I typically keep my mouth shut with these types of posts, but this particular one has bothered me quite a bit. I don't want to verbally abuse you, and I don't want to run you off of the forum either, but I do want to tell you that what you're doing out there in the woods is not okay. You've effectively killed 2 deer in as many weeks, but haven't recovered either of them mainly due to poor choices on your part. Both of those deer are more than likely dead, and it's not a quick death. It's a slow painful one. That's not what hunting and being outdoors is about. It's about being part of nature and harvesting what God has put on this earth for you to harvest. Personally, I feel like you're taking your responsibility as a hunter lightly. Your main responsibility as a hunter is to take a clean and ethical shot . If you can't, you simply don't take the shot. However, even with the best shots and intentions, things go wrong. We're only human after all. It's your second responsibility to find that animal. If you can't find the animal, then refer back to rule #1. Others on the forum have been exceedingly nice about this. They've simply decided not to respond so they don't ruffle feathers. You made a poor hunting decision yesterday, took an extremely high risk shot, and lost another deer. You have to understand that tracking the animal is just as big a part of the hunt as pulling back your string, or pulling the trigger. There have been many times I've wanted to go out and climb into my stand, but realized that if I did get a deer, I wouldn't be able to properly track it because of other obligations in my life. If you're too busy to track an animal because you have to be in class or somewhere else, then you shouldn't be in the woods. If you're not confident in your shooting ability, you should be spending your spare time at a range, not in the woods taking target practice on deer. Bottom line is we're all going to lose an animal at some point, it's gonna happen. But by doing the right things, you can sway the odds in your favor. Maybe you can find a hunting mentor in your area? Somebody who's been doing it, and knows how to do it right? Maybe somebody at your school or somebody from the forum? I hope you take what I said to heart, I have no hard feelings toward you. You're representing all of us as a whole, you just have to do the right thing. Here's a link to help you make decisions on shots. Also, the site you're on is a great source of information, not just on the forums, but the articles, etc. Shot Placement, TnDeer.com. Tennessee's #1 Deer Hunting Web Site :: The Best Campfire On The Internet ::
Thank you for your honest opinion and insight, but I by no way take my responsibility as a hunter lightly. I fully understand the importance of tracking any wounded animal until there is nothing else that can be done. I really don't understand where you got an idea that I do not have enough time to properly track the animal though? yes I do drive a distance to get to my locations but I have no rush to be any where the days I do go out. Also, I saw the doe I attempted to harvest last week moving across the field, through my binoculars I could see the location of the wound, and it was in fact a low and further back, but did not appear to have hit any vitals, I do understand that this wound can still be fatal later on though. As far as my ability to shoot properly but I am very confident in my ability, during the off season I practice almost every day at varying lengths and angles (no exaggeration). In your honest opinion, what poor choices did I make last week on my first attempt to harvest the doe? I by no means am trying to be confrontational, and I do take the criticism to heart in a constructive manner. I by no means want to or like to give the bowhunting community a bad representation.
In your honest opinion, what poor choices did I make last week on my first attempt to harvest the doe? This makes it sound like you were in a hurry to be someplace. "I would have kept going but I am not familiar with the area and I was an hour from campus still (yes I'm college) and had about a mile hike back to my vehicle." This makes it sound like you made a poor choice of a shot. A quartering toward you shot. If you open the link I posted previously, it'll give you the details on a quartering toward you shot. "She was pretty much completely broadside but yes she was slightly quartering towards me. In the moment it was hard to pay close attention to those crucial details, I get so excited. The arrow did have a bit of an odd odor to it"
Alright I understand where you could perceive those thoughts now. As far as the hurrying goes, it was just getting to dark out to continue and the mentality of letting her lay for the night and seize was a factor in my decision. Still though you are correct, time was a variable in making my decision. When I said the doe was slightly quartering to me, I'm talking a very very slight turn which in many cases would be a minuet factor from what I am reading currently in the article you linked. The portion of the statement "In the moment it was hard to pay close attention to those crucial details, I get so excited." was in an answering format from a previously posted question, not on her stance. That statement was confusing purely because of my choice in grammatical pronunciation, it appears I need to work on that as well
We all make mistakes, I didn't mean to be harsh with you. I've got quite a few years on you, I've certainly made more mistakes than you, possibly more than you ever will. The only thing I would ask you to do is read the stories that others share, learn from their good experiences and bad experiences, I wish you all the luck in the world. I hope you have a great season, and I can't wait to see pics of a recovered deer in your near future.
We all certainly do, and I did make a very poor choice yesterday. I really do appreciate you saying something and having this conversation with me though, it really has brought to light the importance of making key decisions and knowing when not to poorly execute opportunities that have poor outcomes for not only myself but more importantly the animal, thank you for giving me better insight. You definitely do have the years and experience over me, I hope to someday possibly be in a scenario similar to this where I can be constructive with a young hunter, helping them understand the true fundamentals of our sport and hopefully helping form a better sportsman. I wish you same, I hope you have a very successful and safe season!
Don't forget to shoot your broadheads into a target of you are not shooting expandable broadheads they will usually drop low and to the right. Just a thought not everyone knows. Good luck try taking elevated shots into the target as well.
Huh? Maybe if your bow isn't tuned properly you may get that kind of flight. A properly tuned bow will not shoot like you stated. To the OP: MichiHunter made some great points. Think broadside or quartering away ONLY......or you have no shot. Look, bad shots happen to everyone now and then....but when you start out taking a low percentage shot - its very easy for things to go bad in a hurry. Also, learning to track and recover is very important. A gut shot deer can usually be recovered very easily, if you have identified that it was gut shot. Most don't travel far if not pushed and usually expire right where they lay down, if given adequate time. Learn from your mistakes and become a better hunter.
