Been doing a lot of reading about the kills and the hunts, etc. And Im excited about getting my equipment and trying this sport to stock my freezer with good meat. BUT...Im conflicted about it. What happens when you shoot a deer and cant find him? It's just a waste to kill that deer and not be able to find him. I actually feel bad for the deer if I would shoot it and not be able to locate it later or God forbid, wound it really bad and not be able to put it out of its misery. Do you guys have these feelings as well? Deer are living, breathing, beautiful animals. To injure one without finding it would devastate me. Is this just part of the game? Is it a part of hunting? I read about a kill on here where the writer said that he said a prayer for the buck just before he shot for it not to suffer. I guess that is the way I feel...I just dont want an animal to suffer at my hands. Am I alone with this feeling?
Nobody likes wounding and or not finding a deer, but it's a possibility on any given hunt. If you don't like taking that chance, then don't hunt. It's really that simple.
We take chances in everything that we do...I was just wondering if I was alone in the way I felt. I wouldn't want to hurt someone driving my rig, but I still drive.
Practice religiously and learn to hit where you aim. Learn to control your emotion up to and during the shot. Take good lethal shots and know how and when to follow a blood trail. If you can't do all of the above..stay on the couch. No one wants an injury ESPECIALLY hunters!
A healthy dose of remorse is....well...healthy. I'd be concerned if you DIDN'T feel it. But, there are three categories of bowhunters: 1. Those who have wounded and/or lost deer. 2. Those who have not been in enough situations for it to occur. 3. F'in liars. The hypocrisy I see exhibited when this subject matter is being discussed, sometimes, is sickening. Good luck.
It sure Is a possibility. I too hate wounding an animal, done It twice In 25 years of bowhunting and It really hurt. The way I look at It Is If It didn't bother you then there's something wrong with you. All In all It's part of hunting. You have to except It when It happens, eventually It will.
^^^My thoughts exactly. You show me a hunter that doesn't feel bad and loose sleep over losing a deer from a misplaced shot, I'll show you someone who has no business bowhunting.
I feel bad even when I make a perfect shot and the animal expires within sight. And the older I get, the worse I seem to feel. As for losing an animal, it's a very unfortunate part of bowhunting that we will all have to deal with at some point. Hopefully we can learn from our mistakes if and when it happens, and try to avoid making the same ones in the future.
I agree with what everyone has said in this thread. There are risks in every single thing we do. Bowhunting happens to affect the animal also.
Good to hear that I'm not the only one with these feelings. Let me tell you I felt sick and thought of visiting ebay to sell my bow after this week... Here's hoping you don't have it happen to you.
I LOVE to kill deer ... that being said, I always have a twinge of ..... sadness isn't the right word ... regret doesn't seem to fit either ...... I can't find a word ... but one thing I have for the animals I hunt is RESPECT ... maybe that's what it is ... I dunno
Suck it up crybabies. This ain't Disney! Seriously though, PT's rambling kind of sums up how I feel. Although I can't say I love to kill something, as much as I like being successful. And as much as we like to say it isn't just about the kill, and I do get that, the almighty end goal is to kill the deer. I don't like to see anything suffer. I do feel "bad" if the kill isn't quick. Not a big fan of hitting the spine. Have had this happen twice. I always put another arrow in them as quickly as possible.
I share the same feelings as the others on this board and sport. It is not just related to bowhunting. Gun hunting can result in a wounded shot and no kill or a shot that kills but, lost game. I just took a buck last Friday. In the heat of the moment (compounded with buck fever), I took a tough shot and had a bad hit. I was lucky to recovery the animal with little trouble however, I know that it was not a quick kill. It was a kill that took about 2 hours to happen. I felt bad and still do a little for that. I know however, that it is in my mind and I will try my hardest never to make that mistake (shot) again. Lots of feelings take place when you take a life.
we've all had shots go astray and lost deer it happens its apart of the sport. theres no excuse 4 it we the hunters are responsible but just like anything else in life $hit happens! do your best 4 you and the animal thats given up its life to give you life and you can know in your heart of hearts that you are an ethical hunter.everything in this sport is precious the moment you take it for granted you dont need to be here, just practice,practice,practice and your shot will be true and most of all appreciate and love it!
I feel similarly. I don't like this 'softness' about myself. Not that I want to be callous but in my situation I got to get past this. I kill hogs and exotics. I'm a nuisance killer and a meat hunter. The exotics here in Texas are Axis deer and they are actually a nuisance here in my area. They are damaging the White-tail herd. I stuck a pig and it was not a perfect shot. I knew he was going to die and I was glad about that because this species is a horrible blight on the land here. But this mushy part of me was very unhappy because I wanted him to die quickly. I gotta get over it. I practice a lot and I WILL get better. I also lost an Axis the other day hunting with rifle. I shot to late in the evening and dark came on. Hated it but we are literally overrun with the suckers and at least I know I removed him from the ranch. I don't know what happens to some men as they age but they can seem to become overly soft-hearted. I saw my super-tough navy vet uncle go through this in his later decades. I suppose it comes with contemplating our own mortality or something. But one has to be logical. I'm certainly not about to become a vegetarian. I KNOW what happens at a slaughter house and stock yard. What we do as hunters is far more humane. I just need to get better at it. I also am thinking of getting my own tracking dog.
I don't feel sorry or remorse for anything that I intentionally shoot, it is the purpose afterall. But I do get upset with myself when I make an animal suffer due to a poor hit/bad shot. It is my responsibility and commitment to ethically and humanely take the game I pursue, when I don't, regardless of circumstances I have failed. I am thankful for every animal that I harvest, just not always happy with myself. I had a bad shot this past Saturday, it ended better than it could have but I still failed at the only thing that I control out there. A clean and humane kill. It still gets at me a little bit when I sit in stand and replay the shot in front of me, white hair is still there as a reminder.
I've been deer hunting for over 20 years. Just took up bow hunting this year after 15 years of not bow hunting. Even then I only tried it one season and never fired an arrow at a deer. My accuracy never really left, as it didn't take long do get back in the groove. I'm very comfortable at 20- 30 yards shots and that is all I will take a shot at at a deer. I've lost 2 deer in over 20 years and that was with a gun, it happens. All you can do is practice practice practice. Know your weapon of choice and its capabilities. If your not a hunter at the moment, I suggest spending time in the woods in a stand, watching deer. You will be excited when you see them whether your holding a weapon or not. Get used to seeing them so when the time comes when your hunting you may be able to control your excitement a bit better. Although I will say, even when a doe comes by I get sweaty palms. Good luck.
