Deer you've shot with your bow

• Jul 12, 2005

• #1

Wetzel

Senior Member

North American Whitetail was on the Outdoor Channel today and was showing a bowhunt out west where the hunter shot a nice buck and after running a little ways, the buck stopped, staggered around a little, and finally fell over.

During most hunting shows, the deer runs out of range of the camera and then must be blood trailed later, but every once in a while you see a hunt where the deer goes down within sight of the hunter. Since I'm new to archery, I'm curious how often this occurs.

Occassionally I've seen the archer on a hunting show make a bad shot and hit the deer in the neck or back, which results in the deer going down on the spot. Some might say if the deer was killed quickly and wasn't lost it wasn't a bad shot, but I don't think this was the hit the shooter had in mind when he released his arrow, since most hunters want to put the arrow through the lungs of the deer.

How many times have you made a good shot on a deer with your archery gear and had the deer go down within sight?

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #2

raghorn

Senior Member

I don't have any numbers,but a lot more often than you would think. An arrow with a sharp broad head properly placed is just as lethal as a firearm.Most people that don't bowhunt underestimate the killing power of a modern arrow.

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #3

sowega hunter

Senior Member

I have had a couple fall within sight and a couple fall where I saw them from the stand once I climbed down. I also dropped 1 in its tracks. If you have good equipment and make good shots it will happen more than you think. Sowega.

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #4

Duff

Senior Member

The first deer I got with my bow never knew it had been hit. I was on the ground and shot it 20 yds broadsided. My arrow passed thru and buried in an oak tree. The doe ran about twenty yds and stopped, looked back at me until she collaped.

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #5

sweatequity

Senior Member

within 100 yards

I have lost a lot of deer over the years but most that I recovered were within 100 yards. To keep from losing deer, I never shoot outside 25 and try for 15-20. Much more exciting that way.

I shot a spike a few years ago that walked 15 yards and fell stone dead.

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #6

Jim Thompson

Live From The Tree

only a couple that I remember that fell within plain sight.

Jim

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #7

huntaholic

Senior Member

Herd em

Most time when I am BOW Hunting you cant see that far anyway but I have herd them fall close to my stand, killed a 5 pt in dekalb cty that I herd fall an got down from my stand found my arrow looked to my right saw the deer about 25 yards away. Now that was a good hunt.

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #8

Woody

Founder - Gone but not forgotten.

I would say "expect anything"?

I had one Buck that was calmly feeding on Persimmons --- shot him straight through the heart and he ran 125 yards completely bled out.

I honestly believe he would have went farther but he centered a huge oak tree.

A friend of mine shot one through the ham -- it walked about 10 yards and fell over dead?

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #9

BowArrow

Senior Member

I shot two 8 pointers last year from the same stand and they fell within 25 yards of my stand. I have a lot of deer run 20-40 yards, stop and look around and then go down. A good double lung shot, the only shot a bowhunter should take, will bring most deer down within five seconds.

 

• Jul 12, 2005

• #10

huntnnut

GONetwork Member

I nailed a small buck to the ground one day with an arrow. I shot him and the arrow failed to go all the way through him, though it knocked him over on his side and the broadhead stuck in the ground. He then started kicking and spinning round and round... I then jumped down from my stand and stuck another arrow him in order to finish him off rapidly.

One evening I shot two does that were together and the first doe I shot ran towards my stand and died right under it. The other one ran about 50 to 75 yards before piling up.

I've had several others that did not make it very far and some others that ran farther and some I never found.

The more you hunt and the more you shoot with a bow the more you'll have of the same. Just keep your shots close in and hopefully you won't have any of those that you can't find.

Good luck, there's nothing quite like bowhunting.

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #11

short stop

Senior Member

I have been bow hunting for over 20 yrs now and a good ethical shot is one that kills quickly and humanely . I have shot many deer ''STRAIGHT DOWN '' under my stand that fell in their tracks . Most of my lung shots resulted in a tracking job -some of those deer are still running I suppose -NUT is right the more you hunt you will have these things happen . you will not always get that perfect broadsider ----and if you wait on that everytime you might be going home empty handed .

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #12

J

Jody Hawk

Senior Member

Speaking for myself, I just don't like to shoot a deer down in its back. I've done it before but now that I have become a lot better archer and hunter I will never do it again. I like to wait until it offers me a broadside shot. Sure the straight down shot will break a deers spine and paralize it but that is not a humane way to kill the animal imo. The double lunger is the most humane way to kill a deer. My double lung kills usually fall within 75 yards and are stone dead within a matter of minutes.

Now back to the thread. Harkins, I have never had one drop within sight but I have shot several that I heard hit the ground and start kicking.

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #13

Jorge

Senior Member

I've only had two drop within sight of the stand. One was plain luck with the doe ducking the string and the other was a doe that ran about 20 yards and falling just as you described above where I could see it. I have had a few more fall within 50 yards but could not see them from the stand but then again, I hunt some pretty thick areas.

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #14

RThomas

Senior Member

A lot of it depends on your sight distance. In most areas I hunt, if I can even see a deer he is already nearly in bow range. I've only had one fall in its tracks and that was because the shot was high and hit the spine. Always aim for a lung/heart shot if possible. The spine is a very small target and if youre off even a little you'll only end up severly wounding the deer and cause an even slower death and possibly loss of the deer.
Don't worry too much about if the deer drops in sight or not. If the hit is good, tracking will be easy. And, even when it isn't easy, just stay persistent. A big part of bow hunting takes place after the shot.
Good luck and have fun!

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #15

H

hunting 101

Senior Member

Two years ago. Opening day of gun season i shot NICE 8 pointer (with my bow ) in bulloch county. The deer walked off, and i knew there was no way i missed 20 yrds broadside. He got about 15 yards from there and just fell over. Never seen anything like it but it was a good feeling after I was really elmod off because i couldnt believe i missed.

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #16

ryanwhit

Senior Member

I've never had one fall within sight, but I've never had one go more than about 100 yards with a good shot. One last year went only 30 w/ a double lunger. But I've lost a few with bad shots.

A buddy of mine shot one once--either through the heart or lungs...It jumped, looked around, saw the arrow sticking in the ground, walked over to it and smelled it, and then fell over dead.

 

• Jul 13, 2005

• #17

F

flat foot

Senior Member

Last year two eight pointers and 4 pigs died within sight. The only one that ran out of sight was the only animal I shot with a Muzzy, it was a hart shot, I now shoot for lungs. I hunt from 28 to 35 feet up. I don't try to shoot for the spine, but with a deer less than 20 yards you sure do see alot of the spine. If you can use a wide cutting broad head you can do more damage (hemoraging). which will make the animal expire faster.

 

• Jul 14, 2005

• #18

Glenn

Senior Member

I have shot 2 that I remember falling within sight. One fell where I shot it because of a spine shot and the other ran 10 yards and fell dead with a double lung and heart pass thru.

 

• Jul 14, 2005

• #19

7 Mag

Senior Member

I've shot two does that flinched when I shot them, continued eating, began to sway and fell over dead. They were double lung shots. Those were unique experiences.

 

• Jul 14, 2005

• #20

Arrow Flinger

Moderator

I have had many fall within 50 yards but all were out of sight when they fell. Most of the time, I hunt in areas that has very limited visability and unless they fall very close, I will not see them fall. I love to hear the crash though. I have dropped one from a spine shot and I never want to do that again. It dropped on me at the shot and I hated having to shoot them again. IMO, the straight down shot is risky and a shot I never will take again. In 30 years of bowhunting, I have lost 3 deer and one was a straight down shot. You are shooting from a position that puts you in an awkward position and unless you practice it alot, it is not an easy shot. If you are off just a touch, you miss the spine and end up with a single lung hit at best.