Shot the wrong buck last night

[pdk25]

I was hunting last night and had several deer within 70 yards of me right before dusk.  I had already passed on a 6 point and a couple of does, and I was thinking that I would soon be sitting in my stand well after dark until these deer cleared out of the area.  Just before dark a doe scampered out of the briar patch and looked behind her.  A smallish 8 point and a large 9 (It was getting late and I only know it was a 9 because I've seen it before) followed, grunting up a storm. The doe stepped off and the 8 point followed, then turned around for some reason, stopping behind a couple of large maple trees. The large 9 point then went toward the the smaller buck and they hung up behind the tree for what seemed like forever, but was probably only a couple of minutes.  Daylight was nearly gone and I was ready when the buck come out from behind the tree going the same direction that the 9 was going. It was around 10 yards out and I was pretty high up in the tree.  With the quartering away angle I hit a little back and high, and deer went scattering.  I heard a crash around 50 yards to my left, but no leg kicking or anything like that.  It was dark now, and since I hit a little far back I decided to back out til later.  

I got up at 3 am and took the lantern out.  I found the arrow and started to trail the deer.  It was a pretty sparse blood trail, with a spatter every 5 yards or so.  About 50 yards I found my deer, probably where I heard the crash the previous night.  I gotta tell you I was more than a little disappointed when I saw it was the 8-point.  Oh well, it'll probably taste good.  It was a pass through shot and I've included pics of the entry and exit wounds.  The arrow took out both lungs, a small piece of liver, the big vessels on top of the heart and none of the bowel(thankfully).  I can't believe the blood trail was so poor.  I was trying out the G5 montec broadheads, using beeman mfx clasic 400 shafts with a 75 grain brass insert out of my RER vortex longbow.  I've got to think it was the small montec blades.  I'm going to just use them for squirrel hunting from now on.  The lantern did a great job, though.  Other than a nice burn on the inside of my forearm.  Funny how things that run on propane get hot.  Why didn't I think of that?

 

Looking a little wet after being dragged through a swamp and across a creek.

 

 

 

[rastaman]

Still a nice deer!  

[jesse cales]

nothing wrong with that deer,pat.now you can go after the bigger one.  

[Deadbolt]

damn fine deer pat!  now go take a nap i know i am!  ill call ya later to see if i can hunt the night post but im draggin now...

[George D. Stout]

You need a whack on the forehead to say you're disappointed with a fine deer like that.  I'm disappointed with your comment.  That's a great deer and a good shot.

[pdk25]

Consider myself whacked.  There is nothing wrong with the deer.  I have just a good year that I've passed on alot of deer and had my sights on a couple that were really nice.  When I went to sleep last night I thought I had shot one of them.  When I found the deer this morning it was a little bit of a let down.  That's all.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Great deer Pat! Keep up the good work!

Cameron

[RightTrailWrongTime]

Ya did good, some folks on here that have hunted for years and not taken anything so be thankful, its not always about how big or how many, also the g5s work just fine there's lots of bheads out there with the same cutting width as the g5, I personally like the WW's better(much longer cutting surface). Make em sharp and put em where they're supposed to go!

[Forrest Creature 1]

nice deer, be happy any deer with stick&string is a trophy  

[Shape Shifter]

That is a great deer. Excellent job.  

[onewhohasfun]

Way to go! Let me see, liver, both lungs, major vessels near heart. Just how much too far back was the shot, ONE INCH?

[pj starrett]

great deer and good shot...

[superkodiak]

I would count my blessings and hunt the 9 point next year! =)  he should be bigger then...

[Deadbolt]

Originally posted by onewhohasfun:
Way to go! Let me see, liver, both lungs, major vessels near heart. Just how much too far back was the shot, ONE INCH?

He is a perfectionist!!

I had the same problems with the G5s myself...they got put away a while ago!

[heydeerman]

I congratulate you with reservation. If you did not want that deer then why did you shoot it? Why the dissapointment?

I once showed a picture of a small 10 point buck I shot to a "friend" who said "You wasted your buck tag on that". I have never talked hunting with him since. I had no shame in shooting a "small" deer. If I did not want to kill it I would not have stretched the string on it.

[Pinecone]

I think he's a great buck and I congratulate you on a good shot and a short blood trail.  

Claudia

[Earl Jeff]

I wish I would have shot the wrong deer, I hunted 30+ days here in Pennsylvania and had one spike buck close enough to shoot.  Nice deer I'm thinking of getting a NJ license next year.

[heydeerman]

I recieved a pm from pdk and after hearing his explanation and going back and re-reading his post, he meant exactly what he said. I saw the part where he was disappointed and the feathers got ruffled a bit. He was after the 9 and he did exactly what he should have and picked a spot and shot...expecting the 9 to step out. His disappointment was not in the kill but he thought he had shot the 9 pointer till he found the deer and it was the 8.

I understand what he meant now and apologize for the rebuke.

Congratulations. Nice buck and good shot.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Great Buck My Brother... Congrats

[Deadbolt]

Originally posted by heydeerman:
I recieved a pm from pdk and after hearing his explanation and going back and re-reading his post, he meant exactly what he said. I saw the part where he was disappointed and the feathers got ruffled a bit. He was after the 9 and he did exactly what he should have and picked a spot and shot...expecting the 9 to step out. His disappointment was not in the kill but he thought he had shot the 9 pointer till he found the deer and it was the 8.

I understand what he meant now and apologize for the rebuke.

Congratulations. Nice buck and good shot.

Glad you clarified...i dont see why people are getting up tight about it honestly...just read into it and its all there just glad you brought it to everyone elses attention.