spine shot gone bad
10-20-2007, 10:56 PM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: spine shot gone bad
ORIGINAL: wack
Saw A nice buck tonight, took a shot at 36 yards, it looked good, buck dropped in his tracks. He was quartering away, turned straight away at the last second. I see the buck acting like it's crippled then all of a sudden it gets up and walks away! As it's walking away, I can't believe it, I see my arrow sticking straight up but can't tell exactly where from. Somewhere between the front shoulders and the top of his head and still looked to be in line with the spine. That buck shouldn't be able to walk, yet after a couple hours wait, I tracked a good blood trail for about 200 yards where it just stopped. Where I lost the blood trail there is very thick cover to either side. I figured I'd better back out and go look again in the morning. I had tracked it into some thick stuff, figured it went in to die but came out on the other side, went down a logging road where I lost the blood trail.
I don't know what to think, the blood was real bright red almost like lung blood but no bubbles. Though it looked like a spine shot and that was what I was aiming for, could I have missed the spine and got a shoulder blade or the back of the skull? It hit something solid, I didn't get a real good look but it looked like 2/3's of my arrow did not penatrate and it looked like it was stuck strait up and down as he staggered away. I tried a 50 yard desperation shot but it went right under him and broke that arrow on a rock and spooked him a bit. I found white hair on the trail, and no blood or broad head on the arrow. He got a hair cut just below the heart with that shot, should have held just a little higher, I didn't compinsate for the 10 mph wind! grrrr He ran about 10 yards then stood still like he was going to drop again. Staggered backwards, almost sat down like a dog. Then he just walked down the hill out of sight, the last thing I saw was my arrow disapear over the hill very slowly, weaving back and forth, my green and yellow vanes up higher than his antlers.
I really wasn't planning to go back tomorrow but I have no choice. It's a 2 hour drive, going to have to borrow the gas money to go look.
Saw A nice buck tonight, took a shot at 36 yards, it looked good, buck dropped in his tracks. He was quartering away, turned straight away at the last second. I see the buck acting like it's crippled then all of a sudden it gets up and walks away! As it's walking away, I can't believe it, I see my arrow sticking straight up but can't tell exactly where from. Somewhere between the front shoulders and the top of his head and still looked to be in line with the spine. That buck shouldn't be able to walk, yet after a couple hours wait, I tracked a good blood trail for about 200 yards where it just stopped. Where I lost the blood trail there is very thick cover to either side. I figured I'd better back out and go look again in the morning. I had tracked it into some thick stuff, figured it went in to die but came out on the other side, went down a logging road where I lost the blood trail.
I don't know what to think, the blood was real bright red almost like lung blood but no bubbles. Though it looked like a spine shot and that was what I was aiming for, could I have missed the spine and got a shoulder blade or the back of the skull? It hit something solid, I didn't get a real good look but it looked like 2/3's of my arrow did not penatrate and it looked like it was stuck strait up and down as he staggered away. I tried a 50 yard desperation shot but it went right under him and broke that arrow on a rock and spooked him a bit. I found white hair on the trail, and no blood or broad head on the arrow. He got a hair cut just below the heart with that shot, should have held just a little higher, I didn't compinsate for the 10 mph wind! grrrr He ran about 10 yards then stood still like he was going to drop again. Staggered backwards, almost sat down like a dog. Then he just walked down the hill out of sight, the last thing I saw was my arrow disapear over the hill very slowly, weaving back and forth, my green and yellow vanes up higher than his antlers.
I really wasn't planning to go back tomorrow but I have no choice. It's a 2 hour drive, going to have to borrow the gas money to go look.
10-21-2007, 06:02 AM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario,Canada
Posts: 2,107
RE: spine shot gone bad
He got a hair cut just below the heart with that shot, should have held just a little higher, I didn't compinsate for the 10 mph wind! grrrr
Though it looked like a spine shot and that was what I was aiming for, could I have missed the spine and got a shoulder blade or the back of the skull?
Even if it did indeed hit his spine,which does happen,you would need a finishing shot to take the animal out of its misery.
I am just hoping the deer isnt walking around with an arrow stuck in his head.[:@]
Watch some videos,read some magazines,spend some more time here on the forums and you will learn something about a deers anatomy.
Accidents do happen and deer are spine shot all the time(accidently) but not DELIBERATELY[:@]
10-21-2007, 06:18 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Western Iowa
Posts: 1,179
RE: spine shot gone bad
Unbelievable if yer that good of a shot that you can hit a deer in the spine why not just take a ethical shot and shoot him through his vitals. It is people like you that give bowhunters a bad name.
10-21-2007, 06:27 AM
#20
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 239
RE: spine shot gone bad
Relax guys, I went back and it took 15 minutes for me to find my 8 pointer. He was only about 25 yards past were i gave up the blood trail.
When I wrote last night I was a bit scattered. I read what I wrote and see why I'm getting bashed. I wasn't aiming for a spine shot. I WAS aiming for a quartering away heart lung shot. It ducked and roled away from the arrow. If I was aiming for the spine i would have missed completely because of the way it ducked down. I was aiming at the left side. The arrow went in between the spine and right shoulder. He rolled his back toward me, dropped his front left leg which is why the arrow was staight up and down, and made it in far enough to get 1 lung. When I first saw the buck drop in his tracks, I knew he tried ducking the arrow and I was relieved that it looked like a good spine shot. He didn't get up for at least 4 minutes. I could only see his hind quarter when he was laying there, I knocked another arrow right away but the way he was just laying there, I didn't think he was going to need another arrow..... until he got back up. The 50 yard shot was stupid. I practiced it a few times but just enough to know that I shouldn't take a 50 yard shot. If I wouldn't have taken the 2nd shot I think he might have just layed down again and died with in sight. My first thought after the 2nd arrow was," that looked like a Tred Barta shot." not my proudest moment, but now seeing the deer, I did draw blood with the hair cut, may have added a few blood drops to the thin blood trail I had to follow.
As far as:
I don't understand why your panties are in a bundle over this? I was waiting, killing time. Not wanting to push the wounded buck to the next county. Same while writing . I had several good arrows left and when I saw white sock, I had 0 intentions of shooting another arrow. He could have stood right under me and I wouldn't even grabbed my bow. Matter of fact I also had a doe at 15 yards durring my wait. Didn't shoot her either even though I've got 2 doe tags to fill.
I also want to add that this is the highest stand I hunt from, about 20 feet high. I use a pendulum sight and don't care about exact yardage, just that it's under 40 yards. Anything under 40 aim dead on with single pin. In my mind the shot was at about 25 yards. He's got a big body, high stand, it looked to be perfect range Later ranging the spot where he fell was 36 yards. The actual impact I'd guesstamate at about 30 yards. I promised myself to keep my shots under 30 this season, I'm changing that thought to 25 yards as of now.
This is also the first Quik Spin Speed Hunter vanes I've ever shot at an animal. He deffinitly heard the arrow coming, I wont be using them next year. My bow is about as quiet as they get, I was surprised to see him jump the string, he was eating and looking the other way, I didn't hurry my shot at all.
So you all can bash away, I knew it was coming, I bashed myself all night got home at 5:30 am. Whle bashing me please remember how easy it is to make a mistake while hunting. It's easy to preach and point fingers but it all comes down to what you do with buck fever and split second decissions. One second I'm looking at the perfect dream shot, the next second I'm looking at I don't know where it hit shot, then it looks like a spine shot, deer down. I'm happy but confused, how did he duck like that? Then he gets up and walks away staggering! Up down up down, I panicked and flung a desperate arrow.
So yea, I screwed up, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN it was at 30 and not 25, and that he would jump my string and arrow. After the shot, laying on the ground for 4 minutes, I thought he was dead plus I couldn't see where my arrow was or anything but his hind legs, and they weren't moving....until he got up and started walking......What a night, and it's not over yet. He's hanging in the garage, hide off and it's already in the 60's. Time to finish quartering.
Thanks for all the support, you guys are all wonderfull. It's nice to know I have a lot of perfect hunters here who I can draw inspiration and knowledge from. lol
When I wrote last night I was a bit scattered. I read what I wrote and see why I'm getting bashed. I wasn't aiming for a spine shot. I WAS aiming for a quartering away heart lung shot. It ducked and roled away from the arrow. If I was aiming for the spine i would have missed completely because of the way it ducked down. I was aiming at the left side. The arrow went in between the spine and right shoulder. He rolled his back toward me, dropped his front left leg which is why the arrow was staight up and down, and made it in far enough to get 1 lung. When I first saw the buck drop in his tracks, I knew he tried ducking the arrow and I was relieved that it looked like a good spine shot. He didn't get up for at least 4 minutes. I could only see his hind quarter when he was laying there, I knocked another arrow right away but the way he was just laying there, I didn't think he was going to need another arrow..... until he got back up. The 50 yard shot was stupid. I practiced it a few times but just enough to know that I shouldn't take a 50 yard shot. If I wouldn't have taken the 2nd shot I think he might have just layed down again and died with in sight. My first thought after the 2nd arrow was," that looked like a Tred Barta shot." not my proudest moment, but now seeing the deer, I did draw blood with the hair cut, may have added a few blood drops to the thin blood trail I had to follow.
As far as:
quote:
ORIGINAL: pigiron
quote:
ORIGINAL: wack
To ad insult to injury, as I was waiting to climb down, I see the buck I've been after for this the 7th year. He has 1 white sock on his left front leg that goes up past his knee. His twin sister was my first bow kill, I spared his life when he was a nubber buck and again when he was 2 1/2 years old. he's now about a 24" spread and 12 points, I'm guessing 160 class min. well over 200 lbs with real dark antlers and was bedded 50 yards behind my stand tonight.
I'm amazed that this paragraph follows immediately after the story of your complete disreguard for bowhunting ethics.
ORIGINAL: pigiron
quote:
ORIGINAL: wack
To ad insult to injury, as I was waiting to climb down, I see the buck I've been after for this the 7th year. He has 1 white sock on his left front leg that goes up past his knee. His twin sister was my first bow kill, I spared his life when he was a nubber buck and again when he was 2 1/2 years old. he's now about a 24" spread and 12 points, I'm guessing 160 class min. well over 200 lbs with real dark antlers and was bedded 50 yards behind my stand tonight.
I'm amazed that this paragraph follows immediately after the story of your complete disreguard for bowhunting ethics.
I also want to add that this is the highest stand I hunt from, about 20 feet high. I use a pendulum sight and don't care about exact yardage, just that it's under 40 yards. Anything under 40 aim dead on with single pin. In my mind the shot was at about 25 yards. He's got a big body, high stand, it looked to be perfect range Later ranging the spot where he fell was 36 yards. The actual impact I'd guesstamate at about 30 yards. I promised myself to keep my shots under 30 this season, I'm changing that thought to 25 yards as of now.
This is also the first Quik Spin Speed Hunter vanes I've ever shot at an animal. He deffinitly heard the arrow coming, I wont be using them next year. My bow is about as quiet as they get, I was surprised to see him jump the string, he was eating and looking the other way, I didn't hurry my shot at all.
So you all can bash away, I knew it was coming, I bashed myself all night got home at 5:30 am. Whle bashing me please remember how easy it is to make a mistake while hunting. It's easy to preach and point fingers but it all comes down to what you do with buck fever and split second decissions. One second I'm looking at the perfect dream shot, the next second I'm looking at I don't know where it hit shot, then it looks like a spine shot, deer down. I'm happy but confused, how did he duck like that? Then he gets up and walks away staggering! Up down up down, I panicked and flung a desperate arrow.
So yea, I screwed up, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN it was at 30 and not 25, and that he would jump my string and arrow. After the shot, laying on the ground for 4 minutes, I thought he was dead plus I couldn't see where my arrow was or anything but his hind legs, and they weren't moving....until he got up and started walking......What a night, and it's not over yet. He's hanging in the garage, hide off and it's already in the 60's. Time to finish quartering.
Thanks for all the support, you guys are all wonderfull. It's nice to know I have a lot of perfect hunters here who I can draw inspiration and knowledge from. lol