Seems like every time I take the bow out, I learn something new There is always a scenario you never thought of, or read about on the GS. I guess that is what makes it so hard, yet so fun and challenging.
This morning I shot my biggest bow buck, it’s not a record book buck by any means, but it’s a good buck. So here is my story, the short version, (it isn’t as exciting as a Doc May or DIY Moose hunt) and lessons learned. The first deer showed up at 7:30 this morning, and from 7:30 to 9:00 am, I was covered in deer, with 5-8 at the feeder the whole time. There was a big 8, probably 4.5-5.5 y.o. and the one I shot at the feeder almost the whole time. The big 8 got there about 8 am, by this point my I already have my bow in hand, in position, ready to shoot. The watch is covered by my sleeve, and I wasn’t worried about moving around to look at the watch. I’m hunting out of a tree stand that is 50 yards from the feeder. It wasn’t put up to exclusively bow hunt from, but that is a whole other discussion.
So I’m waiting for the big 8 to get done and hopefully come my way. After what seemed like 2 days sitting, ready with bow in hand, not moving, the deer start leaving the feeder, but not coming my way. The buck I wind up shooting starts walking off with some doe, moving into the brush to my right, about 60 yards from me. About 30 seconds later he turned and started heading towards me, I couldn’t believe it. He closes in to a tree that’s 30 yards away, if he would have stopped, I would of had a shot. He kept walking. He walks past a tree that’s at 20 yards. He takes about 4 steps past the tree and stops, quartering to me. I have never shot a deer that was in that’s position. I have had 1 or 2 quartering away and the rest have all been broadside. I thought I had the pin right on his shoulder, guess I got a little excited and probably rushed the shot. Let the arrow go, heard it hit. The buck jumped, made a U turn and ran back into the trees. I saw what I thought was blood coming out where the arrow had exited when he ran. I could tell exit was a bit far back, but I thought the entrance was good and probably hit the lungs or a lung.
I waited about 10 minutes, got down and found my arrow. I was dark brownish red blood and smelled like liverish, stomach stuff, I knew that wasn’t good. Looked at my watch it was 9:12. I got back into the stand and waited till about 9:35 to go and look for him. There was a voice in my head saying, everything on the GS says at least an hour if you think its a liver shot. (But I thought I had a lung and liver) So off I go, following his blood trail, I get about 30 yards from him and he jumped up from under the tree where he was laying. I was mad at myself. 30 more minutes and I would have probably found him right there.
I go to the road and see him in the field about 60-70 yards away standing under an oak tree, where he lays down. I was watching through the binos and thought good, leave him be and go get him in an hour. Next thing I know, he stands up, barely standing and wobbling. He walks about 30 yards and lays down next to a little bush, the brush and weeds in the field are about knee high, thank goodness I saw him go down. If I hadn’t seen that I never would have found him. Even with the land mark it wasn’t easy.
Well I got my buck. What did I learn? Trust what you read and learn from places like the GS or experienced bow hunters. I knew my arrow hit liver and stomach and should have waited another 30-45 minutes before looking. Ive only been bow hunting for 6 years, so I still consider myself a novice.
Go slow, slow down. I was excited and rushed my shot. I bet if I had waited, he would have taken a few more steps and given me a better shot to take.
If it had been rifle season, I would have the big 8 at the taxidermist right now, it would have been to easy, just like my brother said. This was much more of a challenge and 100 times more rewarding.
Last but not least, move my feeder! It was a great morning, got a great deer and learned a few important things along the way.
I put the pictures of where the arrow entered behind the shoulder and one where it came out. I never examined the the insides when I gutted it because I did hit the stomach and didn’t feel like looking through all that nastiness to look at the liver or lungs.
This morning I shot my biggest bow buck, it’s not a record book buck by any means, but it’s a good buck. So here is my story, the short version, (it isn’t as exciting as a Doc May or DIY Moose hunt) and lessons learned. The first deer showed up at 7:30 this morning, and from 7:30 to 9:00 am, I was covered in deer, with 5-8 at the feeder the whole time. There was a big 8, probably 4.5-5.5 y.o. and the one I shot at the feeder almost the whole time. The big 8 got there about 8 am, by this point my I already have my bow in hand, in position, ready to shoot. The watch is covered by my sleeve, and I wasn’t worried about moving around to look at the watch. I’m hunting out of a tree stand that is 50 yards from the feeder. It wasn’t put up to exclusively bow hunt from, but that is a whole other discussion.
So I’m waiting for the big 8 to get done and hopefully come my way. After what seemed like 2 days sitting, ready with bow in hand, not moving, the deer start leaving the feeder, but not coming my way. The buck I wind up shooting starts walking off with some doe, moving into the brush to my right, about 60 yards from me. About 30 seconds later he turned and started heading towards me, I couldn’t believe it. He closes in to a tree that’s 30 yards away, if he would have stopped, I would of had a shot. He kept walking. He walks past a tree that’s at 20 yards. He takes about 4 steps past the tree and stops, quartering to me. I have never shot a deer that was in that’s position. I have had 1 or 2 quartering away and the rest have all been broadside. I thought I had the pin right on his shoulder, guess I got a little excited and probably rushed the shot. Let the arrow go, heard it hit. The buck jumped, made a U turn and ran back into the trees. I saw what I thought was blood coming out where the arrow had exited when he ran. I could tell exit was a bit far back, but I thought the entrance was good and probably hit the lungs or a lung.
I waited about 10 minutes, got down and found my arrow. I was dark brownish red blood and smelled like liverish, stomach stuff, I knew that wasn’t good. Looked at my watch it was 9:12. I got back into the stand and waited till about 9:35 to go and look for him. There was a voice in my head saying, everything on the GS says at least an hour if you think its a liver shot. (But I thought I had a lung and liver) So off I go, following his blood trail, I get about 30 yards from him and he jumped up from under the tree where he was laying. I was mad at myself. 30 more minutes and I would have probably found him right there.
I go to the road and see him in the field about 60-70 yards away standing under an oak tree, where he lays down. I was watching through the binos and thought good, leave him be and go get him in an hour. Next thing I know, he stands up, barely standing and wobbling. He walks about 30 yards and lays down next to a little bush, the brush and weeds in the field are about knee high, thank goodness I saw him go down. If I hadn’t seen that I never would have found him. Even with the land mark it wasn’t easy.
Well I got my buck. What did I learn? Trust what you read and learn from places like the GS or experienced bow hunters. I knew my arrow hit liver and stomach and should have waited another 30-45 minutes before looking. Ive only been bow hunting for 6 years, so I still consider myself a novice.
Go slow, slow down. I was excited and rushed my shot. I bet if I had waited, he would have taken a few more steps and given me a better shot to take.
If it had been rifle season, I would have the big 8 at the taxidermist right now, it would have been to easy, just like my brother said. This was much more of a challenge and 100 times more rewarding.
Last but not least, move my feeder! It was a great morning, got a great deer and learned a few important things along the way.
I put the pictures of where the arrow entered behind the shoulder and one where it came out. I never examined the the insides when I gutted it because I did hit the stomach and didn’t feel like looking through all that nastiness to look at the liver or lungs.
Attached Files
Comment