Yesterday I was in the stand and a monster 8 pointer came storming into the bait pile with his head down, grunting and raising hell at two button bucks that were in there. This was the biggest deer I have ever seen in my life. I felt like I was aiming at a horse. He finally turned broadside about 10 yards from me. I dial in his left shoulder and let her rip. Heard the typical "thwack!" He jumped up five feet in the air, spun around and bounded off into the woods with the two little bucks. I see him start slowing down and going into a slow trot as he disappears behind the hillside. I could have sworn he was down right there.
I get down from the stand (mistake #1) to look at my arrow and it is COVERED in dark red blood. I didn't know, at the time, that this indicates a liver shot. I go back to the house to gather myself, tell the family and call my friend to come help me get him. I get back out there to try to put my eyes on him before dark (mistake #2) and don't see him. My friend shows up and we get to searching (mistake#3). So .... before you start giving me the business, I already know.... we should have waited.
Well ... for the next 6 hours we searched and we searched and we searched, Went to the water. Went to the thicket, went to the street, went to the neighbors yards and grid patterned over a hundred acres four or five times. Went back out this morning to see if I could find any blood.... nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.
I am sick to my stomach. This was not just a buck of a lifetime but he would have been my first. I am distraught that he goes to waste and that I killed him so he could lay for the coyotes and buzzards to pick at him. That thought will plague me for a long time. That's no way for a majestic creature like him to go.
I know ... It happens. Unfortunately that is not making me feel a lot better about the situation. It's gonna take me a little while to get back in the saddle after that one.
You were bow hunting????
You were bow hunting????
Yes
Eastern deer season?
Eastern deer season?
Central
Chris buddy things happen I know we talked this am about it but you gotta get back out there. I'm gonna justa bout bet that deer is still alive and kickin. I've seen them shot like that an never mind a drop either and still get pics of tjem hell maria shot a nice doe lastyr with the crossbow the bolt shatterd and a week later i killed it ith the muzzel loader at the same spot. Keep ya head up buddy and get back out there.
Eastern deer season?
Central
Anyway. Yeah, you did some things wrong and it's okay until you repeat the same mistakes. Deer hunting has an unforgiving learning curve for newbies. At least you got a shot and at least you were able to control yourself with the bow on a big deer. True story: I was 15 yrs. old in high school, played varsity football as a freshman, bench around 260??? and was bow hunting one afternoon when my first big deer walked out with me on the bow. Well, he took my nuts! Ran away with my testicles. I tried to draw on him twice but couldn't pull it back. BYe-bye nuts. Hope that story makes you feel a little better.
It sounds to me like you might have hit the "Ridge Plate" in his shoulder. If you did you will only get dark red meat blood and it will only last for a hundred yards or so. I shot a freaking nice 140-150 class 8-point in OHIO a few years back and hit him in the Ridge Plate. Bent my freaking broadhead! Nothing will pass through that! I have shot deer with a 300 WIN MAG...180 grain Winchester Ballistic Tip (I know -- piss poor bullet at 40 yards) at 40 yards in the shoulder and knocked the deer on its rear. Only to have it get up and run off..... 8 hours later worth of tracking my buddy calls me and spots the deer out in a cut corn field eating and hobbling along on 3 legs.....GRRRRRR
Trust me when I say that Deer are some tough critters. You will make mistakes until you quit deer hunting ... I promise! A loud POW or THWACK when bow hunting and aiming for the shoulder is never a great sound!!
Better Luck Next Time!!
I am an unreal tracker, and if you hit that deer like that, you will find that deer.
Tomorrow am get back out there. Start at the point of the shot. Keep calm and start to play it back in your head.
If you have access to one find a dog to help.
If not, get on your hand and knees and find some blood. Just one drop is all you need.
Pay attention to direction of the drops.
Look waist high and lower.
Pay attention to what side of a tree or branch the blood is on. Ie if the blood came from the left side of the deer you can determine the direction the deer turns as it walks.
Connect the dots between spots and start to form a pattern or a path with string if it helps you.
It will take hours. But dont give up. And dont rush.
Wear orange while you search and bring a shotgun with 00 in it incase you jump him.
You can do it!
It sounds to me like you might have hit the "Ridge Plate" in his shoulder. If you did you will only get dark red meat blood and it will only last for a hundred yards or so. I shot a freaking nice 140-150 class 8-point in OHIO a few years back and hit him in the Ridge Plate. Bent my freaking broadhead! Nothing will pass through that! I have shot deer with a 300 WIN MAG...180 grain Winchester Ballistic Tip (I know -- piss poor bullet at 40 yards) at 40 yards in the shoulder and knocked the deer on its rear. Only to have it get up and run off..... 8 hours later worth of tracking my buddy calls me and spots the deer out in a cut corn field eating and hobbling along on 3 legs.....GRRRRRR
Trust me when I say that Deer are some tough critters. You will make mistakes until you quit deer hunting ... I promise! A loud POW or THWACK when bow hunting and aiming for the shoulder is never a great sound!!
Better Luck Next Time!!
The arrow went directly through the deer and into the dirt 6 inches before he even knew he was hit.
I am an unreal tracker, and if you hit that deer like that, you will find that deer.
Tomorrow am get back out there. Start at the point of the shot. Keep calm and start to play it back in your head.
If you have access to one find a dog to help.
If not, get on your hand and knees and find some blood. Just one drop is all you need.
Pay attention to direction of the drops.
Look waist high and lower.
Pay attention to what side of a tree or branch the blood is on. Ie if the blood came from the left side of the deer you can determine the direction the deer turns as it walks.
Connect the dots between spots and start to form a pattern or a path with string if it helps you.It will take hours. But dont give up. And dont rush.
Wear orange while you search and bring a shotgun with 00 in it incase you jump him.You can do it!
I have been out searching for a combined 20 hours now. I am convinced he is miles from where I shot him or underwater. All I can do now is look for buzzards and listen for yotes.
well dont give up yet. i dk where you live but watch the sky. if you start to see buzzards circling in the next week or so near where u hunt. go that way and look. u might be able to get the horns at least. good luck. go get another one.
It sounds to me like you might have hit the "Ridge Plate" in his shoulder. If you did you will only get dark red meat blood and it will only last for a hundred yards or so. I shot a freaking nice 140-150 class 8-point in OHIO a few years back and hit him in the Ridge Plate. Bent my freaking broadhead! Nothing will pass through that! I have shot deer with a 300 WIN MAG...180 grain Winchester Ballistic Tip (I know -- piss poor bullet at 40 yards) at 40 yards in the shoulder and knocked the deer on its rear. Only to have it get up and run off..... 8 hours later worth of tracking my buddy calls me and spots the deer out in a cut corn field eating and hobbling along on 3 legs.....GRRRRRR
Trust me when I say that Deer are some tough critters. You will make mistakes until you quit deer hunting ... I promise! A loud POW or THWACK when bow hunting and aiming for the shoulder is never a great sound!!
Better Luck Next Time!!
The arrow went directly through the deer and into the dirt 6 inches before he even knew he was hit.
:shrug: .... Well dang .... allot better chance of seeing him if that wasn't the case. Look for birds in a day or so and you will find him. The coyote around my area would have him already gone before morning so if you would have waited he might have been in 30 pieces anyway. Hate it for you man....I have been there and done that far to many times. It will haunt you for quite some time ... basically at the beginning of every deer season. Go stick another one to ease the pain!!
Did you find a blood trail from where you hit him to where you seen him last over the hillside? If so was it heavy or light? No one can say you didn't try to find him must have been a really good buck to search for 20 combined hours.
i shot a deer years ago. i looked and looked and looked. the blood went right up to a pond a stopped. i couldnt make myself believe the deer would have jumped in the pond, but damn if it didnt. so he may have gone in some water and sank to the bottom.