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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: TooManyHobbies on October 25, 2014, 05:47:00 PM
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I wasn't going to share this, but after two days of reflection I thought if just one person learns from what I may have done wrong....
Thursday, my new Ground Seat arrived from BigJim. So I grabbed it and my ghillie. I set up in the same area I was in two weeks ago (Ghillie Close) where I almost got run over by two does. We finally had a north wind, but a storm was still rolling through. I don't usually hunt in the rain, and it didn't rain for most of the day so I went out in the evening. Of course as luck would have it, a light rain started ten minutes after getting into the woods. I stayed for the two hours until sunset.
Five minutes before sunset, I look over my left shoulder and saw a "fern" move. It was an antler, attached to one of the biggest racked bucks I've ever attempted a shot at. He was feeding/browsing and didn't have a clue I was there. He grunted once and came trotting down the trail. I started to draw and he saw me...stopped at no more than ten yards broadside. Some brush protected him from mid lung and back. Since I was at half draw, I thought the movement would be the same whether I let down or came to full. I went to kill mode. I held for a couple seconds and picked my spot. Released and immediately knew I had (screwed) up. The arrow hit high, about an inch (maybe two) below the top of his back. I could only hope he would drop from a spine hit. He didn't. He hauled butt with my arrow sticking out both sides, with what looked like 3-4" of flesh between each end of arrow. It was no where near lungs and I think over the spine.
More rain came and of course by this time dark too. We looked for a while and found nothing, but I'm 100% sure it was a simple flesh wound.
The Ground Seat worked great.
The ghillie worked great.
I shot at a deer at ten yards that was broadside and looking directly at me. I shot for center of lungs (instead of low heart area, mental mistake). I don't believe I was shaking at all, but adrenaline is funny. Certainly not as much as when the does almost ran me over.
At that range, is it possible my shot went where I aimed and he ducked or did I just shoot high?
I took a bunch of shots today at the same distance, same position, all shots were true in the target.
It's hard not to be disgusted when all the practice ends in failure time after time. I'm confident in my ability to shoot accurately, but for some reason, I have not been successful with deer - 0/5 with 3 consecutive lost animals.
Thanks for listening/reading.
Brian
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Patience, timing the draw and reading body language are tough to practice. Rainy conditions, an alert deer and fading light would have kept me from shooting no matter what the range. I'm not a very good shot so I always want everything else going for me when I take a shot if possible.
Keep your head up, learn from your mistakes,adapt and overcome.
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He "jumped the string".
Actually. They drop, to load up there legs with power, then jump away, from what ever spooked them.
Your arrow hit when he dropped.
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Robert Carter's(RC) words run through my mind every time I'm faced with thinking about making a shot on a live deer... "Hold low and tight"
God bless,Mudd
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Sounds like a flesh wound and most likely he will be fine. The reaction time on deer is amazing - especially if they are on full alert looking at something suspicious. Go to youtube and search "deer jumping the string" - several videos showing how much they can drop is a fraction of a second.
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Hey TooMany....I feel your pain! I did something about the same. My buddy put me in his ground blind the other day. He told me he had lots of pictures on his trail camera of a 7 point buck. Long story short....the buck shows up right on cue. I had a small window of opportunity (literally!) and rushed the shot. Didn't lock my bow arm...didn't pick a spot, etc. :thumbsup:
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I use their tails as a drop the string barometer. If they have their tails up and their ears forward, you are in a spot where they are going to move quicker than the arrow can get there. Even at 10 yards. They are damn quick!
Some guys shoot low hoping the deer will drop into the arrows path. Personally.... if that tail is up, i wont drop the string no matter how close they are.
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Thanks guys. I'll try to pay attention to the tail, and especially if they have me pegged. Hopefully I'll see him again.
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I never ever shoot when a deer is looking at me. LEsson learned hard years ago. Passed up a fat meat doe a couple weeks ago because of that very thing. 10 shot. Let her walk. I always tell myself if I pass the shot, I can hunt 'em again tomorrow. If I blow it, gone forever.
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Well, good news. My buddy just called and said his dog just chased the buck out of his yard. I told him to shoot the dog, lol. But, the buck is still around. Hopefully I have a pic of him on my trail cam. With a little luck, maybe I'll get a second crack at him. The not knowing part was driving me crazy. Now I know.
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:thumbsup:
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That's good news, stay after him!
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"He saw me". When a deer is on full alert you had best shoot low. Its unbelievable how fast they can react. Been there, done that. Glad your deer has been seen up and about. Good hunting and "Keep'Um Sharp". :banghead:
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John...long time no see! Glad to see you post, I enjoyed your input and stories.