July issue of Bowhunter magazine "High hits behind the shoulder are probably the most common poor hits.....Bowhunters often mistake a high hit for a lung hit. The lungs sit lower in an animal than many archers think...about five or six inches below the backline in a deer sized target. The hit you think is a winner might actually be just beneath the spine in a spot that seldom kills." In his big game hunting tip section...How long do you wait? " The standard rule of thumb for a double lung or heart hit is 30 minutes. But you should follow sooner if you actually see your animal collapse, if it's raining or snowing hard enough to wipe out blood, or if it is nearly too dark to see." I am not a physiological expert to know for certain about the "void" although I think most experts say it's nonexistent and it's a myth. Damn, Chuckie, do you stand by your comment? ...And being afraid to give the animal time to expire because it will soon be dark....irresponsible journalism by him, Bowhunter magazine and Hoyt for sponsoring it. Buy a lantern for crying out loud. Agree or disagree on either statement?
I think the void is a topic that will be debated by bowhunters long after most of us are gone and will never be fully resolved. My personal opinion is that most of those high shots are going over the spine, not under it. Especially if they're a few inches back. I also think more deer survive a single high lung hit than many folks like to think, which contributes to the myth of the "void". Although I could be wrong, I'm certainly no scientist. In Chuck's specific example of a double lung hit I don't see much wrong with taking up the trail a little early if you're 100% certain it was double lung. That deer only needed about 60 seconds to expire so kicking him up isn't a concern. Sure, waiting longer and playing it safe is always preferred, but if you're certain it was a great shot and the deer's dead then go for it. The darkeness example certainly is a little cheesy since we all have flashlights but I would say by no means is it totally irresponsible.
I gave up on Chuck about twenty years ago. I read an article of his that mentioned an arrow shot through the hams as being very lethal. He said it was not his first choice, but was an option for sure as it is a very large mass of muscle that has a lot of blood flow. If I remember right, the article was in reference to elk hunting. I think of that every time I see one of his exaggerated stiff-armed poses where he is sitting WAY behind the animal to make it look bigger. The critters he kills are big enough, why does he do that stupid pose over and over. Not a fan.
I'd have to agree with Chuck on most of this. If I see a deer drop like a sack of potatoes I might give it a few minutes to watch for any movement but that's it. As for rain and snow. If I know I made a good shot I'll take up the trail for 50 yards or so if I can do it quietly. That way I have a better idea if I should back out and allow more time and I can mark the last sign of blood. The comment about getting to dark is a little crazy though. Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2
Good response, but I still say the darkness statement specifically, and overall the recovery answer is irresponsible. What you do after the shot is what defines a successful bowhunter, in my opinion. Just look at how many bone- headed things we see each year on one this one hunting forum when it comes to "after the shot missteps " and multiply that times xx to reflect the overall bowhunting population and it is obvious that we have many bowhunters that are inexperienced and don't have a clue. And now one of the leading bowhunters and magazines says forget the 30 minute rule if it's almost dark...even his response to the collapsed animal and moisture is irresponsible in my opinion. How many times do people rush upon an animal that is down but not expired, only to get the animal back up to never be found again. And what about reminding people that if it is raining or snowing to the degree that it will wash away your blood trail, you picked the wrong day to bowhunt. Bowhunting is about patience, before and after the shot. If I am not prepared to track in the dark, and be disciplined enough not to hunt in poor tracking condition moisture related weather, I need to choose another hobby. That is what I would rather hear from one of the most successful and high profile bowhunter out their today, not what was written.
Light rain or drizzle? Sure Soft falling snow? Sure? But if it is raining or snowing hard enough I can't afford to wait at least 30 minutes before taking up a blood trail, no.
I typically wait 30 minutes regardless of the shot, mostly because I'm calling/texting to recruit some tracking help, bragging to them, or trying to settle myself down before getting out of the stand. I've taken a few angled to shots that people would disagree with taking but both of the times I took that shot, I recovered the deer, one of which dropped just 10 yards after the shot. I've also made a few of those high shots mentioned in the OP (completely accidentally and bad on my part) and never recovered the deer. So with that being said, I wait and I will search for a deer regardless of the time or weather if I believe the deer is dead. If I get far enough and it's not there, mark it off and come back later.
You're missing one important piece of Chuck's statement, and that's the part about making a perfect double lung shot. In the case of a perfect shot the animal is expired in seconds. Should you still wait 30 minutes to take up the trail? In a perfect world, yes. However I'm not going to bash someone for doing otherwise. I'll admit that I've shot animals before and made a perfect 12-ring hit, then heard them crash 40 yards out of sight and not waited longer than 10-15 minutes to get down and find them. Now if you take out the part about making a perfect shot - perhaps you're unsure of the hit entirely - then everything you said is correct. If you don't know where your arrow hit or aren't 100% certain it was a money shot then waiting is the only responsible option.
^^^Agreed. If I see the deer, hear it crash, or know I made a great shot I have been down in 10 minutes before, it all depends on if I am making calls/texting, or need to settle myself down. Nowadays I film so I like to sit in the tree and film my reaction and tell the story.
I have been noticing that pose since subscribing to the magazine. The more I think about it the more it bothers me.
If I know for a fact that I made a good shot and possibly heard it crash, I'll be waiting 30 minutes at the most.
If I made the perfect shot, I'm going to see/hear him crash! That's a completely different situation than thinking I made a good shot, but never hearing him crash. HUGE difference. If I don't hear him crash, I will wait at least 30 minutes, usually longer and I will review my footage to hopefully shed some light on the impact point, exit point and the deer's reaction to the shot. That is when I feel like I know how to handle the situation. #1 reason I self film.
My buck last year crashed just out of sight, but I still waited until the shakes stopped, lol. Then I got down and went to invite my dad on the recovery. I sometimes like taking my time even when it's a known fact the deer is dead, unless impending weather is involved. I think that after shot moment is one I like to milk for a while. The void I'm not sold on at all, but I don't need Chuck Adams to tell me that he believes it's there. I believe it's a above spine shot, not an under spine shot. I dug up this picture from a discussion on here years back. Pretty enlightening.
I just don't get it. The guy kills huge animals and then sits as far behind them as he can possibly reach to make them look even bigger. It really takes away from the photos in my opinion, because you really cant tell what the heck he actually killed. I have seen pics of him with really respectable 300 class bulls that he makes look like 400 inchers with exaggerated poses and angles. Same with most of his deer pictures. No question that he has enjoyed a lot of success. Some of the pictures are comical. I could not even find any of the worst ones I have seen in the past. Oh well....here are a few examples.
