After 10 days in Missouri, I returned home Saturday empty handed. Not for lack of shot opportunities on shooters, but because, well, I honestly don't know for sure what happened. After pulling 3 all day sits in a row, my block of timber finally lit up and I had bucks chasing does everywhere on the 3rd evening. Back at it the next morning. It started slow, with only a lone doe to show for by 9:30. When as it always happens, I hear a deer walking behind and to my right. I was standing up, with my right shoulder against the tree and peaked around and there stood a very good 10 pointer. He walked behind the tree, giving me plenty of time to grab the bow, spin slowly and come to full draw. He was quartering hard, so I left him walk to a trail, 15 yards away, where he turned more broadside, but still quartering. I stopped him, settled the 20 pin low on his chest and released. The arrow sounded like a 22 going off when it hit him. He ran about 75 yards and slowed. I watched, confident that he'd crash within sight. He slipped over a bit of a hill and everything went quiet. I texted the landowner/outfiitter and left him know the situation, to come get me, and bring celebratory drinks (jokingly). He showed about 1/2 later and I climbed out of the tree and walked to where the blood was not 10 ft from where I shot him. Bright red, bubble filled lung blood. Sounds about right. We slowly walked the blood. About 50 yards into the trail, a deer, a big racked buck jumped and ran over the hill. Was that my deer?! I stayed on last blood while the outfitter slowly snuck to the bed area where he jumped up. Sure enough it was. So we backed out. At this point, I"m dumbfounded. The shot looked and felt great. I recall watching the nock disapear behind his shoulder and he doing the tel tale mule kick at the shot. I remember the struggling run he was on when I last saw him go out of sight... head, nose low to the ground, rear end up... sort of plowing forward. I've seen this a bunch of times of deer I've killed over the years. They usually don't make it out of sight. Back in at 330 that afternoon. No deer, followed blood for a while before it ran out. Darkness fell. So, I spent the next two days grid searching every nasty ditch, water area, etc. Beating myself up on this one. I just don't understand how this deer could have survived that shot. I am spitballing, but I believe I screwed up in thinking he wasn't quartering as much as he was, as I absolutely recall putting pin behind he shoulder. Stupid decision because he was quartering away. I believe I single lunged him, and maybe a touch high (loud crack was his shoulder blade? Anyway, I thought I'd share and hope someone has some insight, had a similar experience or can learn from my situation.
I've been in that same place. It sucks! Sorry to hear that. What part of the state were you in? Sent from my SM-N900V using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Hopefully your landowner will find him sometime during hunting season. I have heard of it before. People leaving with a lost deer and a few weeks later someone finding him. I hope it happens for you. I'm sorry to hear about the hard luck.
Sounds like a single lung hit to me. Had a similar hit on a deer two years ago but was able to recover him after a lengthy blood trail. My only saving grace was a low exit wound and a large mechanical broadhead. Bummer of a hunt. I know the feeling all too well.
I did that a few years ago, I had a picture of him a week later then nothing. I found him 2 months later just a pile of bones. Sorry it sucks
I had that happen with the buck I shot this year. 400 yards and 35 hours after the shot I found him still alive in his bed. Stupid me rushed out of the house without my bow. He jumped and swam the river, immediately died on the other side. I had to leave overnight because it was to close to dark to get a canoe. The next morning, I recovered the head and filled my tag. Vultures had spent the night eating him. The head was all that was left. Learned a hard lesson. I will never again track without my bow, no longer how long it has been.
It's a great place! Buddy of mine has a farm that we hunt up there. Sent from my SM-G930V using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Its been a heck of a last two years for me. I admittingly was on a roll for a while, with good clean kills. I believe mostly because I simply am very strict about the types of shots I'll take and knowing my own limitations. These last two seasons, I've not done anything differently, just seems I've been cursed.
