Regrets to relief buck. Lessons learned.

[rbcorbitt]

What an emotional archery deer season to date!  This is the first full season that I have chosen to hunt (to this point) with only traditional archery equipment.

The opening weekend of NC archery season found me with a 16 yard "chip shot" on an unsuspecting doe.  I stared in disbelief as my arrow sailed over her back, not once, but twice!
Later that evening I berated myself about not picking a spot - I was shooting at the entire deer.

The very next evening found me in what we call the house stand, because, well, its on old abandoned farmhouse built back in the 1800's.  Still in great shape, we have several shot opportunities from the second story into the food plots that now surround it.

I had watched a skittish doe with a late season fawn come in around 6, and while the fawn ate, the doe was super nervous and would not settle down.  After about 5 minutes or so, they both moved off out of distance quickly.

I eased to the other end of the house to check out the field on the other side, and when I returned to my chair, I was startled to see a nice 8 pointer standing in the same area as the doe and fawn had been earlier.

Quietly I removed by Dryad static tip from the bow hanger in the rafters and prepared for the buck to move around to give me a broadside or quartering away shot.  It seemed like forever as he ate some and then looked at the doe and fawn, which at this time had moved out about 90 yards farther into the field.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the buck turned broadside.  I picked a spot (I thought), drew back and shot from around 12 yards.  The buck wheeled at the spot and headed into some thick nasty woods to the right of the house.

Something didn't look right.  The arrow seemed to me to hit about 4" farther back than my spot and there was way too much arrow sticking out.  Not a good sign   :confused:    :( !

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Im in and wishing the best , will check back in a while gota go to the store for supplies...

,,,,Sam,,,,

[centaur]

I have seen this movie before; hope the outcome is a good one.  

[tomsm44]

Centaur, I starred in a low budget B version of this movie this year.  Much smaller arch enemy in mine and it wasn't a happy ending, but it was left open for a sequel.  Limb hit my stand and the arrow went low and left for a quartering away hip bone shot.  He was back on camera two nights later and has stayed around for the last 3 weeks or so, with a sorta cow lick on his right hip.  Might still get another chance at him.  Rbcorbitt, Hope yours turns out good.

Matt

[LB_hntr]

I wish you the best in the recovery. We all know that disheartening feeling of a not perfect hit. I got my fingers crossed for ya.

[rbcorbitt]

Thanks, guys!  

I checked the hit site - no immediate blood or hair.  I wasn't so concerned about that as I was the lack of penetration.  When the buck ran off through the thick blow-downs, I could hear that carbon shaft smacking against branches and trees.

Now mind you, I was shooting a 53# recurve (I 'm pulling closer to 55-56") with a Centaur Big Game head up sharp for a total arrow weight of around 580 grains.  Plenty of bow and arrow for any deer.

Oh, I forgot, view from House Stand - taken at a later sit, that's my Centaur Dark Matter hanging up in this pic.
    \\

Many a deer been killed out of this stand!

[awbowman]

Nice stand Bob, but the suspense is killing us!          

[Friend]

Seems quite ironic that the two bows mentioned are the same two I shoot.

Hoping for a favorable outcome.

[medic77]

That is a great looking stand location

[59Alaskan]

That stand looks waaaay too comfortable for me.  I would be sawing logs in minutes of sitting down there.

Hope this ends well!

[rbcorbitt]

Sorry, gang, but work called!  Where was I?   :confused:     Oh yeh, I had just shot the buck but was confused by poor penetration.

Now, I've only been hunting since I was 12 (I'm 51 now) and have been blessed to have taken a variety of game from many States and multiple continents with hunting handguns, compounds and muzzleloaders, so I knew better than to jump right in to a tracking job on a questionable hit.  Well, apparently I did not       !

As it was getting dark quickly, and I was a little excited (this was my first trad deer and not a bad buck) I started looking for sign.  I found none, but busted through the thick brush for approximately 30 yards following the trail that I had watched the buck take.

Frustrated that there was no blood, I backed out, gathered all my stuff and rode the 1/2 mile back to the cabin where reinforcements would be waiting.

After a discussion of the scenario, and as over an hour had passed, my buddy Sam and I gathered lights and went back to the scene of the crime.  About 10 yards further in from where I had stopped looking we found our first blood.  Dark blood.  As we worked through the THICK blowdowns, the blood became more pronounced.

After tracking good blood for about 55-60 yards in some of the nastiest stuff I had ever been in, we came to a bush that was literally sprayed with blood up to my head level (I'm a tad over 6').  I sighed a big sigh of relief.

Too soon for relief, as then the blood became more and more scarce, and within 10 yards of the big splash, disappeared entirely.  At this point it was after 10 PM, so we backed out and decided to hit it early morning.

"Things always look better in the daylight", my friend Sam told me.

Talk about a sleepless night!  I replayed the shot over and over.  Why not more penetration?  Was the deer mortally hit?
I said a prayer for a quick recovery the next morning, knowing all along that if the deer was down, chances were that the coyotes would get him.

Sorry, crew, have to head out to Post Office to send a bow off to a TG mate in Australia.  Will get back to the story later!

Tuned in!

Bisch

[D. Key]

If you heard the arrow making contact, it was internally cutting with each bound.  One thing to consider; do you think he could have backtracked on his trail and cut off somewhere in-between? I've seen this happen before and be sure to check his blood trail and see if he cut of.  Best of luck in finding him.

[Fritz]

I sense a story that is being streeeeeecccccheeeedd out! Oh well, guess i'll wait for you to get back from the po. Cool stand, by the way.  

[centaur]

Charlie Lamb school of journalism grad is writing this, no doubt.

[jrchambers]

d key I do believe that this is a fore gone conclusion

[rbcorbitt]

Okay, back from Post Office - first bow I've ever shipped to land of OZ       !

I'll cut to the chase on this, gents!

The next morning two of grid searched for nearly 3 hours but came up with no more additional sign and no carcass.

Over the next two hunting weekends, there would be groups of up to 4 doing extensive grid searches looking for the carcass or any remains.  All to no avail.

I was devastated.  I have hunted enough to know that it does happen.  I tried to keep a positive attitude and "get back on that horse" instead of instinctively reaching for my compound or hunting firearms.    It was tough, I just had a hard time accepting the fact that I may have been responsible for the death of such a majestic animal without a recovery.

Jump forward to this past weekend.  I am at home preparing for the upcoming Hog Wild hunt at Wild Things when I get a text from my buddy Sam.
  \\

That buck looked kind of familiar.  I text Sam back and asked where and when.  Several pics of this buck where taken just this past week feeding and chasing does at the feeder down from the cabin.

Then he sends this pic!
  \\

There was the wound where I had shot him originally.  It appears to be healing just fine and in no way did the buck seem to be the worse for wear.

I literally broke down in tears of joy.  It may sound stupid, but I was so relieved!

I still don't know what caused my shot to be 4" left of where I was intending, nor do I know why there was not better penetration (although in this case, now I am glad there wasn't).

He lives to pass on his genes!

Things I learned from this ordeal:

- PICK A SPOT!
- Do NOT immediately start a search on a questionable deer
- PICK A SPOT
- Get back on that horse that threw you
- Prayers are answered
- You can't take an arrow back
- Did I mention, PICK A SPOT!?

This buck and I may meet again this season or next, or we may never cross paths again.  However, this will always be Bob's buck to all the hunters who share our camp!

[jrchambers]

wow I thought you shot far back, that's a heavy bone hit, awesome he is still alive

[jrchambers]

not the end I saw coming

[awbowman]

Good to know he's still around.  He may have moved at the shot.