Another sob story from a bow hunter

**ktownduckhunter** · 09-02-2010, 09:42 PM

I know where the arrow hit, a lighted nock helped, but looking back I should have waited. But you learn from mistakes and go on. I went back this after noon found where he took a hard turn goin towards a field but lost it again look up and down the field just can't find it makes me sick even though it was a small buck. Thanks again guys

tradorion · 09-02-2010, 09:55 PM

i'll still bet that case of beer- lighted nock or not- that your mind saw what you wanted it to see and not quite what really happened-

almost but not quite.

seen it far too many times to not bet on it

**ktownduckhunter** · 09-02-2010, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by tradorion

i'll still bet that case of beer- lighted nock or not- that your mind saw what you wanted it to see and not quite what really happened-

almost but not quite.

seen it far too many times to not bet on it

This could be true.... Nice buck by the way trad

tradorion · 09-02-2010, 10:12 PM

DUDE- he was the mid-size one... the leader musta been a BRUTE.

Guy didn't even tear his truck up much...

And some old biddy at the gas station was yelling at me telling me i almost caused her to wreck deer hunting on the side of the road like that.

NUTZ!

**ktownduckhunter** · 09-02-2010, 11:03 PM

Hahahahaha rite

**muddman** · 09-02-2010, 11:17 PM

Hate to hear it man, the buzzards should let you know something kinda quick since its been hot as balls!

**LabLuvR** · 09-03-2010, 05:49 AM

I'm with Trad on this one. A shot like the above would require perfect placement, so there is very little room for error.

**Carolina Counsel** · 09-03-2010, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by fro

My thoughts exactly! If you have only lost one deer consider yourself luck as hell or you just havent hunted enough...

I have hunted in SC for almost 30 years and killed enough deer than I have only taken 1-2 per season for the past 10. I take good shots and I am a good hunter. I learn from my mistakes and I don't make the same ones twice. I ain't particularly lucky- I'm smart.

Finally, if you read my first post, you'll note that I told him to disregard if he took a quartering away shot, which apparently he did. That's a good shot. My issue was if he took a bad shot. He uses the term "quartering" without a "to" or "away," which leads to confusion.

**Carolina Counsel** · 09-03-2010, 09:07 AM

Last point- I don't think saying "shit happens" in response to poor decision making is the best response. However, sometimes shit does happen. A deflection is "shit happens" although it can often be avoided. I freak turn of the arrow when it strikes ribs is a "shit happens." Taking a poor shot is not "shit happens," it's a mistake that needs to teach. If you haven't learned from it then you'll continue to make the same mistakes. Petting someone's pussy telling him "shit happens" does little to teach. Carry on.

**dixiedeerslaya** · 09-03-2010, 09:20 AM

this is really bothering you isn't it cc?

**Palmetto Bug** · 09-03-2010, 09:33 AM

The one in the picture is quartering a little too much for me to take a shot.

I think DMP has the best answer...get a dog to help you track. If I can't take my dogs with me, I hunt with the rifle or pistol and leave the bow in the truck. I don't know why more folks don't consider a dog a vital piece of equipment for bow hunting. Almost any shiteater can be trained to track a deer. My dogs have made a lot of my tracking jobs easier and have found a few that I never would have found.

**Carolina Counsel** · 09-03-2010, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by dixiedeerslaya

this is really bothering you isn't it cc?

I guess. Probably shouldn't since I misunderstood the first post anyways. I agree with the other guys that it probably was a little too strong of a quartering away angle, but a quartering away shot is usually a good shot. I jumped his ass because I thought it was a quartering to shot. Only really good bowhunters (I don't include myself in that group) should take a quartering to shot. Basically, I've retracted my jumping this guy's ass about his shot. I ain't retracting my general feeling that you need to be hard on people if they're not being hard enough on themselves. We as a group (bowhunters, bowhunters in SC, bowhunters on this site) lose way too many deer. I was eating dinner at someone's house on Tuesday night when his wife told me she bought her husband a lab this year because he lost so many deer last year with is bow. WTF? If you can't get the job done consistently (ie- recover 90% of the deer you shoot with your bow), I don't think you should continue to bow hunt. That's my opinion.

**WoodieSC** · 09-03-2010, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Catdaddy

He's dead. Where you lost blood, he was getting weak and made a turn. He should be close to that spot.

Originally Posted by Carolina Counsel

Last point- I don't think saying "shit happens" in response to poor decision making is the best response.

I always tried to teach my people to follow the philosophy that...

"Shit doesn't 'happen'. Shit is a process. If you cut off the input, you'll starve the asshole."

**woodsjunky** · 09-03-2010, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by tradorion

1- At the shot- do your best to watch where the arrow impacts (** I will bet a case of beer that IF you find this deer before it is shredded you will discover that you did NOT hit it where you think- mis-seeing the hit is a very common oooopsie**)

2- As the deer runs off make the very best visual mark of the last place you saw it (crossing left of the big cedar etc etc) THEN LISTEN- your ears can tell you alot- running through leaves followed by briras or water or crashing through a cane patch all give very distinctive audio clues.

3- in my opinion that shot angle is too steep to consistently get a good hit.

4- in the future give great shots 30+ minutes and anything else an hour. If you KNOW you got gut or liver then 6 hours minimum. Granted there are many environmental issues but deer/elk out west often go more than a day in early (warm to hot) season before they get packed out. You have some time before major spoilage sets in (especially if you don't bust the gut with your broadhead)

5- If you start on a blood trail and A) jump the deer or B) do not find it dead within 100yds either sit down and ponder life for a good while OR leave and get dinner and a buddy and come back.

6- When trailing get 2-3 sticks with flagging or reflective tape on them. When your blood starts getting sparse mark last blood... then when you find some more use 2nd stick- the line between the two shows general travel... when you find more blood stick the 3rd stick on it and grab the 1st for the next blood. One man stays near the stick fine combing for sign and the buddy can move forward a bit scanning.

Another way is to use toillette paper. It makes it alot easier when you are alone. Where ever you see a drop of blood drop a peice on it. Or hang it on a branch for a flag. When you lose the trail circle around the area.

**Palmetto Bug** · 09-03-2010, 12:13 PM

I use those little 1/4" wide reflective strips. If you wrap them on head high twigs, you can see them from any direction and you can glance back and really see the general direction he's going. The down sides are that they last a while so you might want to backtrack and pull them down after you find your deer. They also aren't very visible in the daytime.

**sprigdog** · 09-03-2010, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Carolina Counsel

If you can't get the job done consistently (ie- recover 90% of the deer you shoot with your bow), I don't think you should continue to bow hunt. That's my opinion.

thats the average bow hunters strive for?