Two days ago, I shot an eight pointer...and then about 30 minuted later, shot a doe. The land I am on has lots of deer, and I have been targeting does...but could not pass up the eight pointer.
Anyways, waited about two hours after the first shot at the buck and then set to trailing since I had not heard him go down. The trail was poor...I got that terrible feeling that I was not going to find him...after about 30 minutes pecking along over the ridgeline, the trail picked up and there he was in a wallow. He was double lunged...but still went 200 yards.
After tending to him, I went back down for the doe. Her trail was even worse. But shot placement was the same...hair on the ground the same...but bolt had a bit more fat on it...but there was no blood trail...mere droplets every ten feet. She was in a bunch of thickets....and long storey short, after picking my way around...I jumped her. She did not go far (at least did not sound like it) so I went away for another couple hours thinking she would expire by then...well, I came back into those thickets...and there she was. I saw her...but she did not see me. I was on the ground on my belly and contimplated trying to get a shot (it was sooooo thick you could only see a few feet) by standing up and seeing if there was a lane...but decided to back out and come back that evening. I chose that second option.
Thinking I was going back to simply gut her and drag her...I was shocked when I arrived and she was gone. One crop of blood by the stream's edge was all I found...and it was getting dark. I searched for what was about 45 minutes on the other side and found nothing. I thought she would have been there...
Anyways, I hunting again this morning (had to work yesterday) and figured I would again try to find her...at least to get the carcass off the property...well, I found her. I gutted her to see what had happened...solid hit on one lung...I could not tell if I hit the second...I think I clipped it....unfortunately meat was going bad, already had a smell...I assum she was down in the stream when I went that night...but she was under a tree and the shadows must have precluded me from seing her....
Just wanted to tell the tale...amazing she lived for over five hours with one lung clearly taken out...
Happy and a bit dissapointed...
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Golden Eagle
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- Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 4:34 pm
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Wasp SST Boss...ones that come with the crossbow. Took two bucks with devestating results with the same set up this year...also took a couple deer with the compound and Muzzy 100s as well (three blade)...I am convinced it isn't the broadhead but just shot placement and as mentioned...nature. This doe had almost esact entry and exit holes as the buck from the other week - and he had one lung taken out and went down within 100 yards...
Walmart did have some Spitfire mechanicals on sale...so I am going to try those with the compound...but I am happy with the Wasps and Muzzys and intend on sticking with them...they work.
Walmart did have some Spitfire mechanicals on sale...so I am going to try those with the compound...but I am happy with the Wasps and Muzzys and intend on sticking with them...they work.
Sometimes they can show great endurance. I've had shots that should have been a long blood trail to follow (such as a liver hit) practically drop 'em in their tracks, and shots that should have put them down quickly become long tracking jobs. I always try for a double lung shot, but sometimes it just doesn't happen that way with an arrow. The good thing is that you searched until you found her, even if you didn't get the meat it won't go to waste. I lost one to a hit that wasn't perfect combined with warm weather this year, found him already spoiling and covered with flies the next morning. Within four days he was completely gone! Buzzards, 'possums, and other scavengers cleaned things up quickly!
wabi