technically illegal in most states.

I'm not saying let an animal suffer. I'm saying don't get yourself in trouble by talking about it. All you need is one warden who doesn't understand the concept of discretion and you are in trouble.

I don’t know any wardens out there that would prosecute under these circumstances but like you said it only takes one. With that being said I would do the same thing and pay the fine with no regrets if faced with that situation. Watching an animal suffer is not an option for me. I always follow all game laws to the book but sometimes doing the right thing is more important. If that makes me a violater then I guess so be it and I will live with the consequences.

I have met a couple wardens who I think would. They are the kind who check every little detail and act kinda disappointed if they don't find something to write a ticket for. I agree most aren't like that but yea...only takes one. So hence my suggestion.

[Boogieman1]

I agree with joeRE most aren't like that but when quotas come into play and numbers must be met u can catch a good guy on a bad day. I recieved a warning once for not having a pen on my persons. Justification was how could I fill out a tag.

Good friend of my dads got spotted peeing in the bushes of a golf course by a mom with her child and arrested and now most register as a sex affender. Not saying it was the smartest move but he's a good guy and exposing himself to a child was not the mans intention or good use of law in my opinion. I pee in the woods all the time and could easily been me with unsuspecting folks coming around the corner

[wolverinebuckman]

Good friend of my dads got spotted peeing in the bushes of a golf course by a mom with her child and arrested and now most register as a sex affender. Not saying it was the smartest move but he's a good guy and exposing himself to a child was not the mans intention or good use of law in my opinion. I pee in the woods all the time and could easily been me with unsuspecting folks coming around the corner

Okay, way off topic... I know. Just couldn't resist after what you just said there.
You know those three leveled apartment buildings, where the bottom floor is about halfway under ground Level? So my uncle used to live in one of those on the second floor. His cousin got there one evening after having a few beers, and it was time to break the seal. Problem was my uncle wasn't answering the door buzzer, so cousin decided to slip around the corner and pee in the bushes. Old lady in the halfway underground apartment was wondering what that sound was on the wall outside of her window, well you can guess the rest... .

[mike perry]

Like others have stated and I’ve done this once or twice over my 32 years of bow hunting I’m going to do whatever it takes to kill that animal as quickly as possible if I come up on it tracking and it’s stll alive. I was on a track job about 20 years ago with my buddy and his dad on a doe my buddy wounded with the bow, his dad who is a little nuts and a slack belt to the enth degree and a all around bad tackled the deer and held it down after Sean missed it with his last arrow. I don’t want to talk about what happened next.

[Bonehead]

With a wounded deer I will do whatever it takes to speed up the end including taking shots that I would never on a healthy deer just to slow it down so I that I can get close enough to kill it quick. Its not pleasant but its just a matter of finishing as quick as possible what I started.

Same here. Thankfully I haven’t had to do this for many years. Last time I had to use my knife because I wasn’t carrying a weapon. Sucks being in that position but you have to do what ever it takes to finish the job.

With arrows being so expensive nowadays, I’ve had to use a knife to finish the job on 2 occasions. I don’t take as many doe as I used too though. I’ve never had to take a
Bucks life with a knife, and hope I never do.

[Rich M]

No way I'm going to knife a live deer - not with a gun or bow handy. I did slice the jugular on a car hit fawn - it was incapacitated, just alive and needed to die faster.

I know of a lot of deer that were lost cause the hunter didn't take the second or even third opportunity. If I know the deer was double lunged and is flopping, I'll watch....if i'm not doubly positive on exactly where the hit was, I'm gonna open up another bleeder hole.

IMO, an arrow is not worth a lost deer or another 2-3-4-5 hours on the track.