Don't it just make you sick when you lose one..

[LAKOTA]

My father and I decided to hit the woods this morning for our first hunt of the season. At 9:32am two does and a fawn come right to my stand. One doe and the fawn feed a mere 5 steps from the tree I'm in, the other one remained about 15yds away. I picked the last one in line since she was broadside and in the clear. Just as I pull the release she steps back. The hit was a pass-thru, but was a bit too far forward and pinned her in the shoulders. I would have bet a $100 she'd only go 50-100 yds. ...... We tracked her until 1:30pm (I have not idea how far, guessing maybe 250-300 yds in some VERY thick stuff) and finally lost the blood trail. She went through some of the thickest crap I've ever crawled my way through. Found 3 different spots where she laid down and by the third spot the blood had pretty much stopped. Blood trail was good for the first 60-75 yds from impact. We circled the area increasing the size of the circles until we were both limp in the legs. As bad as I hated to do it, we gave up. What I would give for a good tracking dog today.

Days like these are the ones that make me want to give up the bow and just wait until gun season comes. Just makes me sick to lose one like that and I always wonder if we tried hard enough, but you have no choice but to quit when the sign is gone. Very disgusting and disappointing way to start my season ...

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[Darcy]

I hope captainc0x gets on here tonight to read this post. might make him feel better about having the same thing happen this morning.

I'll let him tell the story, but 5 guys looked for several hours this morning for the one he took a shot at....very disappointing, and it does make you feel sick...

it was hard convincing him to give up...with it being his first ever shot at a deer with a bow...

anywho--better luck next time, and hopefully you'll drop a nice sized buck instead of just a doe!

 

[Glenn]

Sorry to here that Lakota....

What type of broadhead and arrow are you using?

 

[Alan in GA]

lost one years ago,,,,,all that I read about it later,,,,,

said I / you should wait for hours,,up to SIX hours! I too, found a large blood puddle where my deer laid up,,and that's where you and I would have found our deer if we had waited for them to bleed out and die.
I know it's hard to not go find the trophy,,but that's what many say should be done. We found my deer two weeks later. She initially had run about 250 yards to where I found the bed down/bleed out spot and the blood trail had pooped out,,,her carcas was about 1 or 200 yards past that as I remember.
It happens.

 

[BOWHUNTER!]

Lakota, You are not alone. Saturday morning I stuck a doe at 7yrds. The shot looked good to me, straight down through one lung. She ran off with the arrow still in her. I thought i'd find her within 100yrds. We tracked her for 200-250yrds and blood just stopped like these animals are known for doing. That was it, no more blood anywhere, even after making several circles and following all the trails. This was also my first shot of the year. It does make ya sick. My wife has to put up with my whining for a while, but we will get another chance. There is a thread on here about lost deer and how to approach the loss. TRY not to think of it wasted, something will benefit from that deer,bugs ,coons,yotes. Sorry to hear Lakota. I feel your pain

 

[Son]

retrieval of you deer..

In my hunting area you better not wait. In the last few years I've had two deer taken by coyotes. One I saw fall from the treestand, I got down, went to camp for help. When we returned to pick the doe up, coyotes had dragged it over fifty yards and consumed it. It was real cold and we had taken our time, about two hours before returning. Last time, couple years ago, I shot a nice buck. He ran off to the south and I knew the shot was good. A doe continued feeding, so I watched her until she left. About thirty minutes. Then I immediately trailed the buck about 75 yards into a thick where a pack of coyotes had already eaten the backstraps and hams. When I slipped up on the dead deer, coyotes went in every direction. I think one saw me, and the others ran because he did. I never heard the coyotes make a sound. Our club members have to find their downed deer immediately or they wont have a deer. When we find the deer we handle it, walk all around it to put our scent out, then leave gloves, jacket or something laying on it until we return with help to get it out. If help is needed. So far this works... Bad shots can happen, even if you're using a cannon. Even the best ball players miss the ball once in awhile so don't feel bad, and hang in there..

 

[AboltBoss]

I feel the pain lakota. Started bow hunting at age 10..... 36 years ago. And continued till age 26. Had that same thing happen about 3 or 4 years in a row. It wasnt from not practicing. IMHO bow hunting is the purest form of hunting and respect it the most. With that said I leave it to the HUNTERS with lots more skill then me. Just know that the doe didnt go to waste.

 

[Alan in GA]

coyotes,,the new problem here in GA.....

you are so right. Shot a large doe with muzzle loader two years ago at Cobb/Douglas Co. line. Although knocked down, she ran 100 yards off into a briar thicket field. We grabbed lights,,trailed for 50 yards into thicket where blood just stopped. Went back for dog to track,,took 40 minutes. When I got back to the field,,coyotes were haveing a screaming howling celebration about 100 yards past where the blood trail stopped.
I agree,,nowadays,,the yotes are a new serious problem.
Poor fawns have it really rough now!
Alan in GA.

 

[Bucky T]

Know the feeling Lakota. It's not a good one.

Sounds like y'all gave it a honest, hard try to recover her.

Better luck next time.

Tommy