Well, 1st season of bowhunting and on my 4th sit at the farm, I got my first doe. She came in closer than expected with another doe behind her, from right to left. She was relaxed and stopped behind a forked tree at 15yds. I drew, hoping to not get busted by the second doe and the turkeys nearby. She took a couple more steps, stopped, and looked right up at me. I think I took a rushed shot, thinking she made me and hit her forward of left shoulder and down into opposite shoulder. She stumbled, crashed into a tree and ran 40yds before expiring. No exit wound or bloodtrail that I could see, but arrow was covered in deep red, small bubbles about ¾ up shaft and into the ground. Just trying to understand the shot I took with my Spitfire mech., it looks like I slit the windpipe and hit opposite shoulder. I did not see any kind of exit wound and found the blades in the closed position. Do they normally close up when impacting the ground after initial impact? I’m baffled by no exit wound. I WILL take a better shot next time.
Love the desire to learn and if possible post some pictures....they biggest thing I want to express is how great it is you are looking for advice and dare I say criticism. That is a great step in growing as a hunter. You already acknowledged the biggest thing I would share and that is don't rush. It truly isn't the end of the world if they get away every now and then. Last night I got luck and passed on a 35 yard shot that I know I could have made but a very small branch which most likely wouldn't have been hit was around the shot window...passed...and they came back giving me a 15 yard shot....sometimes they don't come back and that's fine. Better to take no shot than a rushed or bad one...but you know that it appears and that's good. As for the heads, it's true some mechanicals upon passing through will slam back shut...but not always. Without pictures I'll withold thoughts on exactly what the shot did. Congrats!
my first shots at a deer were like this. It gets easier and more fun! I have dug some spitfires out of deer before as well
Congrats on the deer. Glad you put her down quick I have bee using the spitfires for years. I heave never had one fail to open. I'm not sure if it is physically possible. I have burried one in the opposite shoulder on several occasions, but never noticed if they had shut or not... If the arrow worked its way out of the deer they could close as the backward motion will shut the mechanical.
Yes, she was slightly quarting to. The arrow was in the ground, as if it was a pass thru, but I didn't find an exit. Found what looked like a slice and hit on opposite shoulder after opening her up.
It sounds like it just fell back out the entrance hole, which would likely close up the head. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I shoot spitfires as well and they will close back up after the initial hit in animals and targets after the pass thru.
