The Agony of Defeat!!!

[reviveourhomes]

I just got home and no Bear!!! Never saw him, he musta knew I was coming for him! LOL

BUT I did see 13 does and one small buck. I made a shot on a Doe, made a perfect shot from 22 yards saw the impact, so did my father-in-law who was watching me. I knew it was a perfect shot, but as always after the shot I was second guessing but when I got ovre to my F-I-L he said "Perfect" so I was assured. But When I got to the spot where she was standing I found no arrow and no blood. We looked for 3 hours and found not one drop of blood and never found my arrow. We looked for another long while for the doe herself and a blood trail but never found nothing. It made me sick! Not only is there a dead deer somewhere but I shot one of my knapped heads and never found it. And I still cant figure out what happened. We did a very large sweep of the area and there wasnt to many placed she could have gone but never found her. And never saw a drop of blood even though we both saw it hit what should have been a for sure double lung shot. She was standing perfectly broadside and slightly uphill at right at 22 yards. Strangest thing I have ever seen. I am still pretty disappointed about it!

 

[fflintlock]

That's a toughy, for dang sure. I've been there as well and I'm sure a lot of folks have been there too.
I do feel your pain brother, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth and your gut !
Let it go, remember it, but don't let it tug on your brain, it'll screw you up on your next shot.
Sorry ya did'nt get to see the bear either, but it sounds like ya had plenty of critters around you though.
Hang in there Lewis !
Jerald

 

[reviveourhomes]

Yeah I know but this is the first deer I have ever shot and not found. Its a horrible feeling, but what really gets me is I cant figure out what happened... thats what keeps me thinking about it I guess.

But I will be back out tomorrow morning on paulding forest looking for anothern.

 

[fflintlock]

Well, it could be shoot'n uphill, high on a lung, (high entrance hole), not penatrating the other side, (I have heard the stone points don't make a real big hole), no place for blood to go but in the cavity, no blood trail. They can hide on ya too.

 

[chinquapin]

Just Think It'll Give The Bear More Reason To Stick Around

 

[Al33]

Hate that for you Lewis, but it has happened to me with razor sharp steel broad heads. I like Jerald's theory, seems like a logical conclusion to me.

 

[FERAL ONE]

hate it for you revive!!! i almost lost one 2 years back that left not one drop of blood. turns out the hole had plugged with fat and filled the body cavity with blood instead of bleeding out. i was headed home in defeat and saw a hoof in the air in the middle of a clear cut!!! if she had folded her legs upon dying, i never would have found her!!!

also had a heck of a time on an 8 pointer that i shot with my ML. he had turned his head and drew the skin tight across his shoulder. at the shot, when he straghtened up, the skin closed the hole!!! not a drop on that one either!!!

 

[reviveourhomes]

Thats what I am thinking Jerald is the head didnt leave a big hole, plus the way she ran off I could only seee the entrance side, I didnt see the arrow and thought it was a pass through. It could have caught at the fletchings inside here and plugged up the holes too. But still never found her. I even went back this morning on our way home and looked for another 45 minutes or so until the wife and kids got restless waiting in the car! LOL

 

[fflintlock]

That's what you get for use'n them little bitty arrows LOL heheheeeeeee.
Ya gotta get some longer arrows Lewis
Nah, joking aside, I hate it for ya man ! Know what it feels like.
Tell paw n law to look for buzzards these next few days and you might find out what happened.

 

[ChrisSpikes]

Lewis, how much penetration do you think you had?

 

[ChrisSpikes]

Nevermind, was slow on the trigger there.

 

[Nicodemus]

Lewis, on the knapped point, did you have a good,, straight smooth pressure flaked edge? When I make points that I know will be used for huntin`, I take extra care and the edges will have very little bevel, they will have an almost hollow grind look to them. Use the pressure flaker with the tiny needle tip for this. Every couple of flakes, you will have to rework the tip on the tool, but it will be worth it.

 

[ChrisSpikes]

I shot one with wheels about 14-15 years ago that was quartering away sharply. Hit him just in front of the ham and the arrow angled up into the front offside shoulder and lodged in the leg bone. Needless to say, I didn't get an exit wound. I never found a drop of blood....not one! Luckily he ran off across a sand ridge and I was able to trail him by his tracks. I found him about 100-120 yards away. Lack of an exit wound can make it super tough to find them, even on a perfect hit. Hope you find him!

 

[reviveourhomes]

Nic the head was made by a freind of mine that has been doing it for years and years and is very good. I made sure that the ones I got from him were "Hunting Heads" and that they were good and straight and sharp. He picked the best out for me.

 

[fflintlock]

HookedN21
You shot a deer with wheels ? LOL
I could'nt resist it, sorry, heheheeeeeeeee

 

[OconeeDan]

Man, sorry to hear that.

 

[ChrisSpikes]

Yeah, fflintlock, I killed 48 with wheels before I saw the light. What can I say? I'm a slow learner. Was the same way with the bicycle. Took me forever to lose the training wheels.

 

[fflintlock]

I don't care what you killed it with, I ment the "deer had wheels" LOL
"I shot one with wheels"

 

[John Cooper]

I don't care what you killed it with, I ment the "deer had wheels" LOL
"I shot one with wheels"

dang thats what i thought to. heck that baby would have been cool a deer on wheels.........