Rushed shot buck wounded, and I just got home from tracking!

Mighty Mooser · Post by **Mighty Mooser** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:02 pm

I jumped a deer going into my stand, and It ran off. I climbed the stand right away, and within 5 minutes the spike horn came back to exactly where I jumped him. he came and went 3 times not presenting a shot. My brother pulled in with his car, and the deer was curious, and steped from behind the tree, and I knew it was now or never, as he had 2 steps and was gone. he only presented a 1/4 away shot, I rushed it not thinking 3 dimensional where the vitals are. I believe the arrow went in front of the heart, and jammed into the far shoulder. I heard a loud whack. I heard him fall down thrashing in the apple orchard. I got down after 10 minutes and looked for my arrow, not there. Blood was dark red, We tracked over 500 yards. At last he layed down on pine needles, and from that point no blood. We took out some of the UV spray, but were skeptical, and sure enough It worked, but the spots of blood were so scarce, you could only see a pin drop every 50 yards after searching for a 1/2 hour. The guys said they would look longer for me and it was my call to give up or keep going. I sat and replayed the shot in my mind, only to come to the conclusion that I should have aimed just in front of the back hip, to hit the vitals, but I aimed as if it were broadside. I feel bad, but I am confident we will get him with the shot gun in a few weeks, and I will recover my arrow. The one good thing I learned is shoot for a point beyond the deer, and make sure the vitals are in betwen.

And always learn from your mistakes, It will only make you better...

209x50 · Post by **209x50** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 7:48 pm

Just wondering if you found that deer yet....I'm from Summerstown, and coul help you track if necessary, let us know.

Mighty Mooser · Post by **Mighty Mooser** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:58 pm

He will live till next week, then we will get him with the shot gun! I was anticipating a broadside shot at 30 yards as he was behind some brush looking my way. Instead he went to see what the noise was, which was my brother. He pulled a 360 and would have been out of sight within two steps. The quartering away shot was all he gave me, but my mind was stuck on broadside, and my arrow hit where the heart was, but because of the posistion of the deer would have struck the front shoulder. I learned the hard way think entrance and exit holes with a line between. If I would have shot just in front of the back hip, I would have hit the vitals!!!

peter p · Post by **peter p** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:05 am

On a quartering away shot, aim for the opposite side front leg and the arrow should go through the lungs.