I know that feeling all too well. In 2022 I made a VERY bad shot on this buck. He was quartering to me at 18yrds, and it was starting to get dark. I took the shot hoping to hit him in his brisket, at the base of his neck (bad choice), but he must have ducked, loading up for his escape, and my bolt hit him in his face! He took off like a bat out of hell. I waited 15 mins and checked the spot of impact. There was HEAVY blood there and all along the track! I though I'd made a great shot, but when I came up on him, he was laying there still breathing, about to die. It was hard to watch, so I walked a distance away to let him expire, since I left my CB at my blind. When I was gutting him, I wasn't able to find where I had hit him, and with sooo much blood I thought it was very odd! When I brought him to the butcher, he showed me where I had hit him. I actually hit him in his cheek, just below the ear, which is where the cartoid artery runs. He bled out very quickly. Not my biggest buck, but he was a special one because I was hunting from the ground over an active scrape, which he hit just before I shot him. Only a 6pt, but he had good mass. I had this euro mount done. I got short changed with that second brow tine.
Very nice 6 Yah, I was surprised because he actually dropped in his tracks at the hit. I took the time to get my gear together and had waited a few minutes to make sure he wouldn't get up. It took me a minute just to stand up due to knee , leave blind and walk through plot. That's when he suddenly lifted his front and turned toward the ridge again. It freaked me out a bit, thus the miss. He had zero back leg movement and I could see blood squirting out. I then shot through his shoulder breaking the front leg and he still tryied getting up bank then just stopped. I knew my phone was low so I had it at the ready when running up on him snaped the pic and he closed his eyes and his head tilted. I wonder if the initial hit shocked him into blacking out. I'm use to deer dropping in their tracks, remaining there.
Tonight @Jezzy670 had the big 8 I missed a couple of weeks ago at 30 yards in thick cover with no shot. The buck survived the gun season and was spotted within a couple of hundred yards of where I missed him. Both times, he was just outside the same known doe bedding area. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
@Holt , congrats on the doe @Slugger , congrats on the buck @oldnotdead , congrats on the buck. Love the stories. Well deserved
don’t wait to get the knee replaced. What a difference mine has been since July when I had my knee replaced. It’s only 40 % healed. It feels 100 times better than it did. @Tony , call if you need anything about your knee. What to aspect. Mine was arthritis also
Usually Bowhunt private with a gun tag in Illinois, but have forgotten to get in the lottery the last two years. Too busy in the Spring, so weekend off. Sent from my Lone Wolf treestand using Bowhunting.com Forums
