Lost Buck - What Went Wrong?

[Tony Pic]

Happy Birthday! Hannah.
Wish you 100 more. Enjoy the day.

[GarGuy]

Happy birthday! We have all cheered for you all along but that video made you a TBH superstar. Most of us have gone through the same range of emotions many times. It is born from an understanding of our responsibility to make clean shots and go to great lengths to recover shot game. I think almost all of us relate to you and your passion. No doubt all of this is part of maturing as a hunter.

I will be following all your hunts in the future. Steve

[Duckologist]

First and foremost these types of things happens or has happened to us all. DO NOT get discouraged. My opinion is that deer may have even survived. Next, I am in the deadly V crowd as well but unlike some others here I would lean more towards a heavier arrow rather than more speed which will be more forgiving when it comes to shooting at the V as far as penetration goes. And finally, it appears in the excitement and the adrenaline that perhaps you may have punched the trigger a bit? Maybe much practice in the off season will help the mind deal with the shot when the time comes next season. Much luck to you and your dad next season, I look forward to seeing you with that 10 that is calling your name. Keep at it and remember to have fun!!!!

[Michael]

First and foremost these types of things happens or has happened to us all. DO NOT get discouraged. My opinion is that deer may have even survived. Next, I am in the deadly V crowd as well but unlike some others here I would lean more towards a heavier arrow rather than more speed which will be more forgiving when it comes to shooting at the V as far as penetration goes. And finally, it appears in the excitement and the adrenaline that perhaps you may have punched the trigger a bit? Maybe much practice in the off season will help the mind deal with the shot when the time comes next season. Much luck to you and your dad next season, I look forward to seeing you with that 10 that is calling your name. Keep at it and remember to have fun!!!!

Good feedback. We had been working on that trigger punch during practice sessions, but we definitely have more work to do so it becomes automatic when the pressure is on.


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[mikemorvan]

First of all, Happy Birthday young lady!

Lot's of insight above. I'd only say this: Whatever improvement needs to be made - if that arrow went where you aimed it, you're in business. All that needs to be done is to change the point of attack. Live and learn.

Don't ever lose that feeling of excitement and the adrenalin dump it provides. There's just nothing like it. Happy hunting....

[rocky]

I haven't checked it recently, but I believe she's somewhere between 40-45#. I upped it a little during the season. I think she can handle more and that's one thing we're going to increase as we practice. We also want to extend her comfortable target range out beyond 30 yards.

I happen to think a Jak Hammer would have made a difference here. I was reluctant to put a mechanical on her low poundage bow, but even as is the Avail is efficient enough to punch through a whitetail. I ordered her a pack of JH's immediately after this hunt.

A very good friend put this into perspective for me, being an anti- mechanical at the time. “Shot placement trumps everything”. I’ve shot and experimented with a lot of mechanical heads since then, but realize the downside. An expandable head requires more energy to open and penetrate, therefore, we need to know what kind of energy our bow produces. While Hannah’s arrow may have flown true, and her aim was spot on, the arrow didn’t impact where intended. Knowing arrow energy is a priority before assuming a different head would have produced better results.

[Duckologist]

A very good friend put this into perspective for me, being an anti- mechanical at the time. “Shot placement trumps everything”. I’ve shot and experimented with a lot of mechanical heads since then, but realize the downside. An expandable head requires more energy to open and penetrate, therefore, we need to know what kind of energy our bow produces. While Hannah’s arrow may have flown true, and her aim was spot on, the arrow didn’t impact where intended. Knowing arrow energy is a priority before assuming a different head would have produced better results.

Tis true, the head did its job it was just sent to the wrong jobsite. I would not introduce another level of possible failure by screwing on a mechanical.

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[Dale Moser]

Having just finished this thread, the one over arching theme is the quality character shown at every turn. Refreshing, yet completely un surprising.

Don’t dwell on the negative, but don’t forget it, either. Onward and upward..it will make you better.

Happy Birthday, Hannah! Can’t wait for the next chapter..


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[Michael]

First of all, Happy Birthday young lady!

Lot's of insight above. I'd only say this: Whatever improvement needs to be made - if that arrow went where you aimed it, you're in business. All that needs to be done is to change the point of attack. Live and learn.

Don't ever lose that feeling of excitement and the adrenalin dump it provides. There's just nothing like it. Happy hunting....

A very good friend put this into perspective for me, being an anti- mechanical at the time. “Shot placement trumps everything”. I’ve shot and experimented with a lot of mechanical heads since then, but realize the downside. An expandable head requires more energy to open and penetrate, therefore, we need to know what kind of energy our bow produces. While Hannah’s arrow may have flown true, and her aim was spot on, the arrow didn’t impact where intended. Knowing arrow energy is a priority before assuming a different head would have produced better results.

Tis true, the head did its job it was just sent to the wrong jobsite. I would not introduce another level of possible failure by screwing on a mechanical.

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Just to clarify (while not dwelling on negatives, as Dale mentioned) the shot placement was several inches back of where she was aiming. Perhaps it was because her anchor point was off because of the limb. Maybe it was because she punched the trigger. Maybe the awkward position caused her to torque the bow, causing the arrow to sail left. We will continue to work on those things as we practice.

Rocky, I had her shooting fixed heads because I wasn’t sure her bow produced enough energy for mechanicals. However, after Casey’s daughter shot 5 deer this season with Jak Hammers with essentially the same bow/arrow setup, I decided to finish the last weekend of Hannah’s season with a Jak Hammer 100 out front.

Of course, we now have plenty of time to increase her poundage, check her speed and energy and tailor her arrows to optimize for the Jak Hammers before next season.



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[Michael]

Having just finished this thread, the one over arching theme is the quality character shown at every turn. Refreshing, yet completely un surprising.

Don’t dwell on the negative, but don’t forget it, either. Onward and upward..it will make you better.

Happy Birthday, Hannah! Can’t wait for the next chapter..


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Thanks Dale!


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[Trumpkin]

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Something that helps me in pressure situations is to have a shot process I talk myself through as I am shooting. It goes like this for me, "Draw, anchor, aim, stay in the movement, stay in the move-" and suddenly the arrow is gone before I can mess it up.

Notice, there's no "fire" command. If you want to get rid of that trigger punch, you can remind yourself (at full draw) that the next step is a controlled movement, not a muscle spasm. But it only works if you start talking yourself through the process before you draw the bow. Otherwise you will hit auto pilot and your body will try to short cut the process.

[aironeout]

Michael and Hannah, first off I would like to Thank You for sharing the excellent video of this experience. The trait of a great hunter is being receptive to information that is given by others to help hone their skills. And, you two have accepted this info with grace. Well done you two, well done. I remember the first buck I shot with a bow down on the Santa Cruz pasture of the King Ranch. It was a big 6pt (128") and the shot was 31yds with a hard quartering away angle. I released the arrow right at his back rib. The arrow hit the mark and clipped the rib but deflected down. Had a great blood trail (liver) for about 180-200yds then it played out. Deer went unrecovered but was later found in a tank about 3 months later. I left there so disgusted and down on myself that I didn't want to pull an arrow back. The guide I was with could tell I was down and told me it's like getting bucked off, you gotta get back on and start letting the air out of critters. Keep your chin up and you can't let one deer define your hunting career. That big 10 will be waiting next year. Can't wait to see you airhimout.

>E

[Michael]

Michael and Hannah, first off I would like to Thank You for sharing the excellent video of this experience. The trait of a great hunter is being receptive to information that is given by others to help hone their skills. And, you two have accepted this info with grace. Well done you two, well done. I remember the first buck I shot with a bow down on the Santa Cruz pasture of the King Ranch. It was a big 6pt (128") and the shot was 31yds with a hard quartering away angle. I released the arrow right at his back rib. The arrow hit the mark and clipped the rib but deflected down. Had a great blood trail (liver) for about 180-200yds then it played out. Deer went unrecovered but was later found in a tank about 3 months later. I left there so disgusted and down on myself that I didn't want to pull an arrow back. The guide I was with could tell I was down and told me it's like getting bucked off, you gotta get back on and start letting the air out of critters. Keep your chin up and you can't let one deer define your hunting career. That big 10 will be waiting next year. Can't wait to see you airhimout.

>E

Thank you for the kind words and encouragement!


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[Michael]

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Something that helps me in pressure situations is to have a shot process I talk myself through as I am shooting. It goes like this for me, "Draw, anchor, aim, stay in the movement, stay in the move-" and suddenly the arrow is gone before I can mess it up.

Notice, there's no "fire" command. If you want to get rid of that trigger punch, you can remind yourself (at full draw) that the next step is a controlled movement, not a muscle spasm. But it only works if you start talking yourself through the process before you draw the bow. Otherwise you will hit auto pilot and your body will try to short cut the process.

Great suggestions! Thanks!


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[IkemanTX]

[mention]Michael [/mention] I just watched this on YouTube, and the only thing I can say is get her in a heavier arrow. I know it slows down your speeds, but it turned my bow into a silent fricking killer. So much energy has to go into moving the crazy heavy arrow i ha love built that there’s hardly any left for creating noise.

Aside from that..... those bucks have been hunted HARD at feeders. They know they are dangerous spots, and are on pins and needles. Maybe hunt further off of the feeders if possible. Hand corn or broadcast a road or two where they’re not used to being hunted.


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