She ran right under my stand. The entrance was a bit to the rear. Looked like behind the ribcage... It was a steep quartering to shot so I'm hoping liver. The arrow has bright arterial blood, not brown bile so....
"A patriot is mocked, scorned and hated; yet when his cause succeeds, all men will join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Trailing her with beagles right now. Been trailing for 2 hours....
Good luck!
When our governing officials dismiss due process as mere semantics, when they exercise powers they don’t have and ignore duties they actually bear, and when we let them get away with it, we have ceased to be our own rulers.
I'm not seeing a broadhead in the arrow pic. Is it covered, did you remove it, or did it break off?
When our governing officials dismiss due process as mere semantics, when they exercise powers they don’t have and ignore duties they actually bear, and when we let them get away with it, we have ceased to be our own rulers.
We called it. The dogs worked their butts off. We tracked that deer for a couple of miles through some thick stuff. Finally we found two spots where she stood. Didn't look like she laid down because the blood wasn't smeared all over, just puddled. The second spot was the largest. She stood there for a while.
Unfortunately, ayer leaving that spot, she hit the dirt road running full tilt. We saw her splayed hoof prints and finally found a spongy piece of tissue on that road but no more blood. The dogs got mixed up at one point and led us through a thick stand of planted pines but there was no blood to be seen. We think they crossed up with another deer at that point. We got the trucks and took them back to the dirt road but they couldn't find where she had left the road, if she even had...
I hate losing the deer. I'm positive she's dead. The blood was red and that tissue seemed to be liver or something like it.
I've also changed my mind on fixed broad heads. It wasn't the best shot but I think I'm going to go with mechanicals that open up to 2" or so rather than these G5 Monteks at 1 1/4 cutting diameter. A lung shot would've killed her quick regardless of the broadhead used, but I failed to place it there. Just hit a little too far back.
Well crap. Been there done that twice.
As to the mechanicals, not for me. That's one of those things I don't trust. They may be fine, but I simply don't trust them.
See? That's what the guy at the bow shop said and I went along with it. But the two guys I was hunting with (they were the ones with the beagles) both suggested I use mechanicals. They certainly have a lot more experience than I do, but..
It all boiled down to shot placement. She was only about 20 yards, I simply botched the shot. I should've waited for a more broad side shot rather than the quarter. I learned a lesson.
I've killed a slew of deer with mechanical broadheads. I used to use Vortex heads with 2 3/4" spread. It reduces penetration some, but cuts a heck of a swath through an animal.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
Before I went to mechanicals, I used Bear Razorheads with the bleeder blade removed. They shot well and penetrated exceptionally well. I switch to mechanicals when a friend gave me some and I had a lot of deer to cull. Stayed with them after that.
"To Hell with efficiency, it's performance we want!" - Elmer Keith
I think I've realized another destructive way of thinking... The first deer I ever shot, I dropped her like a stone with a .25-06. When me and the pa-in-law were dressing her, we noticed the bullet entered right at the back edge of the left front shoulder, causing the meat to be blood-shot, and it destroyed the opposite side shoulder, going right through the middle of the muscle.
His comment was, "Hmm. Hit that one a little too far forward." He said it with a smile, but I guess I've been overly worried about ruining meat that I aim a little too far back. And with this deer quartering towards me, too far back turned out to be even FURTHER "too far back".
I've read enough African safari magazines, books, etc. that mentioned American's proclivity to shoot behind the shoulder, and the PH usually tells them to aim FOR the shoulder. Break that leg and they won't go far. Also, you're guaranteed to hit heart/lungs that way.
Maybe I'm overthinking it. But I don't think I am. I was worried about getting beat up here for losing a deer. I know there are some that have never lost a single one and up until tonight, that was me as well.
Nope..your not the only person to ever lose a deer. Shot one with a .308 few years ago and knew it was a solid hit just before dark..tried most of the evening and all next day to find it and it's trail. I did finally find it...week later after the crows and coyotes had their way with it.
I was worried about gettng beat up here for losing a deer. I know there are some that have never lost a single one and up until tonight, that was me as well.
Count me in the "I've lost a deer" crowd. Hunt long enough and it will happen.
Sorry it happened to you, today.
When our governing officials dismiss due process as mere semantics, when they exercise powers they don’t have and ignore duties they actually bear, and when we let them get away with it, we have ceased to be our own rulers.
Replies
"The Un-Tactical"
Man I'm not going to be able to sit ...
"The Un-Tactical"
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Now go get that deer. :tooth:
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Good luck!
Adam J. McCleod
Adam J. McCleod
Unfortunately, ayer leaving that spot, she hit the dirt road running full tilt. We saw her splayed hoof prints and finally found a spongy piece of tissue on that road but no more blood. The dogs got mixed up at one point and led us through a thick stand of planted pines but there was no blood to be seen. We think they crossed up with another deer at that point. We got the trucks and took them back to the dirt road but they couldn't find where she had left the road, if she even had...
I hate losing the deer. I'm positive she's dead. The blood was red and that tissue seemed to be liver or something like it.
I've also changed my mind on fixed broad heads. It wasn't the best shot but I think I'm going to go with mechanicals that open up to 2" or so rather than these G5 Monteks at 1 1/4 cutting diameter. A lung shot would've killed her quick regardless of the broadhead used, but I failed to place it there. Just hit a little too far back.
It all boiled down to shot placement. She was only about 20 yards, I simply botched the shot. I should've waited for a more broad side shot rather than the quarter. I learned a lesson.
His comment was, "Hmm. Hit that one a little too far forward." He said it with a smile, but I guess I've been overly worried about ruining meat that I aim a little too far back. And with this deer quartering towards me, too far back turned out to be even FURTHER "too far back".
I've read enough African safari magazines, books, etc. that mentioned American's proclivity to shoot behind the shoulder, and the PH usually tells them to aim FOR the shoulder. Break that leg and they won't go far. Also, you're guaranteed to hit heart/lungs that way.
Maybe I'm overthinking it. But I don't think I am. I was worried about getting beat up here for losing a deer. I know there are some that have never lost a single one and up until tonight, that was me as well.
Count me in the "I've lost a deer" crowd. Hunt long enough and it will happen.
Sorry it happened to you, today.
Adam J. McCleod