OK, I Missed But Why

[WNYBILL]

I am an old hunter but a new xbow hunter. I practiced and am pretty sure of myself. I am shooting a xbow at over 300fps......I can't see the arrow in flight. I hunt out of a tree house and have yard markers. I am sure they are right but am going to check again. I have limited myself to 40 yards and can consistently shoot 4-5 inch groups at that range. Monday night I had a nice doe at 35 yards, rested the xbow on the frame of the tree house and MISSED. Found the arrow in the ground and nothing on it, pretty sure I shot low. Thought it might have been the solid rest, but I re-enacted the shot and the solid rest makes no difference. Not nerves, I wasn't even going to shoot but she tempted me with a broadside target. The deer really reacted and I am beginning to think she jumped the string, reacted to the sound of the bow and actually jumped out of the way. How often does that happen? She actually spun around towards me, I was sure she was hit. This compound is loud, not as loud as my Axiom, but louder than son's long bow. Long time hunters have told me the noise is not a factor.

Any of you long time xbow hunters got an idea?

[newbie]

35 yards she didnt move fast enough unless you shot low, shot high or arrow hit something. Maybe resting your bow you didnt have proper cheeck weld and pulled your shot. Or your yardage markers or scope is off.

[wabi]

What scope and what yardages are you sighted in at?

I've used the main crosshair on one at 32 yards and shot under it when I used to do the 10-20-30-40 yard sight-in thing with a VariZone. Old habits (from shooting a rifle for years with a single crosshair in the scope) are hard to break.

I now use a Leupold with a single crosshair and sight in at 25 yards. Any deer from 0-30 yards is dead with a "center of the kill zone" hold.
I can also use the top/bottom duplex "post" for more accurate 15 & 35 yards shooting.

[nyexhunter]

It is possible that at that distance a deer on high alert can jump ( or duck) the shot. I saw a test done once where a human standing behind a wall in a safe place who was holding a target out in the open was able to drop the target down after hearing a bow shot go off at 30yards. That's a human. Imagine an animal whose reflexes are ready to react much faster at any millisecond in time because their life is dependent on avoiding danger.

It's good that you had a clean miss. Hope for better luck next time.

[StormDragon]

Ide be willing to bet you breathed during the shot thereby raising the but stock and lowering the front.

Been there done that twice off of my tripod. First time I shaved a does belly at 30 yards, the second time I brisket shot another doe at around 20 plus yards.

In both cases it was my breathing that caused the shot to go low.

[Fullquiver]

Have you shot your broadheads with this combination you are hunting with? Lots of even mechanical broadheads will not shoot where your field points hit..

[newbie]

It is possible that at that distance a deer on high alert can jump ( or duck) the shot. I saw a test done once where a human standing behind a wall in a safe place who was holding a target out in the open was able to drop the target down after hearing a bow shot go off at 30yards. That's a human. Imagine an animal whose reflexes are ready to react much faster at any millisecond in time because their life is dependent on avoiding danger.

It's good that you had a clean miss. Hope for better luck next time.

How fast was said arrow shot?
Deer no doubt react fast but if they could move out of the way of a WELL placed shot there would be no steaks in anyones freezers!
My point is his aim was off for a reason. One of many mentioned.
My firat deer was a measured 45 yard i jumped her out of a bed on high alert

[colouredchameleon]

.

[xcaliber]

Have you shot your broadheads with this combination you are hunting with? Lots of even mechanical broadheads will not shoot where your field points hit..

I shot same arrows and broadhead from my 330 & 355, the 330 was spot on, the 355 was 4" low at 30 yards. This may be one thing to strongly consider.

[WNYBILL]

I compared my Spitfire's and the field points, same at all ranges. I doubt if it was my technique, I duplicated the situation and hit the target dead center with both Spitfire and field point. Breathing and etc, doubt it. I have been hunting with an Encore Pistol in 7mmX444 for years and taken deer up to 400 yards, always from a rest and even in the tree house I was using with the crossbow. I think I ran into the fastest deer in the east. I suspected more would have had the same experience.

Bill

[GrassyKnoll]

What type of reticle is in your scope, a single duplex, or multiplex reticle?

[Sparkey]

You said you shoot 4-5" groups at 40 yds ? (That is a 2.5" variance on center)

Ok, that 35 yard shot was it an estimate or did you spot it with a range finder ? Reason I ask is if that 35 yd (105ft) measurement was at the base of your stand and you climb 20ft your actual shooting distance to target is approximately 106.9 ft. ( Pythagorean theorem )

Now ( assumptions being made ) add in that arrow drop for a 400gr arrow at 300 fps ibo going from 35 to 40 yards is about 6" . Not sure what you are shooting, if your shot is the low range of your group ( that is 2.5" ) + 6" drop if it was 40 and not 35 years and you have 8.5" low.

I don't know how fast your excal shoots or how heavy your arrow is, so the numbers above might be off some, but in my experience the explanation always ends up being user error. At least for me

Mark

[nyexhunter]

Do not discount how much a deer can move if it is on high alert and hears the shot. The speed of sound is so much faster than the speed of your arrow. Someone a lot smarter than I am provided calculations using 400 FPS for arrow speed and determined that a deer can move as much as 8 inches. The information can be reviewed at the Crossbownation site - topic =scientific analysis of deer jumping the string.

I am not doubting that someone can take out a deer on high alert at 45 yards, however, projecting the results from one instance to every situation in deer hunting is ignoring the possibilities. I have learned that there are very few absolutes in deer hunting. I try to be open minded and am learning every day.

I'm not saying that the deer moving was the only cause of the miss, however, it may have been a contributing factor.

[MprBlackout]

I've been practicing from our 'skybox' 11'6" from ground ,but 20' above target @ 40 yds out. Tried shooting for 40yds ,but shot high. Now shooting at 35 yds to hit kill. My blackout shoots 40 in recticle to dot at 40 level. Now I plan accordingly for all my shots. Helped a ton to actully practice from the stand to understand such changes.

[newbie]

Do not discount how much a deer can move if it is on high alert and hears the shot. The speed of sound is so much faster than the speed of your arrow. Someone a lot smarter than I am provided calculations using 400 FPS for arrow speed and determined that a deer can move as much as 8 inches. The information can be reviewed at the Crossbownation site - topic =scientific analysis of deer jumping the string.

I am not doubting that someone can take out a deer on high alert at 45 yards, however, projecting the results from one instance to every situation in deer hunting is ignoring the possibilities. I have learned that there are very few absolutes in deer hunting. I try to be open minded and am learning every day.

I'm not saying that the deer moving was the only cause of the miss, however, it may have been a contributing factor.

Oh most definitely. It was a missed shot too many variables for one to ask why he missed when none of us were present, what bow, how much has he shot said bow , arrows wind etc list goes a on and on.
Everyone can guess as to our most common mistakes. A WELL placed shot at 35 yards dead deer. Bad shot missed or worse wonded.