Recovery Rates With Crossbow

[rayman]

Im sure that the majority of us here want to be ethical. Don't mean to be personal, but curious as to average recovery rates with crossbows. I know this subject gets kicked around occasionally.

On the big club I used to hunt in, archery season recovery seemed to averaged about 1 of 2. I quit taking my cur dog because guys were always wanting me to look for some deer they had made a bad shot on.

Since purchase of my Excalibur, recovery on deer has been exactly 7 of 8 with all but the one being easy and short. The one was a less than perfect shot.

Also, what do you guys think contributes greatest to good shot placement and recovery with crossbows, or to bad recovery?

[Nockum]

Being patient! Wait for the right shot, and don't rush the animal after the shot.Works for me!

[vixenmaster]

I have not lost a deer here wid crossbow in the 7 yrs in Mo. I have my Furbabies that are my Ace in the Hole card

[tcwild]

I'd say you were hunting with guys that should not have been hunting. If you hunt long enough you are going to lose a deer, it happens to everyone. But 50% recovery rate is RIDICULOS!!!

[Carnivorous]

Being patient! Wait for the right shot, and don't rush the animal after the shot.Works for me!

True words of wisdom. Let em walk when in doubt. Tracking a deer or bear for miles is no fun...

[maple]

98 %.

Never shot a deer I have not killed. Never killed a deer I have not found (except one darn it).

A 50% recovery rate is unacceptable. Drop those guys.

[sproulman]

Anyone who has said they never lost deer must be very good at putting arrow or bullet in right spot...Having right conditions like snow or lots of daylight ..

It has happened to me before ..Yes bad shot is no .1 reason.shooting at alert deer in archery is bad .shooting at anything but broadside shot with arrow is bad.Shooting over 40 yards is real bad way to lose you deer in fact i shoot only 35 yards or buck walks.

All deer we lost in gun season for 52 years was do to running shots ..

[nyexhunter]

In the 3 years of crossbow, 4 deer hit, 3 went approx. 80 yards; one about 10 yards. All shots 20 yards or less. Easy blood trail and recovery for all.

Did I ever say that I love my crossbow?

[Sloppy Does]

Patience for a good shot when possible will increase your odds on recovery. 90% recovery for me. I owe some of the 90% to big cutting broadheads. I have been bailed out more than once.

[Phillyarcher]

Like some of the other guys said is being patient. One thing I learned hunting with my xbow is you do have a better chance when the Deer stops and you are ready but you don't have a shot.when hunting with compound you are at full draw and now you can't move without spooking the Deer and then there is trying to hold on full draw. I believe in the Deer woods we all have lost Deer, this is the truth. I would say my success rate has been about 90% since I started hunting with the crossbow. I did loose one this year, in went in real thick cover which was mile a minute all over the place,very little blood. We found a Deer which might have been it only very little bones left.

[Eck]

I'm at 100%, but am an accomplished marksman, and careful with my shots. I feel very strongly that you should not be pulling the trigger if you aren't 100% sure of your ability, your equipment, and the shot you are preparing to make.

To be fair, I'm also not hunting in really thick cover. I can usually see the deer drop from my stand.

[Bullzeye]

Inpatient hunters and also lazy hunters. Dbl lung shots I've done produce little blood, so if you shot that deer late afternoon, it could be dark before you start tracking. So last asses look for 15min and give up, I've seen it happen.

[rayman]

A 50% recovery rate is unacceptable. Drop those guys.

Totally agree, that among other drama you deal with in a bigger lease wore too thin after four seasons.

[nchunterkw]

I thought I posted to this yesterday but it didn't . ?? Anyway

It's easy to get excited when a deer is close and shoot "at the deer" rather than "at a particular hair on the deer". Aim small miss small is not only a cool saying from a movie, but very important when hunting. I think this attributes to more "bad shots" than just about anything. I certainly like to wait for a broadside shot if possible, but I'm not one who limits my shots to only these. You can make a perfectly good double lung shot on quartering away or quartering to deer. You just need to understand the deer's anatomy, understand what your arrow will do (penetration -wise) and be confident in both your shot making ability AND your tracking ability. Not knowing a deer's anatomy really well, and shooting from an elevated position causes a lot of single lung hits IMO. These certainly are fatal, but a deer can go a long way and you can easily lose that trail. Crossbows and a great weapon to use from the ground - which I think gives the hunter a greater chance at hitting 2 lungs.

As for recovery, I'd say 95% of all "bad shots" are fatal, but the hunter lacks the persistence or skill to follow the trail. Archery hunting is all about creating blood loss. This means the standard operating procedure is shoot a deer, watch it run, follow the blood. Being a good tracker is just as important as being a good shot, because sometimes deer can go a long ways even when hit properly with little blood on the ground. And a whole lot of being a good tracker, is being persistent and looking and looking for that one drop. Sometimes all you need is that one more drop to give you the direction of travel and that results in a found deer.

[xcaliber]

When in doubt, back out. I have pushed two deer beyond finding due to being impatient, both on public land. This was one of the hardest disciplines to stick to, but has changed the game for me.