Im trying learn more from you all.

[VA Elite]

Well I have run last night's scenario through my head many times. i did some research as well. It appears high one lung shots are the number one reason for many lost deer. It seems that most hunters report very similar stories to what happened to  me. Good pink bubble blood but not a ton of it. No sign of the deer ever bedding down, which was the case last night. I pushed her because I thought with the clues I saw she was down. I really believe I hit one lung and that explains the air bubbles. I did not have a lot of blood but enough to lead me to track her sooner than I should have. I also see where a lot of these deer actually survive. I get about 15 ft in the tree. The shot was exactly 16 yards. I did have to stop her so she was alert when I let the string go. SO, what suggestions can you give this newbie trad hunter so I can try to omit these situations? I hope to get another chance this year and right now I will be very unsure of any shot that I have. I am all ears.

[goingoldskool]

Either a lower stand or further shot to animal. Either of these will give you a flatter angle,therefore, a better chance of a double lung.

Sounds easier than it is..... we all like to be high in the trees to evade their eyes, but....


Good luck, shoot straight and God bless,


Rodd

[VA Elite]

ok, I never go above 15 ft maybe I should bring it down to about 12 ft. In my days of the compound I would get at 22-25 ft. I was also shooting 2" Rage heads so that helped with marginal shots...those days are gone and i am a new type of bowhunter so I am learning through yall's experience and unfortunately trial and error...

[Jake Scott]

One lung hits are tough.  Reading your last thread, I believe you probably bumped her off her death bed.  I have seen it twice, once by me and once by my best friend.  Even on the best hits, if you DONT SEE THE DEER GO DOWN, give them an hour at the absolute minimum. It's hard, and it takes every ounce of self control, but give them time.  Please don't think I'm coming down on you, Landon, I'm certainly not.  I've made the exact same mistake myself. Even animals that are hit well need time to die.  

Excitement is the both the best friend and the worst enemy of the bow hunter.  It drives us, makes us continue to come back and face failure, makes us prepare fanatically for months on end, and even seeks to destroy us at the moment of truth when we take a shot at animals.  It makes us want to run after an animal when we know better.  Control it, use it.  Dust yourself off brother.  Get back up and get after it.  I think I speak for the whole gang when I say we have your back.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Jake

[VA Elite]

Thanks Jake. Yes I am used to seeing most of my deer drop or either hearing the crash within 40-50 yards. Of course this was when i was shooting large expandable heads at 280 fps.. And i did let the excitement get me. I do know better, and I let my assumptions dictate my decision. Im learning this is a much different ball game than what Im used to. thanks for you good sound advice and encouragement.

[Bernie B.]

Jake Scott - very well said!

Bernie

Thanks Jake! Now I don't have to type anything!

Good luck, Landon!

Bisch

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Shoot low brutha... shoot low...  

I've lost several deer, and elk too, with a high double lung shot. i was on level ground, shooting dead broadside from the ground..... all of them were good clean kill shots, just no blood trail.

Bottom line is if you don't poke a hole in the bottom, they don't leak very well.

It's a part of hunting not too many guys like to admit.... but you WILL lose one now and then. It happens.....

[J. Cook]

Also, take heart in knowing that she is very likely not dead.  There is a lot of debate about the lethality of single lung shots.  I am an ABSOLUTE believer in that if you didn't hit liver, or anything else...just a single lung hit is typically not lethal.  I have personally witnessed 2 very nice bucks that I single lung hit with a compound years ago that were watched for hours hacking, coughing, and weezing only to get up and walk away with no issues.  Both of those deer were seen again later in the season.

I also received pics from a taxidermist friend of a trophy buck with a calcified lung that had collapsed around a Thunderhead 125 years prior to it being killed.

Think of humans - many are living today with only 1 functioning lung.

Jake said it best - if there is any doubt, back out.  But don't let this get you down.  We have ALL been there, and we are ALL very excited to see your success post that we know is coming very soon.  Good luck and keep your head up!!!!!

[VA Elite]

Thank you J cook. very well said.

[Nantahala Nut]

I like the shot angles from the ground much better than in a tree.  More room for error and better chance of a double lung.  If your confidence from the tree is shaken a little try hunting from the ground.  It can be tough to get back on the horse after losing one.

On the bright side you got a decent shot at a deer within range. You are doing something right! Keep at it and you will drag one out of the woods this year.

[VA Elite]

I have been doing both and this incident was a let down for me for sure. I am wonder if it's just not a good idea to stop deer anymore.

[paradocs]

I'm always on the ground, but I never have stopped/alerted a deer on purpose.  Now, accidentally....different story.  Give ground hunting a try; better shot angle, ability to shift position if need be, and not as hard as it sounds.  I've had 4-5 opportunities at 15-20 yards so far this year; was able to draw on all of them.  Didn't shoot, though...all deer on my place, almost have them named.  Too picky, I guess...holding' out for Ole High Horns.

[VA Elite]

yeh I am definitely utilizing that ground sometimes, but i need to do it more often. I have hunted off the ground 6-7 times this year with no luck, but i always have hunted from the tree so it is a trial and error deal this year

[md126]

I never try and stop a deer unless its running by. There is absolutely no need at hunting ranges

15ft isn't too high, especially at a buck standing 16yds away. Plenty of angle to get both lungs in my opinion.

If I had one piece of advice for taking shots at deer its this- AIM LOW. There isn't a bow made, wheels or otherwise, that a deer cant hear and react to before the arrow gets there. I've video'd enough hunts to realize how fast they react and drop, even if you cant see it with the naked eye.

****aim low and you will either have a fatal hit with a better blood trail (low holes) or a clean miss. It's as simple as that****

[VA Elite]

good advice md. 16 yards is about my max and i saw her jump the string, explains why I hit high...plus I stopped her. so she was alert. she was walking...lesson learned, I will not stop them anymore..I used to do it all the time with the compound but i was also using big 2 blade mechanical heads that cut large holes and allowed a marginal hit to be lethal and I had a sight pin which is much easier. Im no longer that hunter so this will take some adjustment. so no more stopping deer for me. and i truly learned after all these years what the difference is between two lungs and one lung and air bubbles are not the same as double lung foamy blood.

[Michael Arnette]

1) don't beat yourself up too bad, you gave it a good shot and it happens to the best.
2)Try the widest broadhead you can get to fly well. I think they make a difference...Simmons, snuffers, Red River, and centaur would be my first choices. knock on wood but I haven't lost a deer yet with the big heads.
3) aim low on any shots from 15 to 25 yards if it's further away or closer am right where you want.

[Michael Arnette]

Consider how much you are learning through this experience! some of these things, such as a white tails reaction upon the shot are things you would have never had to think about if you were using a compound. As far as stopping deer with a mouth grunt goes, I found it can be very helpful. At least you know exactly what they're going to do...it takes some of the guesswork out of it. Are they going to duck? Will it stand still? at least now you know they are going to duck somewhere between 6 and 12 inches. I would caution against mouth grunting a mature deer though, I've had them completely bust out within a split second.

[VA Elite]

well i certainly won't be taking any further than 18 yards...and i am not even sure i will do that. i felt like 16 yards was quite a poke the other night. so if a deer is 10 yads I should just put it right on it?

[Michael Arnette]

http://m.youtube.com/results?q=Matt%20rehor%20bowhunting&sm=3
check this out, watch this buck drop almost a foot: