Lost a buck yesterday.

[MEsquivel]

Im hunting the season extention in Mexico, trying to connect with anything since my season was pretty slow.
Well yesterday mornin a nice, old 10 point buck chased a young buck that was feeding on my hand corn. He passed my popup blind at about 18 yards without stopping and/or noticing the blind. My heart started doing what its supposed to do when a shooter steps out.
He chased the youngster out to about 60 yards and came back in the same path he took out. Bow in hand, fingers in place, mind in focus mode, and that little deamon that says, low and tight where all there.
He stopped for a split second at about 10-12 yards, y drew, anchor, focused, and released. Im not going to lie, this time I didnt see the arrow fly. I just saw the feathers burry all the way and about 4-5 inches to the left of where I wanted. Good height. Just a tad back.
Mule kick and a quick sprint. I openned the back window to see him and he had already slowed down at about 60 yards. The brush was low.
I had a rifle with me because that ranch is known for mountain lion encounters. So i chased him with the crosshairs for another 20 yards till he layed down. 80 yards from the blind and maybe one minute after the shot and he was down.
It was just a matter of givong him time.
I waited for at least 35-40 minutes and went on after him.
I went straight to the tall guajío brush only to find a poodle of blood, but no deer.
Looked for another 40 minutes till my friends came to pick me up.
We all looked together, there was very little blood.
At one point we pushed him. He stood and ran back. I had the rifle and was going to pop him at about 40 yards in the brush. I yelled, "he's here-he's alive-Im going to shoot". There where two friends searching with me. One far behind me said shoot-shoot. And the other one, straight across from the buck said take him. I had already taken the safety off but managed not to shoot.
The deer stood exactly in between the two of us in some thick, thick brush. He then turned back around and ran back in the brush only to not be seen again.
I had never lost a buck to a bow before.
My emotions are beating me up. But i guess this is all about experience.
I dont know what I would have done differently to make things better. Other than to shoot it with the rifle. Well, its hunting.
Makes me want to put my bow away or just go out and shoot. Its crazy.

[Bisch]

Sorry to hear that Manuel! There is no worse feeling in bowhunting than that which you are experiencing now! I too made a bad shot on a buck this year (the one in my avatar). I left it overnight because I was pretty sure there were no yotes in the area, and the temps were plenty cool enough. I got lucky and the dog went right to him the next morning, about 350yds away. There was zero blood trail, and I never would have found him while he was still good to eat if it had not been for that dog.

One thing I have learned over the years, is that if you even think you may not have made a quickly fatal shot to wait as long as you can (predator and weather permitting). If I think I hit one bad (one lung or guts) I will wait a minimum of 4hrs, and get a dog if one is available.

Once again, sorry to have to read your post!

Bisch

[caughtandhobble]

Manuel sorry about the lost buck. We all know that you did your part in making an honest effort to recover him. If you have the opportunity to go back this week check around any standing water. Good luck my friend.

Ben

[Mexico]

We've all been there brother, don't loose the faith. Hopefully at least the birds will show you where he is, and you'll be able to recover the horns. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Mex. Bowhunter]

Take a Break and Go back and Keep Looking. I Have tracked a Many of Deer in Mexico the last few yrs and would have lost a Few if I stopped looking the First or second Time. I once jumped one three times in Two days to Find him Stone dead 6hrs Later from the Last Time He was Jumped. Sorry to Hear and Hope the Best for Ya

If you have a Cowboy at the Ranch Get him on a horse. It's Crazy what some of those Guys can do For Ya

[DuckDogTrainer]

I've been there. It happens to most of us. Don't beat yourself up and take the advice from Bisch to wait at least 4 hours on a marginal shot.

[MEsquivel]

Thanks guys!
It's actually the first buck I lose. I once lost a doe with a compound maybe 8-10 years ago and it was because it started raining and the blood just washed off.
No excuse this time.
The thing is... I saw him go down. If I would have thought he wasn't fatally injured, I could have backed up my bow shot with the rifle. I had him.
It just went from sweet to sour too fast.
I'll keep at it. Thanks for all great advice and kind words!

[R.Armendariz]

Sorry to hear, but it has happend to me also dec 2011. I had a double lung pass through with little blood didn't know what direction the buck ran through in the brush after a 4 hr search called it quits . I still have the bloody arrow on my wall as a reminder , the buck was a 6 point very thick base and tall tines . Still amazes me how these animals can withstand lethal shots sometimes for the length of time they do before they drop.

[chackworth3]

Man! I know exactly how you feel. It's happened to me a few times too. Bisch is spot on with what he said. Good luck. Hope you find him

[SwampRabbit]

That just plain sucks. Period. No getting around it. Only time will lessen the sting. This is why, when I am shooting my bow, and I get the one "flier" that hits back on the 3D target, I cringe and have to fight back the urge to throw that stick to the ground. I can miss a standard bullseye target and be okay mentally, but once that arrow is sticking in the mid section, that sting starts to comes back a little.

[little john]

I one lunged the doe in my avatar my first kill with trad gear went bout 250/300 yds crazy stuff brother keep your head up

[Phillip Fields]

Sorry you didn't recover him. We've all been there or will be there.

[Ron]

Manuel, it happens to all of us at one time or another and it hurts. You are a great shot and it'll be better next time.

[DRT]

I lost my second buck in 25 years of bowhunting this season. I know what I did wrong, and it's my fault, but you can't change it and you just have to keep practicing and hunt. Don't dwell on it too long or it will affect your shooting decisions.

[Scouting]

Manuel I know that feeling and it is sickening but that is why we bow hunt. The challenge of taking an animal with an arrow is so rewarding. It happens, try to learn from it and keep that into next deer season. Don't give it up my friend!