spine shot gone bad
10-20-2007, 08:52 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 239
spine shot gone bad
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.
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. As I was gathering up my stuff in my stand, he just got up and walked away. Not sure if I spooked him or not, wouldn't be the first time old white sock has done that to me. Glad to see he's still kicking, hadn't see him for sure since opening day 2006. It's too warm to leave it verry long. I'll be back on it's trail in a few hours. I woud have stayed out but my 2 best friends are out in Colorado elk hunting and they took all my good flash lights and half my gear with 'em. The best light I have left is my streamlight TLR2 tactical light and laser on my Sig .22 Mosquito. Didn't have it with. If I'm lucky, I'll find my buck and pick off a few coyotes too. No sleep tonight. Paack a lunch or two and I'm driving back. Wish me luck, at least it's not raining.
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.
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. As I was gathering up my stuff in my stand, he just got up and walked away. Not sure if I spooked him or not, wouldn't be the first time old white sock has done that to me. Glad to see he's still kicking, hadn't see him for sure since opening day 2006. It's too warm to leave it verry long. I'll be back on it's trail in a few hours. I woud have stayed out but my 2 best friends are out in Colorado elk hunting and they took all my good flash lights and half my gear with 'em. The best light I have left is my streamlight TLR2 tactical light and laser on my Sig .22 Mosquito. Didn't have it with. If I'm lucky, I'll find my buck and pick off a few coyotes too. No sleep tonight. Paack a lunch or two and I'm driving back. Wish me luck, at least it's not raining.
10-20-2007, 09:02 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Camden, SC
Posts: 553
RE: spine shot gone bad
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?
Why would you be aiming for a spine shot with a bow? There is way to much that can go wrong. I hope you find him but that would not be where I or alot of other Bow Hunters would have been aiming.
Good Luck finding him.
10-20-2007, 09:29 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 2,385
RE: spine shot gone bad
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.
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 afterthe story of yourcomplete disreguardfor bowhunting ethics.
10-20-2007, 09:39 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,288
RE: spine shot gone bad
Heart & Lungs, Heart & Lungs, Heart & Lungs!!!
The Spinal Cord itself is about 1/2" wide!!! Sure you can break ones back, that will give you about a 1 3/4" target on an average buck.
Good luck I hope you find him.
The Spinal Cord itself is about 1/2" wide!!! Sure you can break ones back, that will give you about a 1 3/4" target on an average buck.
Good luck I hope you find him.
10-20-2007, 09:41 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northeast Nebraska USA
Posts: 461
RE: spine shot gone bad
ORIGINAL: pigiron
I'm amazed that this paragraph follows immediately afterthe story of yourcomplete disreguardfor bowhunting ethics.
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.
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 afterthe story of yourcomplete disreguardfor bowhunting ethics.
