So glad I don't have to worry about such cases. Tough situation I'm sure, especially since it sounds like you are friendly neighbors for the most part. I'd just explain that you do everything in your capability to assure a good clean kill, but every now and then one will get away from you. I'd leave it with an apology(as it seems you wish to remain on good terms), an assurance that you will continue to do everything possible to keep it from happening again and point out in x amount of years this is the first time the issue hase came about. He'll either accept it and let it go, or he never will regardless of what is said or done.
I may just have them over for dinner for "roast" and wait till they are done eating and explain myself from what happened when I hit the release and also why we love venison and why I hunt.
Sucks because it makes me feel worse than when it happened, it is like somebody that does not understand archery hunting watched the shot and the outcome even though the deer was recovered it still was ugly. That is why I shoot a bow with a 74 pound draw weight a 475 grain arrow and a big wide muzzy mechanical so even a bad shot has the best odds of causing a recoverable death.
Not that I take a questionable shot because of my set up, not at all I had that doe with my pin right behind the shoulder when I touched the release. There is no doubt that a hard hitting arrow with plenty of blade surface made a difference in recovering that deer.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but why would you need to apologize to your neighbor for shooting a deer? If it was on your property and you legally shot and recovered the deer, I don't see why you owe them anything. Not trying to sound like a d!ck here, but it's really none of their business if you decide to shoot a deer on your property.
I think he's being a little too critical of himself for making a shot that ended with bad results. It resulted into the deer going further than should have been and she ended up on the neighbors property who seems to be more of an animal lover than understanding of hunting. With it being a neighbor, one who he knows and obviously has respect for, it makes it that much more difficult. I think it is just one of those things you have to shrug it off, move on and if the neighbor cannot do the same thing then that is his problem. There are no guarantees in hunting
She came back on my property and died and I recovered her and I feel very fortunate to recover her. My neighbor does not get the process of hunting and choosing to kill a deer, a specific deer and what lead to finding her and reducing her to processed venison. Hard to explain to those that don't get it, ideally the neighbor would never know I shot a deer, this year was an off year.
Sota you did everything you could and you followed through. Stop beating yourself up. I understand your situation and respect that you care so much about what your neighbors think. Bottom line is we are not perfect.
