So here is my story. It might be several posts..I'm all done for the year, as we can only take one deer each here in Manitoba so I have nothing better to do. It might be a little long, but all about bowhunting....here goes. 2015........I bought my bow used, from a fellow named Stuart McDermott, a Matthews switchback XT. With a G5 five pin sight, whisker biscuit and a stabilizer plus 6 Easton fmj, and 12 trophy ridge arrows, and 6 Broadheads and case for$550. I practiced some then had 2 young bucks inside 20yds during the rut but I had a wardrobe malfunction with one, and no comfortable shot on the other. 2016....I had no real chances on deer that year, but I did shoot a coyote in the head and got my first big animal...It was such a cool experience, so different from a gun. 2017 last year I had several chances on deer. I located a young 3x3 in our potatoe patch, and there were 3 rows of corn adjacent in which I hid . He came out, and I rushed the shot and shot under him at 40 yds. But he stuck around and gave me a second shot at 15. In my inexperienced and adrenaline mind, my bow was shooting low cus of the first miss, and I so I aimed high and shot over him. A few days later I saw a spiker on the edge of our Hayfield and went over there and climbed a maple tree where he'd gone into the woods. He came back out 10 min later and I put the pin on him and shot, hitting high. I aimed high on purpose cus I was in a tree, shooting down, but I overdid it. He ran across the Hayfield into the neighbours woods. I never found blood or the deer. I spent a lot of time looking in that bush but never saw a sign. After that I decided to call it quits for the year. I could get on deer, but when they showed up I fell apart. I would start over next year. 2018.....I started by buying a Glendell buck to get used to shooting at deer, and to place my shots in the right spot. I also studied deer anatomy a lot more, to visualize where the vitals were at different angles. And I took my time with each shot, practicing control, steadiness and just generally making good shots. If I wasn't comfortable I would let down, reset, try again. By opening day I was toching shafts at 20, vanes at 25, and very good at 30, but with the occasional flyer. I would keep my shots to 25, for now. I sat over water a few times, seeing deer, but no bucks. The 4x4 was being seen around, and I saw him in the same Hayfield previously mention when I scouted it to see if deer were there. I had a stand in the adjacent woodlot watching a main trail coming out of a doe bedding area. As he was usually seen with does, I suspected he was using that bedding. I sat my stand twice, seeing does, but no buck. The third time out I hadn't seen does yet when I usually did, so I figured I wouldn't see anything today. My stand is pretty exposed, and I was contemplating how to conceal it with branches when I heard yet another squirrel in the direction the deer usually came from. They had been very annoying, rustling constantly and making me think it was deer. I looked left, but caught movement where I head the squirrel. It wasn't a squirrel! It was a rack coming through the trees. I could see it was the 4x4!!! My heart started beating very fast, and very loudly. My stand overlooks a small 18 yd clearing where the trail comes out and he stopped and the edge of it, about 20 yards away. He was looking at me deciding if I was a threat. I waited 3 days and 3 nights for him to move. Okay, fine. It was about a minute. But boy was I excited!! Then he stepped out, and you know how once in a while it all works out, all you have to do is make the shot? He stepped into my clearing and turned broadside. His head was down in the grass and I lifted my bow, he lifted his head and looked in my direction, then back in the bush. I drew. As I settled the pin, the words "take your time" went through my mind. My careful practice was paying off. I put the 20 just below where I wanted the arrow, as he was at 18yds. He was slightly quartering to me as well, so I held on the shoulder a bit, in that sideways V pocket the bone makes.
I don't remember shooting, I was focused on his vitals and my pin. The arrow just suddenly hit him. His reaction was different, his first lunge sent him crashing into the ground with his chest and neck, with his rear still in the air. He pushed himself like that for a few yards then regained footing and ran off, though I didn't hear much crashing. An anguished "No" escaped my lips. My shot 1 appeared drastically low. As in the leg. 2 I thought I saw a lot of my arrow sticking out 3 It hit with a crunch like it hit serious bone, I knew that from head shooting a coyote I got down and went over, as I felt I'd made a bad shot. My worst fears were realized. A few yards from the impact lay 2 feet, 24" of my arrow virtually clean, with spatters of blood on the first few inches. I was 100% certain I'd hit him low in the leg bone, got a few inches into his leg and broke it, hence his inability to use his front end, and he broke the rest of the arrow off. I was devastated. I felt like the worst Bowhunter alive, I couldn't kill a deer for the life of me, I just injure the poor animals when I do hit. an all had been at 20yds or less . I stood there holding the arrow, and I'm sure you can imagine how I felt finding that shaft. But I decided I would at least try to track him till it got too dark. I looked down where he'd ran, and immediately found blood. A few dark drops. Okay, I had an arrow in him, he'll bleed a little. I slowly kept going, finding more drops. And then I found it. A good patch of bright red blood, with very distinct bubbles!! (See pic) and this was within 15 yds of the hit . My spirits went from a 0 on the scale of 0 - 10 to a solid 4. I then decided to track 50 yards then decide weather to back out or not. There were quite a few drops on the leaves, and at 30, another good patch of blood and bubbles. Feeling 4.5. more drops, to 50 yards, there the trail he was on took a right turn. And up till then, I could see where he'd ran cus it seemed like he was pawing the ground as he ran, I could have tracked him by that alone. Plus he was running the path of least resistance, and downhill, which was encuraging. So at 50 he took that turn and judging by the disturbance in the leaves, had had a heck of a time doing so. Plus, there was a good bit of blood right there, with bubbles! I was now sure the Montec had made it through the leg, and got one lung quite well. Although I still felt I'd shot low, clearly I'd hit lung. With his apparently crippled leg, and at least one lung hit good, I felt I had a good chance of him bedding down soon and finding him in the morning. Here I squatted down to stick the broken shaft in the ground to mark last blood and leave, and I automatically scanned the woods ahead. And. There. He. Was. That moment was indescribable. But in my present company I'm sure I don't need to describe it, y'all know how it feels. I knew from the way he was laying that he was dead. I couldn't believe it. I froze. How had such a horrible shot killed him in 70 yards? But it had. We all react differently when we find our animal. Apparently I become a spartan. I lifted my bow high, took a deep breath and roared the word "Yes" long, deep and loud. YAAAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!! over and over. Somewhere along the line amidst my vocalizing It entered my mind that my shouting would cause him to run off if he wasn't dead. Suddenly I became worried that this was the case because I still couldn't believe it. I pulled my bow back and approached .I had to seriously suppress the urge to put my other 2 arrows into his chest. 4 years of trying and getting a good first buck can do that to a guy. But then I saw where my first shot had hit, and I knew I wouldn't need to. I dropped my bow and went over to him. Then It became real. I was overcome with emotions. Again, I'm glad I don't have to describe it, but ill try. It's every second spent hunting, scouting, practicing, hanging stands, and everything else we put in, every drop of sweat, every cent spent becomes worth it x10. And feels like a few seconds, a small price for this. I sat there holding his head in my lap taking it all in. I cried a little. I laughed. It's was so awesome!!! My phone had died so I don't have as many pics of the bloodtrail as I would like or any of the deer where he expired. As for the shot? I had hit exactly where I had wanted, where I had carefully aimed. It hit the meat of his shoulder quartering slightly back, squarely hitting both lungs and the plumbing just above his heart. Upon exit it busted through a rib and hit the offside leg bone, shattering it and stopping against the hide, hence the crunch sound. I believe the arrow broke on the deers first lunge, and pulled out some already when my eyes picked it up post shot, and the fletching were hanging down below the point of impact. Also the deer going down gave me that illusion. It was back out a second after hitting, and had almost no chance to get blood on it. Most of the time a 24" piece of arrow with just a little blood on the front doesn't bode well for the hunter. But not always, this time I'd still made a good, clean shot. I hope I'm always so excited and emotional when bowhunting, although this is my first .I hope I never lose those feelings. They can't be taught, learned or properly explained, just felt in those moments. I will definately be going again next year. Cheers guys, and good luck!!
congratulations buddy! Kudos to you for overcoming last years disappointing season. Sounds like you put a lot of effort in and it really paid off. Beautiful shot placement by the way. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Shoot, I posted the rest to quickly after my above reply. Now it's awaiting moderator approval. Can one please fix it?
The exit wound was just below the elbow directly into the leg bone. In my second part I mentioned that, but it still says that it's awaiting moderator approval and is invisible to normal users. Can you guys still see it? I have pics of both shoulders skinned showing the wounds.
You tell the story quite well! Congratulations on a great looking deer! Deer that have been hit with arrows and bullets can react in so many different ways. Some of mine hit by arrows have simply fallen on the spot, some barely wince and take a few steps and fall and some seem to go forever with a perfect shot. Great job on the practice time you put in, you have to do that every year whether you’re a newby or a seasoned hunter. It’s always better to be prepared! I’ve gotten more than my fair share of deer and I still get all pumped up at the sight of deer. The more I hunt the more I learn and it never gets old. Congratulations again on a really beautiful buck and awesome shot placement!! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Congrats to your first deer I remember mine and can never forget it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
