First off, I have yet to get a deer with my bow. I bow hunted very little when I was a teenager. I'm 31 and have been bow hunting only during archery season for the last three years. Then I pick up the rifle and slaughter them. haha I decided this year, I'm bowhunting most of the season. Well, Friday evening was a beautiful evening. Got in the stand a little late, about 3:30. Just before sunset, I had a big mature doe make her way to 35 yards broadside. (I've been practicing out to 50, although I won't take a shot that far just yet. I'm very comfortable within 40 yards though.) Well, everything was perfect. I drew while she was behind a tree, and she never knew I was there. When she stepped out in the open and stopped, I put my 40 yard pin low on her, right behind the shoulder and released. It was a perfect release and follow through. She jumped the string then I watched her run off. I thought then that I had missed her. I waited till dark, got down, and found my arrow. It had hair on the broadhead, and just a speck or 2 of blood on the fletching. I then knew that I just grazed the top of her back when she ducked. I've been playing the shot over and over in my mind for the last few days. I feel like I should have used my 30 yard pin instead, and she would have ducked right into it. Am I thinking right? Anything 20 and less, use the 20 yard pin, 30 and less, use the 30, etc.? Is that how y'all do it? Anybody have any pointers?
I would stand at 25 and 35 yards, and use the gap as a pin and try and "split the difference" it works good for me so that's what I would do if I had one standing at 25 or 35 yards