I just got back into hunting after 12 years off. Bought myself a nice bow, PSE Vendetta XS, and man it's fast. Took it to the range, sighted it in, and off I went. My cousin said I could come hunt his ground if I wanted. He hunts about 2x a month during bow season, owns 300+ acres here in MO, and he's the only person that hunts it at all. It's like Christmas in Oct right? Anyway, I've been looking to kill a young doe first, so I can get some meat right away, then pace myself on a decent rack. I stalked these three does all week. Never quite getting a clean shot on them, and thus waiting until next time. Finally, on my last day of hunting, the three walk up behind me, and I have a nice shot, just over a bit of brush, and I'm ready to claim me a deer. I watch them for 45 minutes (btw I grunted them in... was so cool) and draw back my bow when they reach a shooting area about 30 yards out. I let one rip!!!, doe jumped about 30 yards and stopped. Thought to myself, "she's going to drop right there!". To my dismay, she turned around, walked right back to where she was, and stopped again. I had already nocked another arrow, so I drew back, and let another fly. Let me mention here, that my bow shoots too fast for me to see the arrow (I ordered some lighted nocks to help with this), and during my shooting session I was shooting 3 inch groups at 40 yards. This time, she went about 60 yards. I sat down slowly and waited for about an hour. I was thinking the whole time I was filling a tag, and my freezer. That hour felt like 12. She was my first deer in over a decade. I couldn't see her when I sat down, due to her being behind me, though I didn't hear much movement, I was pretty sure I'd find her right about where she stopped. I climbed down from the tree, making note of where she was standing when I shot, to go look for arrow/blood. I find, NEITHER! So now I'm nervous. I can't find a deer, blood, or the two arrows I shot. I had the most awful feeling. I thought I wounded a deer, or worse, killed her and wouldn't be able to find her. I also had to call my cousin and let him know there may be a wounded doe out on his farm. I backed out, went and had lunch, came back and searched for about 5 hours for something, anything. I found nothing. I decided I had done just about all I could do, so I headed into town to the bow shop there because I noticed a "twang" when I shot. I tell the guy my story, and told him I needed to shoot my bow so he could hear the twang. I drew back and fired on the 30 yard mark, and to my surprise I was shooting 12 inches high.... 12 inches!!!. Apparently, when I bought my bow the guy didn't anchor my peep sight and it moved up.... So I was out in the woods firing willy nilly at the trees, instead of the deer. I was happy to find out I was shooting so high though, because it meant that I didn't wound that deer, I just startled her. I'm the kind of hunter that thanks the prey I claim (I've thanked a lot of little squirrels this year.. lol). So, for me, thinking I wounded a deer was the worst. Peep is tied, bow is re-sighted, and I'm going back into stalking mode again. Perhaps I'll actually have a tag filled next week. P.S. Can I mention that I think killing is the worst part of hunting. I like the scouting, the woods, the critters, the sounds, the smell, the anticipation, the adrenaline, and the food, but the killing gets to me a bit. So really, with the exception of the food, it was a successful hunt.. :D
Welcome to the forum! Glad you're back at it. Now I don't mean to be harsh, but if you only shot your bow one time at the initial set up, I have a very hard time feeling sorry for ya. Even a second or third round of shooting would have easily ironed out a few quirks or problems. With today's modern bows, arrows and releases it is possible to buy a bow and hunt the next day, but personally I think it's a horrible idea. Kinda like letting someone drive a car around the parking-lot for an hour, then giving them a license. Keep at it though. Practice when you can, and it never hurts to take one more practice shot on your way out the door to the stand. Again, welcome to the forum and back to the sport of hunting.
he said he was shooting 3" groups at 40 yards in his shooting session... not his set up session..... pretty sure he has practiced.
Welcome back to hunting! I ran into a guy at the shooting range that just got back into it as well. I think that is great. SIDE NOTE: I'm not sure I understood your PS. If you don't like the killing part, I would think hunting is not for you. You can put the bow down and take a camera. My dad has started to do this more and more. Now he takes the camera and bow No shame in that. Good luck the rest of the season. You got 2 shots...I'm luck to get that in 5 seasons
I didn't mean to say I don't enjoy hunting. I meant taking a life isn't the fun part for me I love the meat, and you can't get that with a camera . I just respect life, and that includes the life of critters too. :D
I don't think you can compare those two. Unless you're saying the person driving the car just didn't drive for a few years, but had been a racecar driver before.... Not only had I shot it for a week, up until 5 or 6 years ago I shot probably 5000 arrows a year (just didn't get a chance to hunt for the past 10 or so). I didn't notice the peep wasn't secured properly (I assumed it was, my mistake) and apparently I bumped it while walking,hunting, climbing, etc and I missed because of it. Thought it was a funny/sucky story to share.
OK. That makes sense and is felt by many of us. Myself included. I say a quick prayer and thanks after a kill. My way of showing respect to a beautiful animal.
Like I said, I'm wasn't trying to be harsh, but these three statement made it sound like you bought a bow, sited it in once and hit the woods... One of the reasons I've stopped watching Realtree videos was because of their 'Nocked 'n Loaded' DVD, where our good buddy T-Bone sets up a father & son with a couple bows one afternoon. At one point he says that now days you can go out, get a bow, set it up, sight it in and hunt all the same day! Sure it's possible, but I strongly disagree with his message. I think we owe much more time and practice to our prey to help ensure a quick and humane kill. There are just too many variables in bowhunting to rush it like that. Sorry if I misinterpreted your OP, I'm glad that you got the peep problem fixed. Surely you'll get another chance at that fat ol' doe, and this time she won't get lucky!
