I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
09-14-2007, 06:48 AM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
I made a pact a few weeks ago to come here and tell the story each time I took a shot. Well….I took another one, last night. Here’s the scenario……
7:05 I hear deer approaching. I am approx. 23’ or so up……and I catch first glance of a doe. I know there’s another deer with her….and my first inclination is to wait and see what that deer is. It won’t show itself….and I quickly redirect my thoughts to this years goal. The doe appears from behind a sapling the first time at about 20 yds. I come to full draw and she steps behind another and offers no shot. Something spooks her a bit…..and she jumps a few hops to about 30 yds. The other deer never shows itself…..seemingly not alarmed in the least.
She joins the other deer behind the sappling…..and I estimate my yardage to the opening I hope they come into….ant 24-26yds. When she shows herself…..I put my 20yd pin (consciously) a little high on her back……and I loose my arrow.
First indication is……she ducks a little on the shot. She and the other (now I know) doe hop out of my set, seemingly unscathed. I watched them hop out of sight…and note their path. I begin glassing the area I just shot into…..and find my arrow. I can see no blood on the fletchings (white) or wrap (reflective). I missed. Or so I think (read further).
8:00 I begin my descent…….and I step off as I go to retrieve my arrow. 26 steps. I was right. When I get to the arrow…..I am not pleased. It’s too dark for me to make out what it is…..but there’s something on my arrow. I stick it up in the ground a little……leave all my gear at the tree I was in…..and quietly back out.
When I get home…..first thing I do is call Rob/PA to tell him of my encounter. Since I couldn’t see what was on the arrow….I get a penlight and a good xenon light…..and we decide for me to go back and examine my arrow. It’s 8:15 when I return to the scene….and I’m going to describe the arrow as I did to Rob…..the best way I can. It looked like it had some ½ BB sized chunks of flesh on it…..sparingly along the shaft. No blood. Pink “matter”. Nothing on the nock….but it appeared as though at least most of the fletchings had passed through “something”. Pink matter….no smell. It looked like the arrow had been run through a raw hamburger…..and that there were remnants attached.
I scour the scene for blood…..ANY blood…..and determine on the phone with Rob….that if I find ANY….I’m backing out. I search the scene until 10:30….and find nothing. I found the trail the deer took, by noting what appeared to be where her hoofs had disturbed the leaves…..and by cross-referencing that with the trail I’d seen her take leaving the scene. I did small, concentric serpentine back-and-forths for over 2 hours…..noting no sign of a wounded (blood) deer. I left the scene at 10:30…..sick.
A deer (surmising with Rob) was injured at my hands…..and I have to live with that. Is she alive? We both think so. I can say with relative surety that my front to back was perfect. My guess is a backstrap hit.
As a former watefowler…..I’m sure I crippled my share of ducks in the field in my day. Why does this feel differently? I have to soul search that. But….it does.
I practice…..I try to do everything to make myself proficient….yet I’ve had the worst week a hunter could have. I honestly feel like the slob I so despise. I can’t help it.
I said I’d tell you of each shot. I did. I welcome any responses…..good and bad.
7:05 I hear deer approaching. I am approx. 23’ or so up……and I catch first glance of a doe. I know there’s another deer with her….and my first inclination is to wait and see what that deer is. It won’t show itself….and I quickly redirect my thoughts to this years goal. The doe appears from behind a sapling the first time at about 20 yds. I come to full draw and she steps behind another and offers no shot. Something spooks her a bit…..and she jumps a few hops to about 30 yds. The other deer never shows itself…..seemingly not alarmed in the least.
She joins the other deer behind the sappling…..and I estimate my yardage to the opening I hope they come into….ant 24-26yds. When she shows herself…..I put my 20yd pin (consciously) a little high on her back……and I loose my arrow.
First indication is……she ducks a little on the shot. She and the other (now I know) doe hop out of my set, seemingly unscathed. I watched them hop out of sight…and note their path. I begin glassing the area I just shot into…..and find my arrow. I can see no blood on the fletchings (white) or wrap (reflective). I missed. Or so I think (read further).
8:00 I begin my descent…….and I step off as I go to retrieve my arrow. 26 steps. I was right. When I get to the arrow…..I am not pleased. It’s too dark for me to make out what it is…..but there’s something on my arrow. I stick it up in the ground a little……leave all my gear at the tree I was in…..and quietly back out.
When I get home…..first thing I do is call Rob/PA to tell him of my encounter. Since I couldn’t see what was on the arrow….I get a penlight and a good xenon light…..and we decide for me to go back and examine my arrow. It’s 8:15 when I return to the scene….and I’m going to describe the arrow as I did to Rob…..the best way I can. It looked like it had some ½ BB sized chunks of flesh on it…..sparingly along the shaft. No blood. Pink “matter”. Nothing on the nock….but it appeared as though at least most of the fletchings had passed through “something”. Pink matter….no smell. It looked like the arrow had been run through a raw hamburger…..and that there were remnants attached.
I scour the scene for blood…..ANY blood…..and determine on the phone with Rob….that if I find ANY….I’m backing out. I search the scene until 10:30….and find nothing. I found the trail the deer took, by noting what appeared to be where her hoofs had disturbed the leaves…..and by cross-referencing that with the trail I’d seen her take leaving the scene. I did small, concentric serpentine back-and-forths for over 2 hours…..noting no sign of a wounded (blood) deer. I left the scene at 10:30…..sick.
A deer (surmising with Rob) was injured at my hands…..and I have to live with that. Is she alive? We both think so. I can say with relative surety that my front to back was perfect. My guess is a backstrap hit.
As a former watefowler…..I’m sure I crippled my share of ducks in the field in my day. Why does this feel differently? I have to soul search that. But….it does.
I practice…..I try to do everything to make myself proficient….yet I’ve had the worst week a hunter could have. I honestly feel like the slob I so despise. I can’t help it.
I said I’d tell you of each shot. I did. I welcome any responses…..good and bad.
09-14-2007, 07:01 AM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Mifflin Co. Pa
Posts: 829
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
Dont beat yourself up Jeff, deer are amazing animals. From the sounds of your hit, she'll be fine. Just a little smarter. Dont really have any advice, doesnt sound like you did anything wrong. I think that unlucky number 3 doe is gonna be screwed though. Good luck
09-14-2007, 07:02 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location:
Posts: 961
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
If you are like me ,you will loose a lot of sleep over that one .It's been many years since I had that happen to me and I still loose sleep to this day thinking of them. Goodluck to you and may it never happen again.
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09-14-2007, 07:02 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: North Lima Ohio & Clarion Pa
Posts: 6,453
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
You have my condolences on a tough week. This game we play is a humbling one. Anytime you think it's easy, be it honey hole or big woods, mother nature will remind you, that your playing a game for keeps and while you have the weapons, my side has defenses too!
If I was one to believe in karma, Jeff I'd say your getting a small taste of it. Nanny smack 07 was supposed to be easy. A venerable feast of slaying silly does, almost routine, almost work..a task that needed done. I know you have vast respect for the deer you hunt, and I know your morals and ethics are top notch..but it's never easy! Confidence is great, but we can't flaunt it to the point of becoming brash...It make Mother Naturemad and as she says on theold commercial "You won't like me when I'm angry!"
If I was one to believe in karma, Jeff I'd say your getting a small taste of it. Nanny smack 07 was supposed to be easy. A venerable feast of slaying silly does, almost routine, almost work..a task that needed done. I know you have vast respect for the deer you hunt, and I know your morals and ethics are top notch..but it's never easy! Confidence is great, but we can't flaunt it to the point of becoming brash...It make Mother Naturemad and as she says on theold commercial "You won't like me when I'm angry!"
09-14-2007, 07:05 AM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location:
Posts: 13,082
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
Deer will take any preconceived notions we may have before season begins and turn them inside out. If you want to know the honest truth (from my standpoint anyway) You're a much better shot than this, and for this to happen to you twice in this season already (and I mean that as a matter of statement, not condicendingly) I think Someone is trying to get your attention. I'm not going to get all "religious" on us here, but God will use any means necessary to get us to look His direction. There, I said it.....I'm out.
Don't give up, get right back out there. Yes, it's discouraging......Yes, it makes you feel all balled up and sick inside.........But don't quit, you'll feel even worse.
Don't give up, get right back out there. Yes, it's discouraging......Yes, it makes you feel all balled up and sick inside.........But don't quit, you'll feel even worse.
09-14-2007, 07:06 AM
#6
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
GR8:
I have NO qualms with your assessment. I deserve it. "Humbled" is not even the word for it. "Humiliated" comes to mind.....but it's at THEIR expense. I'd rather it be mine.
It's still not as though I'm slinging arrows at everything in sight. I've taken two shots.......one slightly quartering away (good angle) and one perfectly broadside) on two seemingly unalerted targets. One of my goals this year was to NOT take a shot I couldn't be proud of. I'm torn with the outcome. My shot selection (i.e. the decision to take a shot....based on the animals range; angle;etc...) hasn't been my culprit....nor has my execution.
My wife told me last night......"I know things like this happen.....but I didn't think they'd happen to YOU".I concur.
I have NO qualms with your assessment. I deserve it. "Humbled" is not even the word for it. "Humiliated" comes to mind.....but it's at THEIR expense. I'd rather it be mine.
It's still not as though I'm slinging arrows at everything in sight. I've taken two shots.......one slightly quartering away (good angle) and one perfectly broadside) on two seemingly unalerted targets. One of my goals this year was to NOT take a shot I couldn't be proud of. I'm torn with the outcome. My shot selection (i.e. the decision to take a shot....based on the animals range; angle;etc...) hasn't been my culprit....nor has my execution.
My wife told me last night......"I know things like this happen.....but I didn't think they'd happen to YOU".I concur.
09-14-2007, 07:10 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Northwoods of WI
Posts: 990
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
Is it possible that the light of day will being another effort?
GMMAT , I have yet to lose a deer and at this point in my hunting career I realize how lucky I have been. There have been a couple almosts but like I say luck has been with me to this point. I know in both of the situations there was not one person in the world that could have made me feel worse when things weren't looking good. If possible I would take a look again during the day just to ease your own mind. At some point this is going to happen to anyone who chases whitetail. Good luck and keep your head up.
GMMAT , I have yet to lose a deer and at this point in my hunting career I realize how lucky I have been. There have been a couple almosts but like I say luck has been with me to this point. I know in both of the situations there was not one person in the world that could have made me feel worse when things weren't looking good. If possible I would take a look again during the day just to ease your own mind. At some point this is going to happen to anyone who chases whitetail. Good luck and keep your head up.
09-14-2007, 07:18 AM
#9
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
Copper:
If I had the presence of blood.....I'd consider a re-visit to the scene. There was not a drop of red blood on my arrow. Everything that was on it was like a raw "hamburger-ish" matter and very little of that. I couldn't run my fingers along any part of the shaft and get "red". "Pink-ish" was all that was visible.
Is this deer dead? I don't "think" so. I'm no expert, though. I'm sure I'll hear other opinions.
If I had the presence of blood.....I'd consider a re-visit to the scene. There was not a drop of red blood on my arrow. Everything that was on it was like a raw "hamburger-ish" matter and very little of that. I couldn't run my fingers along any part of the shaft and get "red". "Pink-ish" was all that was visible.
Is this deer dead? I don't "think" so. I'm no expert, though. I'm sure I'll hear other opinions.
09-14-2007, 07:18 AM
#10
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southern Maryland
Posts: 140
RE: I said I'd tell you each shot (long)
Jeff
The same thing happened to me last year (raw hamburger and all), except I had a blood trail (mostly a drop here and there) that went for about 200 yards and then petered out. My neighbor eventually shot that buck later in the year, I looked at his back and sure enough, there was a healed cut where my blade went past. Not saying you shouldn't feel bad (I know I did for a while) but its highly unlikely that the doe is laid up with a heavy infection and is suffering. Your luck will turn, just keep playing the hands as they're dealt.
Ken
The same thing happened to me last year (raw hamburger and all), except I had a blood trail (mostly a drop here and there) that went for about 200 yards and then petered out. My neighbor eventually shot that buck later in the year, I looked at his back and sure enough, there was a healed cut where my blade went past. Not saying you shouldn't feel bad (I know I did for a while) but its highly unlikely that the doe is laid up with a heavy infection and is suffering. Your luck will turn, just keep playing the hands as they're dealt.
Ken