Bad mistake!?!?

I'm new to the forum trying to get some advice I guess. Maybe trying to put my mind at ease more than anything. Last Saturday I went hunting and shot a doe. It came in at 25 yards and I hit it perfect shot in the heart. I waited about 25 minutes and went looking. I found the doe about 75 yards away. No arrow. I didn't think much of it so I gutted the deer and got out of there because I was hunting in an area where I knew my buddy was gonna be hunting also. Didn't wanna tromp around all day looking for it. My wife told me this evening that her grandparents called "very strict landowners" and said there was a deer right where I was hunting with an arrow sticking out of it. Had to be mine. There was a lot of brush behind the doe so I can't for the life of me seeing it going through brush and hitting another deer or ricocheting. I'm not gonna know till I go look tomorrow evening as they live an hour away.' I feel like a total ******.

Is it common practice to always find your arrow right after a kill even if you know you def got a good shot? I learned a valuable lesson and I will now always find my fricking arrows!!!!!! This is my third hunting season I'm 30 years old noone ever taught me about bow hunting so I guess this is a lesson learned. Thanks for any Input fellas. I will update ASAP when I find out for sure if it was mine.

 

Is it definitely your arrow?

 

I will try to locate my arrow to examine it, but if I can't find it I don't think too much about it as the deer can carry it for quite a while and then throw it out. I do like using lighted nocks. Really helps in finding your arrow.

I can't imagine that is going to be your arrow, if it is, that's going to be unbelievable. Were you hunting from a tree stand or from the ground. From the ground would be the only way I could see that even remotely possible.

 

I don't know man. I'll have to wait till after work tomorrow. No one else is bowhunting up there. 600 acres all locked up. Big coincidence for someone else to be hunting on that land right where I was . I hope to God that's what happen or someone shot it on other property and it ran up there. it's killing me right now not knowing.

 

Yes I always find my arrow. Not only to verify my shot but also because arrows are expensive.

 

Well I was def gonna look for it but I didn't want to right then kinda let all the excitement die down for the day.
And yea I was in a ground blind. First time on the ground too usually climbing in a tree.

 

^^^^^THIS^^^^^


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Didn't you say your buddy was gonna be hunting there? Then said no one else is hunting there? Maybe it was your buddy and he was ashamed of his poor shot so didn't say anything.

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Were there more deer with the one you shot?


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My buddy doesn't bow hunt he's using a gun.

 

Were you hunting from a tree stand or a blind? No way you could shoot a deer in the heart from a treestand and hit another deer. Mi lost an arrow I shot through a doe last week. It ricocheted off rocky ground and skittered away under some leaves I think. I can't imagine it hitting another deer with much inertia, especially one I didn't see....
Were there other deer in the immediate vicinity at the time of the shot?

 

Yea the were two but not inline with my shot. So I guess I'm buying some lighted nocks and ALWAYS finding my arrows right after a kill

 

Are you sure your buddy didn't shoot a deer and not find it???

 

In a ground blind

 

Yea I'm positive he wasn't up there. I'll just have to have my guts turning till tomorrow and I get to see the arrow :/

 

That would be insane if its your arrow. It it is will the landowners continue to allow you to hunt?

 

It would have been awesome if I knew. I guess that's what I get for not knowing my way around bow hunting. And I guess if it's mine I'll find out tomorrow if they'll still let me hunt. If I explain to them what happened I'm sure there will be no hard feelings.

 

OK wait, you found a doe 75 yards away. Did you follow a blood trail to it? If so, then that is your deer and the one w/ the arrow stickinig out isn't.

Was the deer you recovered fresh? Did it have a wound in the spot you shot it?

I've not found a few arrows after shooting a deer, it does happen.

 

No blood trail. I walk out of my blind looked for blood and only found acouple drips where it was standing. Then no trail. Started walking in the direction it ran and I could see it after I walked about 30 feet.. The deer I recovered had blood pouring out of the hole where I shot it so I gave it no thought and began field dressing.7 more hours and I'll know the deal.

 

Sounds like someone else is hunting the land. Or could be a poachers