what am I doing wrong?

[lubbockdave]

OK, I LOVE LOVE LOVE working to get 30 yrds or closer to whitetail deer/mule deer hogs...really gets the heart pumping! But I seem to have an issue with putting the critters down.

Is the margin of error on shot placement that much different than when shooting them with a rifle? I can recall at least 5 instances where i put an arrow just behind the shoulder on deer-found one 2-3 hours later 200 yards away but i was young and new to it and it was right at dark when I let the arrow loose (was my first archery deer ever). Another took almost 5 hours of me sitting in the stand waiting for him to expire.

The other 3 I didnt recover-most recent was yesterday evening-30 yards with a cross bow-hit looked good and he started plowing dirt for about 30 yards, circled around and I could see blood coming down the off side leg-he staggered a couple times and then laid down. I waited until dark dark-went to the truck and gave him at least an hour-went back and he was gone-spotty blood all the way to the neighbors fence. Even see spots where he crossed but no deer. Going this am to see if the landowner will let me cross the fence to look some more.

Anyway I am very disheartened by this-I know it happens but when it does I just want to lay the archery equipment down and go back to the guns. I know you can loose them with poor shot placement with a gun, but for what ever reason the archery hunting for me it seems to happen way too much!!


anyway, I guess what I am asking is this: shot placement/margin of error using archery equipment that much smaller than using a rifle?

[flywise]

You might find him if you get permission.
Margin of error is pretty good size if you're shooting for a double lung. Keep at it.

[Gerald G]

Are your broadheads razor sharp? Dull broadheads don’t get the results of a sharp head.

[N.DaWoods]

Please dont take this the wrong way, because this has happened to almost all archers at some point. We perceive the shot to be right behind the shoulder, when in reality, shot is back, or high, or low, only got one lung because of angle the deer ducked, poor shot, etc. I have bowhunted exclusively now for over a decade and long ago decided to use evidence based tracking decisions, not what i precived as to what happened. For example, the use of lighted nocks helps with finding arrows and making assessments from them. One in particular was a shot on a doe that i knew was a "great shot" when i got to arrow it was covered in gut. I backed out and waited til morning, then went and found her, luckily good temperatures was able to use all meat. Had i trusted my perceived idea of what had happened I would have pushed the deer and possibly never found her. Some people also use video to help with this situation as well, which also gives you a clearer pic of what happened. Deer are not magical, archery equipment today can 100% take down all land mammals on our continent, so dont get discouraged. Keep practicing and hang in there. For me is there is a huge difference in a 17y chip shot and 33y shot. Margin of error much greater as that distance increases, i set all my feeders to have an 18y shot to directly underneath. Set up for some closer shots and gain some confidence. Dont put down the archery tackle yet.

[Gumbo Man]

Valuable info from N.DaWoods and Gerald G and Flywise.Decrease your shooting distance and you will increase your recoveries with better placed shots. In over 30 years I have never lost a deer that I shot with my bow. But I WILL NOT shoot a deer over 20 yards. But that is my comfort zone. I have seen too many videos out there these days where the shooter is shooting 30-40 yards and more resulting in horrible hits and that deer is always recovered. I can assure you that there is a back story ( dog and rifle) that a lot of videos decide to leave out. Again my opinion is reduce your shooting distance and start throwing those deer on your tailgate.

[TKRanch]

Yes, the margin of error is much greater than with a rifle. The SHOCK that a rifle produces to the body along with the partitioning bullet is MUCH different than a broadhead on an arrow. That said, I think that tightening the distance, tightening up the "spot" and maybe focusing on the exit of the shot placement might help you as the angles are very important. Keep practicing, keep slinging arrows and keep working on it and it will come together.

[Trumpkin]

Also, stop shooting "behind" the shoulder. Straight up from the elbow, 1/3 of the way up the body cavity on a broadside deer. Quartering away shots, aim to shove the broadhead out above the offside elbow. There are more blood vessels in the front half of the chest cavity. Back of the lungs/liver will kill deer, but they die faster if you get an arrow into the vicinity of the top of the heart.

[AntlerCollector]

I think you are shooting them too far “behind the shoulder.” The heart is straight up the leg.

[RiverRat1]

Valuable info from N.DaWoods and Gerald G and Flywise.Decrease your shooting distance and you will increase your recoveries with better placed shots. In over 30 years I have never lost a deer that I shot with my bow. But I WILL NOT shoot a deer over 20 yards. But that is my comfort zone. I have seen too many videos out there these days where the shooter is shooting 30-40 yards and more resulting in horrible hits and that deer is always recovered. I can assure you that there is a back story ( dog and rifle) that a lot of videos decide to leave out. Again my opinion is reduce your shooting distance and start throwing those deer on your tailgate.

Yep.
My max shot distance was 17 yards. IMO even 25 yards for a new (and most) bow hunters is too far.

And deer move! Faster than your eye can see. I've seen lots of videos(one I videoed) where the deer moves with the arrow just feet from impact.

Same with a cross bow. I shot one that was broadside about 19-20 yards away. Granted it was a cheap crossbow but when I found the deer the bolt had gone in a couple inches from it's B hole and stopped in the chest cavity.

[cram369]

Hang in there, it’ll get better. On the horizontal line you may want to aim 2” below center line to allow for the deer dropping at sound of shot.

I’m a firm believer in the sharper the broadhead the shorter the blood trail.

I shoot pigs to stay sharp on shot placement, reading blood sign on arrow, tracking.

And lighted nocks are a must for me.


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[lubbockdave]

Please dont take this the wrong way, because this has happened to almost all archers at some point. We perceive the shot to be right behind the shoulder, when in reality, shot is back, or high, or low, only got one lung because of angle the deer ducked, poor shot, etc.

my friend! I will take none of this the wrong way-been humbled way to many times to take things personally. Just looking for help really and i appreciate your in-put. You got me to thinking maybe i am asking to much of myself-I can hit the target 50 yard out with this crossbow-so much so to the point where I had to start shooting one bolt at a time because i kept destroying the bolts already on target-use to do the same at 40 yards with a compound bow...but those targets are STATIONARY! Light bulb finally might have switched on.

[lubbockdave]

I think you are shooting them too far “behind the shoulder.” The heart is straight up the leg.

several replies stating this as well-yea I almost always aim for a dessert (small) plate size area behind the shoulder when gun hunting-sounds like I need to get a lot more precise!

[Sika]

Don’t forget to aim for the exit too. Quartering away or quartering to , right behind the shoulder is not ideal.
Honestly, they aren’t that hard to kill. Just got to hit them in the vitals.

[lubbockdave]

Honestly, they aren’t that hard to kill. Just got to hit them in the vitals.

Maybe so, but it just rips me up knowing that deer is out there, hopefully no longer suffering at this point, but maybe so all due to my error. I am a mixture of angry and disappointed in myself at this point-just really sick over it-waiting on a call back from that land owner-hopefully the deer is 100 yards off the fence line dead!

[Black-N-Red]

Like others have said. Maybe to far back. I try to wait on the deer to get front leg straight & use my pins to line up right up the leg. Ex: 20yrd pin where I want the arrow to go & the 30,40, 50 & 60 pins are lined up down the leg.


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