I shot a doe tonight at 20 yards and do not think i'll be able to recover her though. I couldnt find my arrow and only a little blood 80 yards out where she stoped then the trail coes completly cold. She was slightly quartering away and I thought the shot was perfect but I'm afraid I hit her to far foward the arrow went through the shoulder blade and got stuck somehow. I can't believe this happened again. I'm so upset tonight. I know the general diretion she went and the patch of woods she's in is only about 30-40 acres all of wich im tearing to pieces tomorrow.
This is almost exactly what it looked like at 20 yards. The yellow is where I aimed, the red where I think I hit. I had the time and opening to wait for perfect braodside but this shot looked like both lungs and maybe heart so I took it. Now I feel foolish.
Don't beat yourself up. Mistakes happen... to everyone. You might find her this morning, and if you don't she's probably going to live. Get back out there. I would've taken this shot too.
My wife seeing how upset I was voluteered a hand this morning. We scoured the woods all the way up to its edges on all sides and found nothing, It is as I was affraid of the arrow must have went straight into her shoulder blade and stuck and at that angle didnt hit any vitals, I think she will live, The small amount of blood she did leave 80 yards away where she stoped had no bubbles and a very little piece of muscle tissue in it.
Well folks its set in stone. I'll be taking this Thursday off for another chance at sticking some major points on our board. From all the dead deer on the roads it should be a very productive day to be in the woods. Temps are showing a high of 47 and low of 34. Coldest day of the week. The winds will be out of the WNW, so this allows me to sit in other stands. However, I feel confident about my Black Ops stand where I saw the 2 nice shooters a few weeks ago. The opening day stand has had does in front of it several times. I'm not sure what to do for this particular hunt. I'll start a thread asking for some assistance later on. Rests assure, I will sit most of the day, and leave around 4 PM, because I have to pick my little guy up from day care by 5:30. This will be my last bow hunt prior to Shot Gun season starting up on the 17th. After that bow hunting is sort of useless until late season. Lots of hunting pressure! One of my neighbors has 4 guys hunting on just 10 acres. 5 to 6 guys on another bordering property. I sure hope I can make it happen Thursday. Sorry to hear about the lost deer Sean. Keep your chin up and a^s to the seat. It’s bound to happen soon.
Well tomorrow will be the day, I can feel it. Its rained all week, and last night we had a pretty good storm roll through. Today it very windy, and tomorrow morning it will be 28 and only warm up to mid 40's. The wind will be 7 mph from the WNW. Blowing my tink's 69 right into the bucks bedding area, along with my scent, but I'm hopeful they'll only pay attention to the tinks. As of last week the bucks started making scrapes, so I'm hopeful they'll be checking the scrapes during the day this week. Other then that the stand will be mostly useless during the peak rut, no does really. Bonecollectorwv, are you going to leave us hanging all weekend? Come on bro and show us some Booner.
That a way! Congrats team members. I seen 6 mature bucks in 4 days of hunting last weekend, however, deer sightings, rut activity and etc. were very poor. I wasn't happy about the deer I seen. I thought last year was slow, but this was really poor. I have 3 days left to close the deal before gun season starts next weekend. Of the 6 mature bucks seen 1 came to 3 yards where I passed. He was a 19 inch 8, but he has 1 deformed side. Another buck came into 24 yards, but didn't give me a great shot so I passed again. He was a 17 inch 8 that was real heavy with good tine length. I was able to get some good footage of the deformed buck. I had a stud 170 class at 70 yards 1 night but he hung up. Same case with all the other shooters. Close, but they wouldn't commit to come in from 70-100 yards any of the times. Called a few bucks in, but all 1 1/2 year olds. My brother shot a buck Thursday night at about 4:00. We tracked at 7:00. He though he hit him back some (liver). We had good blood for 200 yards then once the arrow got pulled out blood stopped. All 6 people who tracked that night and the next day are confident the deer is dead, yet we cannot find him anywhere. He wasn't in corn that got picked, river bottom, our properties or adjacent properties. No clue where to look...We will both be back out it again this weekend! I'm hoping to se some sort of rut activity before gun season rolls around.
Well it didn't happen again. didn't even see any Bone yesturday. Stupid Neighbours with there chainsaws. I did see a few does, but no bone. I think my little bottom land in the southern zone of IL isn't in rut yet. 3 does and not one buck chasing??? it sounds fishy if you ask me. Well, I will be joining the Orange army this next Friday to destroy any chance at filling my bow tags in the coming weeks. Lots of gun hunters down there. I hear nothing but shots all day long. Good news is that I am only shooting a big buck and I'm only Hunting Friday, and Sunday. I promised the wife one day of non hunting activities next weekend.
