So Bummed Right Now

[splitfinger]

Had a chance to hunt a couple of hours yesterday afternoon before dark and it was perfect; wind out of the West and NW, 57 Degrees with a light mist. I climbed into my Game Tamer and waited. About 6:30 3 Does came in and started to feed in front of me at 17-20 Yds. I was going to be picky if a shot presented itself, as I have had a shot opportunity on a deer in about 5-6 years. Slowly a young 1 1/2 year old Doe fed to within 12 Yds., slightly quartering away. I eased the arrow back and let it go. About mid-ship quartering away in the ribcage with only the fletching exposed. It almost looked like the offside shoulder stopped the arrow from a pass-thru. Waited a bit and got down with about 10 minutes of light left. I found the arrow about 30 yds. down a lane, completely covered in blood with bubbles, so I knew it was a lung shot. Went to the house and got a good light, went back and searched for over an hour and only found a couple of small blood drops about the size of a quarter. Decided to wait until this morning, as the night temp was going to be in the 50's.

Got up at daylight, went back and looked until 10:30 with no success. No blood beyond 40 yds. from the shot and the last blood I found last night so I assume the light rain washed all of the blood away. Grid searched out to about 300 yds. with nothing. With so few shot opportunities on my property and getting older, losing this deer was a real hit in the gut. I feel really bad, knowing she is dead and I can't find her but I will keep looking.

Sorry for the long read but I needed to vent a bit.

Doug

[stixx]

Sorry bud, hate that feeling.

[Buff]

Darn shame you can't use a dog in your part of the state.

[Bisch]

Anytime one is lost, it is a hit in the gut!!!! Sorry it played out that way for you Doug!!

Bisch


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[Hunter Todd]

I feel for you, hopefully you'll find her.

[jer_james]

Good Luck to you Sir!

[kruppa24]

It has happened to most people that have hunted for any length of time. Keep your head up.

[Briar Friar]

Good luck on the recovery. Keep on keepin on.

[cgood11]

good luck on the recovery. Keep on keepin on.

☝️

[SwampRabbit]

Been there... done that... too many times.

Feel bad for you man! It sucks.

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[eastex56]

Its a bad deal brother but it happens. Its a bad feeling for sure but that is just a part of it that we have to accept when we take up this challenge. Keep your chin up and stay after it. Better days will come.

[splitfinger]

Just a follow-up; I grid searched out to about 250 yds. and looked up and down the cleared lanes of my Pine Plantation. There is an awful amount of grown up bitter weed and leftover debris from cutting part of the plantation last year, so she could be laying 5 feet from where I walked and couldn't see her. Never found anything.

It is just baffling that knowing it was a lung shot and no blood is freaky. I shot her with a Toelke Chinook recurve 45# @ 28", CE Heritage 150 with a 165 grain Ribtek 2 blade. The fletching was the only thing showing from her ribcage, so I know it penetrated both sides, plus the arrow was saturated with blood to the end of the nock.

Such a shame but I know it is just one of those things. I'm looking for buzzards now, just in case because I want to know where she died.

Thanks for the comments and God bless ya.

Doug

[CRM_95]

Sucks for sure. October 10th I shot a deer and it looked just about perfect. Broadside, 10-12 yards, pass through, arrow coated in blood, bubbles, the whole 9 yards. Deer ran about 30 yards and I could tell it stopped behind some brush. I could tell it stopped but couldn't see it clearly for the brush. I really thought it went down. But, when I got there, no deer and very little blood. Found some more blood and spent several hours looking and then nothing. It was super thick and the ground was wet. I know I killed her, just couldn't find her. I haven't shot a trad bow since that arrow and honestly don't know that I'll ever hunt with one again. I'll break it back out in the spring for 3D and see how things go, but I'm not really feeling hunting with it right now.

[DRT]

It is a bad experience for sure. Really I think it's good to have that sick feeling. We shouldn't be just fine with wounding and losing animals.
But it does happen. Trad or compound or crossbow or rifle. It happens.
I can't say anything to make you feel better. But don't let it stop you from shooting and growing.


Gary

[Drycreek3189]

It is a bad experience for sure. Really I think it's good to have that sick feeling. We shouldn't be just fine with wounding and losing animals.
But it does happen. Trad or compound or crossbow or rifle. It happens.
I can't say anything to make you feel better. But don't let it stop you from shooting and growing.


Gary

What he said^^^^^