Couldn't find my 8 pointer

[billsmax]

Thursday evening I had a nice 8 pointer come in about 40yds out. He heard me as I had to stand to shoot. I froze in a half crouch with my Vortex about half extended. He stared up at me for what seemed like 10 minutes but was probably only about 45 seconds. Then some acorns fell behind him, in the thicket he had just come out of and he turned and walked back into the thicket. I only had about a 3 yd wide window where he had stopped in the trail and I figured he was problem leaving the way he had come in. I remained standing and near ready for about 10 minutes and out he steps again and stops in the exact same place but not looking at me this time. I fired and he took off the way he had come. I heard several crashes and thought he was down about 80 yds from me. Since it was getting good and dark, I only waited about 30 minutes and went to where he had been standing. Couldn't find my bolt, blood or hair but he was scuffing up the trail he left, so I figured a shoulder shot. I found the last 9inches of my bolt about 60 yds down his trail, with just one spot of blood. Figured the bolt went thru one shoulder and lodge in the other without an exit wound...consequently almost no blood. Couldn't find any that night after an hour, so came back in the morning with a friend, who is also a good tracker. We found a couple drops but after 2hours, no deer.
This was my first shot at a deer with my Vortex and I sure hated not recovering this nice buck but will probably find it this coming week with the help of the buzzards.

[IAMCANADIAN]

Hmmm....40 views and no comments.

OK...I'll be the first to say it.


An "about" 40 yard free hand shot at an alert deer in heavy cover with a Vortex.... That was irresponsible and a very low probability shot.

My absolute MAX distance is 40, and that's only a rested shot on a head-down deer with an Equinox...and even then the wind and other conditions need to be perfect.

It's far better to let a deer walk than to let loose with a "hail Mary" and sentence it to die from massive infection over several days.

Sigh....

[Louvp]

Hate to say it but same thought came to mind as IAMCANADIAN.I wont shoot over 30yds & thats the if the deer is not on alert. You have to have alot of self discipline & not take risky shots. Just think of it as a learning experience & dont take any comments personal,we've all had these learning experiences, its important to learn from our msitakes. Good Luck next time out

[bucknbill]

sorry you did,nt get your buck, but i agree with the other 2 posts..

[VixChix]

Very sorry to hear you lost your deer.

Stories like yours are why I've passed at shots over 30. That means I have yet to bring home a deer with my bow, but that's OK.

I've met people who shoot 3D and think that shooting at live deer at those distances is the same as the course - unfortunately it's not.

Thanks for having the guts to share your story here - it's no small thing to post a loss. By putting it up for us you may very well save another from having the same experience as you had. Kudos to you for sharing!

[MarkMarine]

Hindsight is 20/20 or should be. When a nice buck is in your sights, the heart begins to race faster than even the mind can keep pace with. The more effort you place into a hunt, the more motivation morphs into desperation to complete it with a successful kill. The enthusiasm is a wonderful thing - and a damning thing; as it sometimes overrides common sense which would otherwise prevail.

I have made long shots. I have threaded the proverbial needle on some of them. However, my finger would never even touch the trigger unless I was confident in that shot. My routine before shooting is a simple one.

First, I look at all the obstructions (branches, grass, weeds, saplings, etc.) between the deer and I. I get a mental picture of the distance to the deer and the imagined trajectory of the bolt's rainbow to it. If there are any obstacles in that arc, I will not fire.

Secondly, I look for visible signs of wind and try to mentally factor how fast it is and what (if any) effect it will have on the arrow's flight. If there will be, then I have to gauge the windage path's obstacles that I will have to compensate point-of-aim for. If there are any obstacles in that path, I will not fire.

Thirdly, I watch the deer for its alertness level. If its head is down in the browse, then it is calm and confident it is safe enough to be eating. If it is staring in my direction with those radars for ears zoning in on me, then its possible reaction to the sound of fire or sight-of-flight need be weighed in. I will have to adjust slightly for a potential "jumping-the-string" response from it. At close yardage, this is not a factor...at 40, it certainly could be. Typically I aim a little low on the deer so that when it dips down to jump, the bolt will still be in the upper-heart/lower-lung region. If it does not jump, then it will still be in the heart. If there are any obstacles in that adjusted aim, I will not fire.

Finally, breathe. Relax. Let the instincts within override the fever without. The above scenario happens in milliseconds. There is always enough time to call the shot. If there is not, then that calls it for you - don't take the shot I went many years before harvesting that first buck with a bow. I wrote about it here somewhere once. I know all about enthusiasm...but I did not shoot unless I had extreme confidence that enthusiasm would not turn to disappointment from a poor hit.

I am sorry you lost your deer. I pray his end is quick and your memory of him is long. Wish you the best.

[new2xbow]

Bill, don't be too hard on yourself, you had a well timed and planned shot (albeit a little long) and it sounds like for the deer to have come back it was relaxed. I have known many people to hit a shoulder at 20 yards and never be able to find their deer.

In another post people are not saying one thing to someone who took a 45 yard shot.

[one shot scott]

Sorry you didn't find your deer yet man.

Lets not beat him up too much guys. who here hasn't lost a deer? Hunting is a learned skill. One where a "easy kill" can go very wrong, very fast. We all learn from our mistakes and even if we don't make a mistake it doesn't mean we are certain to go home with our game.

With our pulse racing like it does when a deer approaches it amazing any of us are able to make rational decisions

[Raymond]

Hey Folks,
I agree totally with one shot scott. Well spoken Neil. So lets be easy on him, he is already crying inside from losing that deer. Sorry about the lost deer.
Raymond

[Horizontal Hunter]

Couldn't find any that night after an hour, so came back in the morning with a friend, who is also a good tracker. We found a couple drops but after 2hours, no deer.

I am sorry that the buck was lost. It is a horrible feeling. Everyone who hunts with archery equipment will likely be unable to recover a deer at some point. It has happened to me and I spent 2 hours that night looking for it and all day the next day looking for it with the help of one of my hunting partners.

I know what I did wrong and I will not make the same mistake again.

Pick up a copy of John Trouts book titled> "Finding Wounded Deer."

http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Wounded-D ... 1580111904

It can be had for a few bucks used. I re-read my copy before the season starts every year. You will find many useful strategies that will help you recover more deer. I know that it has helped me recover some deer that I would have not ever recovered.

Bob

[Wildlife Control]

May I ask what broadhead you were using?

[watamach]

I agree this isn't the place to give somebody heck but rather to offer advice and knowledge. Put this in the memory bank as you were probably excited to connect with your vortex for the first time. Pick your yardage you are money at and stick to that zone always. I have lost a deer and it has only happened once because it made me sick for my poor choice. Tip 2 I would give is don't tell people if you don't recover an animal except a hunting partner or helper like a buddy. Look how people were quick to criticize on here and they are hunters. I don't say anything about mistakes to anyone.

[billsmax]

Man, some of you "experts" are kind of rough on a fellow. Maybe I should have used a bit more detail.
I've been hunting with a bow for over 40 Yrs and have killed lots of deer, my largest being a 9 pt 200 lbs at 42 yards.
When I said this deer was about 40 yards,I quess I should have given you the "exact" info, he was standing right beside a tree I had earlier ranged at 41 yds.
I hit within 3 inches of the bulls eye all day at 40 and even 50 yds in practice free hand and supported, so I was very confident of my ability with this particular shot. That being said, no matter how proficient or confident an experienced archer is, they don't always go exactly where you want them, whether it's at 20 or 40 yds. I was shooting for the chest, just behind the shoulder but apparently hit a couple of inches to the right of desired impact. Nay sayers aside, I'm very please with the shot and missed having a thru shot and good blood trail by only inches.
I was using bolt cutter broadheads.

[georgiaboy]

Sorry to hear about your deer...i lost a small 8pt last year, makes me sick every time i think about it.

[Limbs and Sticks]

Billsmax, hunters lose deer often, I've lost my share with ML and rifle, not from a bad shot, sh-- happens so I wouldn't worry about it, go huntin and good luck on the next one.

Wes