Evenin before last had my first shot at a deer with a bow. I believe I made a good hit....it was a doe and she was bout 20-25 yards away. She was with another smaller deer. Aimed at her shoulder....fired...heard a smack....watched her jump off and noticed her tail was tucked between her legs...leading me to believe she had been hit. But I wasn't able to recover her....when I cant find them I call it a miss. So I missed my first one. But it was an awesome adrenaline pumping experience. I made some mistakes thou....#1 I didn't give her time to get out in the open trail ahead of me....I shot with her in the edge of brush. #2 I didn't pay as close attention to her location in the brush as I should have to give me a good starting point. #3 didn't watch my arrow closely after shooting to look for the hit. But its a lesson learned and im glad it was learned on a doe instead of Bullwinkle....lol Wasn't able to find my arrow and im hoping that she didn't take it with her and that I had a clean miss because I don't like the idea of maming a deer. I will be getting some lumenocks thou...because in eastern NC (and im hunting a 5 year old cut down) the brush is extremely thick and its very difficult to track if you aint got a good solid blood trail.
Hard to post from my phone but it sounds like a hit. Did you look for blood? Did you go to the very last spot you saw the deer alive? How long did you give it before getting down? The sound you heard and the fact you can't find the arrow indicates a hit. You sound new to this so I'm not going to get on you but it sounds like you should/could have done a lot more to recover the deer. I've had several deer run some distance before they bleed. The actaul shooting is a very small part of bow hunting. Tracking and recovery are just as important as your ability with a bow.
ok...ima go back and look harder....I looked for a while...and I walked to the last place I seen her. iv had to track them before rifle hunting...but there is usually plenty of blood. there is EXTREMELY thick brush...so I thought if I did miss it could be possible that I couldn't see my arrow in it. and yes...im extremely new to bow hunting...been deer hunting over 20 yrs...but this is my first season bow hunting I appreciate the advice brother!!!
Deer sounds hit to me. What did she do other then tuck her tail after the shot? How long did you wait to go look for blood? Did you bump her?
Get off the computer and get out there, you can't just look sometimes you have to crawl and search. Let me ask if it was a decent buck would you have quit searching? I know we all make mistakes but a wounded deer is more than just a miss to me.
I gave her a few minutes before I got down. Probably shoulda gave her longer. she just bounced off....I heard either her or the other deer with her blow after she was out of sight
more than I miss to me also...that's why I hope I missed. im going back to look some more. ima bring some help too. your absolutely right thou...never thought of it like that but giving just as much search for her as I would a nice buck is only ethical....thanks man!
I was aiming for the opposite side armpit.....(I had posted a thread on a good aiming point) and with the broadheads I shoot the shoulder blade is not a issue and looking at the cardiovascular system of a deer right above the shoulder a huge artery from the heart and the spinal cord overlap (the spinal cord drops down behind the top of the shoulder in a deer) and if you hit just right you get a little of the top of the lung too.
Read this now. Maybe print it out and keep it with you http://forums.bowhunting.com/showth...al-quot-What-to-do-AFTER-the-shot-Please-Read
Unless you absolutely see the deer drop dead, ALWAYS wait at least 30 minutes before getting down. Mark exactly where you aimed at, look for hair as it can tell you where you hit it at. Pay attention to how the deer reacted, was it a "mule kick" when it jumped? That usually indicates a lung shot. When it went off with its tail down, was it hunched over? That usually means you hit it back further and must wait to pick up the trail. Many times it takes 50 yards or so before you start finding blood. As others have already said, get back out there...sounds like a hit to me.
Not sure when you shot her. But give her time... Go back in a couple hours and look for that arrow...if you missed it will tell you. If its bloody then you need to figure out if you need to look farther. Rifle hunting and bow hunting are different things. I've seen rifle hunters make shots and have to trail them and not give them enough time. If you see them drop then fine. Other than that give them time. And never release an arrow and assume you missed. Now here is a place to look for your arrow you may not have thought about. Sticks brush etc have a way of deflecting arrows. Look for it sticking in a branch etc from you to the point of impact (or as close as you can find) then look around in a good radius from there. If you missed the arrow is there. I just re read the first post....yep get out there and find the arrow
Always keep track of exactly where the deer was during the shot, and as best as you can the path it ran and any "landmark" to reference. After waiting a spell first thing I will do is go to the spot it was standing when I shot and mark it, than proceed to search for the arrow. Arrows have a habit of laying flat on the ground and under leaves and brush. If I can't find the arrow quickly, I will switch and look for blood and mark the first spot I find it. If the brush is thick, if you didn't miss and the deer ran with the arrow, I would expect to find part of it laying somewhere broken.
don weddle I met fred bear in 1984 at the international bow hunters clinic At anderson archery ,grand ledge .michigan. I got a picture of me talking to him . taken by my uncle! also met tink nathan (maker of tinks 69#) also met Muzzy broadhead inventor.do you know how he came up with the name Trocar Tip name????? first time he shot it He Was Aiming AT old rust out car (door side) when he shot the arrow it went completely through car door! Thus the name TRO car door !! this his his own words.. Had a great time that day! P.S. Have not missed opening day of bow hunting in Indiana in 40 years. P.S.s killed a button buck opening day in 1983 and was First person to check a deer in Ripley Co. The First year of check stations used in Indiana....buck wishes from a old bow hunter who has seen or sport grow, since fred bear invented the COMPOUND BOW!!!
Let me get this straight. You took a marginal shot hoping to hit something as small as an artery tucked when 6 inches back are the lungs the sizes of footballs. Seems like a much easier target to hit to me.
i have shot 2 deer in the shoulder years ago and will never do it again!! sounded like hitting a steel pole..very curious to what broadheads you shoot that you dont have to worry about the shoulder?
I shot the deer in my avatar last yr.. wasnt aiming for the shoulder but I got the shakes and thats where I hit him..... He is NOT on my wall. Shoulders are bad news. Lungs/heart put meat in the freezer and heads on the wall. And I was shooting Muzzy Trocar... dont know of a better head to break threw a shoulder.
