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Post by GS1 on Oct 11, 2016 10:01:15 GMT -5
As I posted in the Live from the Stand thread, my son who is 7 and was 5/5 (3 crossbow, 2 muzzleloader)on making good shots on deer the previous 2 seasons, made what I felt was a bad shot on a doe last night. The shot looked bad in person and the 25 times I watched the video. He told me she went down, but I thought it just sounded like her crashing through the brush and going down the spoil bank. We left the area, ate supper and then went back to see what we could find, because I had to go to work at 11pm. When we got to where she entered the woods I could see a spot of blood about 4" across and another a few feet deeper in the woods. As we were standing there on the edge of the foodplot, a deer took of down in the woods. It was right at 2 hours since he had shot and I told him it could be her, one of the other deer that were there when he shot or a completely different deer. I chose to go to work and go back and look first thing this morning after putting him on the bus. When I got to the second spot of blood I found a few drops scattered down a trail that leads into the woods. at the base of the spoil was a spot where she had turned left and then came back and went the other direction. From there I found a few more small drops of blood. As I made my way to the top of the first spoil bank there was still very little blood, but there she was laying at the bottom of the spoil. Approximately 75 yards from where she was when he shot her. He told me the coyotes would find her if we left her overnight and he was right. Both hind quarters were gone and half the stomach. He told me he was right behind the shoulder when he shot and I guess I should have taken his word for it. He hit about 8-10" behind the shoulder and the bolt exited pretty much straight out the other side from the liver. Maybe a little further back. I did not realize the deer had turned towards us as much as it did at the time. I really let him and the deer down, but nothing about this video tells me that this deer is dead within 100 yards. What do you think? youtu.be/KUZIm5y4RFI |
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Oct 11, 2016 10:20:49 GMT -5
I think anytime you are uncertain, and temps allow it, backing out is the right call. If you had pursued, it may have gone a lot further before dying.
I can imagine how you feel about losing your boy's deer, but unfortunately it's a lesson he was going to have to learn eventually.
I'd look at it as an opportunity to show him how to roll with the punches. Check it in and use the remains for dog food or something, just so it's not a total waste.
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Post by medic22 on Oct 11, 2016 10:21:07 GMT -5
The flight of the arrow looks like a bad shot, but I dont see the impact without slowing it down.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2016 10:44:40 GMT -5
I like to back out, but today's number of yotes I will not. I've lost two does the past 5 years to evening shots and waiting until morning. I will wait two or three hours and go out at midnight etc.
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Post by arlowe13 on Oct 11, 2016 10:55:27 GMT -5
Yep, you can just see the nock disappearing about 8in behind her "elbow". Tough to see without going frame-by-frame and zooming in.  |
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on Oct 11, 2016 11:03:39 GMT -5
I think you did the right thing by backing out. And I'm sure with the knowledge of hind sight you're having some remorse. But, you have to go with what information you had at the time. At the time, the shot looked questionable, at the time, the deer did not crash within your view. I think you made the best decision with the information that you had at the time of the shot. I'm sure you have both learned something from this and, although be it not the best leaning experience, you still learned. I hope this experience does not discourage either one of you and I look forward to seeing the success the rest of your season is sure to bring. Chin up!
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Post by arlowe13 on Oct 11, 2016 11:05:11 GMT -5
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Post by greghopper on Oct 11, 2016 11:08:25 GMT -5
Doesnt the person that shot the deer have to be present to tag and recover the deer they shot...... Looks like a lot gray area....just saying.
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Post by medic22 on Oct 11, 2016 11:17:30 GMT -5
Yep, you can just see the nock disappearing about 8in behind her "elbow". Tough to see without going frame-by-frame and zooming in. Thanks for slowing that down, does appear to be a bad shot. I think you make the right call. |
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Post by beermanbrian on Oct 11, 2016 11:21:49 GMT -5
What's amazing to me is that they only got the hind quarters. I shot a doe 2 years ago and when I went out for her 10 hours later the only thing left was the rib cage and head. Caused me to seriously rethink the backing out philosophy.
My thinking now is not to second guess my shot. Go with instinct. If I think it was a good shot, I'll give it an hour or 2. If I know it was a bad shot, then I have to wait but preferably not all night.
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Post by boonechaser on Oct 11, 2016 12:10:51 GMT -5
I wait 30 minutes and follow. Blood trail. Backout if jump deer or don't find in 1st 100 yards. Sometimes things just don't work out whatever you do.
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Post by 3ptbuck on Oct 11, 2016 12:21:26 GMT -5
I'd say you made the right call there.
When in doubt, back out will save you more deer than cost you in the long run.
What BH you shoot out of the xbow?
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Post by Woody Williams on Oct 11, 2016 12:34:17 GMT -5
Bummer..
That's achance we take.. She might not have been dead right away..,
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Post by throbak on Oct 11, 2016 13:19:23 GMT -5
Looked pretty good to me ! And the way the deer went off looked good I would have waited a couple hrs and leashed up a dog and went after it
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Post by chasingtails on Oct 11, 2016 13:49:55 GMT -5
Looked like her back about broke, the way her tail wagged, a d knowing the impact these crossbows make I would of went after the deer.
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Post by Sasquatch on Oct 11, 2016 15:24:58 GMT -5
You made the best decision you could based on the info you had. We all get fooled. I've hit deer I would have sworn I missed and missed deer That I would have sworn I'd hit. Learning experience for the young guy!
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Post by GS1 on Oct 11, 2016 17:05:27 GMT -5
What BH you shoot out of the xbow? 125 gr. Killzone. |
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Post by seabee89 on Oct 11, 2016 20:29:08 GMT -5
I shot at a doe this morning - thought I missed, as she acted like she jumped the string - but to be sure after 1/2 an hour or so I got down and did a thorough (much as I could in high grass) look for the arrow. I didn't find it, so I looked for an hour or so for the deer. She didn't "act" shot, but I wanted to be sure as I don't want to lose one. I lost one at Glendale on a poor judgement shot right after I started bowhunting and 5 hours later and very little blood had nothing to show for it and fell terrible. Sometimes you have to give it up, though.
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Post by bill9068 on Oct 12, 2016 13:02:11 GMT -5
Tell the young hunter congratulations, he still got it.
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Post by GS1 on Oct 12, 2016 16:36:26 GMT -5
Tell the young hunter congratulations, he still got it. I have. I am proud of him for doing his part. It wasn't the perfect shot, but not nearly as bad as I thought. He is now telling me how we need to do things. He pays a little too much attention when it comes to hearing people talk about hunting. We went out and I showed him the deer, what the coyotes had done, the little amount of blood and the shot placement. Trying to get something positive out of a very negative situation.  |
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