bad first shot....

[Slaughterhog]

So this morning i took out the longbow. I had a doe come in at 12 yards i draw back, let the arrow loose and it feels great until i see the arrow go through her butt. I looked and looked for her over a mile away and the blood stopped in a 200 acre field. It really made me sick to my stomach. She was the first deer shot at with a traditional bow and i wounded her...i feel like crap.

[IowaHunter]

Supposed to aim toward the other end.

Wait it out a little and get back out there looking for her. Grab a neighbor and a couple beers to bribe him. Hope you find her.

[Flint knapper]

Often times a wound like that is not fatal! It will only be fatal if you hit a major artery or some how got into the abdominal cavity!

[Bisch]

That stinks! I hate losing a critter. Feeling bad is part of it. I would be seriously worried about you if you did not feel bad about it. You are new to this and mistakes happen. The mistakes even happen once in a while after you have been doing this for years. It does not matter what weapon either, trad, compound, or gun.

Sorry you lost her, and better luck next time.

Bisch

[RiverRat00]

Been there and I know how you feel. Don't get discouraged and Learn from what happened. What do u think went wrong? Nerves maybe?

If it hit the buttok it should be fine.

[Slaughterhog]

I watched the vid and she spun as i released. I have my buddy comeing out in a min and were going to look again

[PYBUCK]

Nothing fatal back there except the femoral artery. If you hit that she would not have made it more than 100yds. Flesh would, she will be fine

[Destry]

^ x2 I seen a buddy pull a shot with a compound and shoot a hog in the hindquarter and it hit the femoral artery and was dead in 40 yards with a great blood trail

[Addicted2bh]

I shot a for two years ago literally a half an itch from her a hole, slitely quartered away. Never found any blood and saw her run off fine. After searching the entire night and next morning no luck.. Two days later found her dead about 200 yards from where I shot her. I swear I must have walked on top of her a number of times. So depending on where you hit she might be dead and just coyote bait now. It happens brother don't be to hard on yourself

[chackworth3]

Sorry to hear you lost her, I know the feeling. It happens sometimes

[ballgame]

She'll be fine, regroup focus forget and try again. We all do it and it happens. Shake it off it gets better and you will cheris and appreciate your first kill that much more

[M.E.B.]

Trad bows are SLOW. Have to shoot at calm deer. Have to shoot them close, which you did. Be very careful about your bow noise on the draw and how it sounds when you shoot it. Be careful so they do not pick up your movement making the shot.

Deer can jump the string with a compound. A trad bow compounds the problem.

Tracking the deer as far as you did hitting the deer in the ham and the arrow did not angle into the body cavity, hit the femoral artery or enter the pelvic area chances are she will recover.

[SwampRabbit]

My first shot on a deer with trad gear sliced right through a doe's backstrap. I learned real quick how much they really can duck. Luckily, I knew it wasn't fatal as I saw the hit and found the arrow.

A couple weeks later I got my first trad deer and I was aiming lower.

It sucks, but it happens. (Also happened to me shooting a compound... but that was worse as it was a gut shot.)

[Dry Bones]

As it has been said, it does happen regardless of weapon. My first trad kill was an axis doe and it took more then 1 arrow ti finish the deal. Fortunately for me she tried to hide down in a creek bottom which allowed me to get around her and finish the deal. Take a moment to reflect, gather yourself and get back into it. Nothing is promised to be easy, but well worthwhile.