Author Topic: I'm Disgusted ! (Read 763 times)

Fred McIntire · « **on:** October 04, 2004, 08:50:01 AM »

Man, I am disgusted. It's days like this that make me question myself.

I got in the woods about 3:00 p.m. I cut some limbs and cleared some shooting lanes. I get settled in the stand about 4:00. I'm waiting patiently when some yahoo poachers go driving around the edge of the field across the railroad. I knew they were looking for deer to poach. I think well they may run some this way. I turn to watch in that direction. I hear something and turn my head back to the field and there she is! Dog gone it! Okay, I'll wait until she ain't looking and turn around. Okay, got turned back around. She is slowly working her way towards me, stopping to eat here and there. Finally, she's in range. She turns her head to look behind her and I come to full draw. I got the pin on her but she turns almost facing totally away from me. Darn! I hold at full draw and she turns broadside again. I just wasn't comfortable with a 25 yard shot on her. I ease off the draw and wait. What's that coming over the hill? It's another deer! Wait. Theres another deer! Then 2 more deer! Wow! This could present a problem. I now have 5 pairs of eyes watching. Well, the lead deer that was the original target is working her way closer. The 2nd deer is now approaching the lead deer. What? I don't believe this! The lead deer and the 2nd deer are now standing on their hind legs slugging it out with each other!! I have never seen this before in over 20 years of deer hunting. The lead deer runs to the back of the herd now. Okay. The winner of the boxing match is working her way around towards me. Finally, she is inside of 20 yards. I draw, place the pin on her, and release. God D#%# ! The shot went high and forward. A terrible hit by the best stretch of the imagination. It's getting dark fast! What do I do? I know I cannot take off work Monday. I saw the arrow strike and I know its a bad shot. Darn!! Long story short. I trail for 2 hours. I'm in the thickest thicket you can imagine. The trail is hard but I presss on. After 2 hours, the blood trail is almost non existent. A speck here and a smaller speck there. Finally there is no trail. I had to give up.

What a horrible feeling. I have practiced for the last 2 months. I am putting 12 out of 12 arrows into the kill zone every time. Then this happens on the first shot of the season. I am really heart broken. I know that if I never shoot I'll never kill one but I sure hate it when it goes like this.

Well, that's my update for the 3rd day. I sure hope the season gets better.

JPSaxMan · « **Reply #1 on:** October 04, 2004, 11:31:39 AM »

Well Fred, don't get too bummed out about it. You're not the first expert archer to wound a deer. And you're human (or so I assume

)...so you're prone to making a mistake now and then. I hope for your sakes the season does get better. Good luck and good hunting!

rickyp · « **Reply #2 on:** October 04, 2004, 02:51:40 PM »

have you tried shooting your razor tips for practice?

Last year I blew 2 easy shots at deer all with in 10 yards. the first one hit a doe her in the shoulder and never went trough the other one (and get this)
was a buck almost in the same spot as the doe I took the shot just as i let go the deer put his head down to eat some acorns and his antlers deflected the arrow.

Fred McIntire · « **Reply #3 on:** October 04, 2004, 05:37:56 PM »

Rickyp;

Yes, I have practiced some with the broadheads; however, I'm going to put in some more practice before I head back out.

That's exactly what happened to me. The arrow went high and forward into the shoulder. It sure sucks!

Well, I did the best that I could and I'm going to put it behind me and move forward. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Thanks guys for the encouragement.

Fred

Mohawk · « **Reply #4 on:** October 04, 2004, 06:10:07 PM »

Sorry to hear that, Fred. I hope it gets better for ya'. I blew a good shot last gun season using a crossbow. I shot high nicking the shoulder blade. Followed the trail for a couple hours before it quit. This was the only deer I shot at last season and I hated to lose it. But the good news is that the deer is still alive and well. My dad spotted her since. He noticed the wound which was nothing but a scabbed flesh wound. Maybe she'll give me a chance this year.

dukkillr · « **Reply #5 on:** October 04, 2004, 09:27:42 PM »

i lost the first buck i ever shot with a bow... in retrospect i should have waited longer and given him a chance to bleed but i was young and excited... unfortunately i've come to realize that bow hunting simply leads to lost deer... i feel bad when it happens, and i do everything i can to avoid it... but it does still happen...

crazyjjk · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2004, 10:26:38 AM »

If you were in a tree there is a good chance in the excitement that you did not bend at the waste and then draw the bow. If you just draw while shooting at a downward angle you tend to hunch your back. This will cause your draw to shorten some and your anchor points to be off in relation to the bow. This almost always causes you to shoot high and also can cause left or right issues also. Remember bend at the waist and then draw.>John

Fred McIntire · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2004, 08:04:21 AM »

Well, I'm not disgusted after this weekends hunt. It seems that the extra practice and preparation has finally paid off.

I took some time Sunday afternoon to adjust my sights. I went from 5 pins down to 2 pins. Those carbon arrows are shooting so flat that I don't need more than 2 pins for my comfort zone. After adjusting the sights, I took several practice shots at the 3 D target. Everything seemed to be perfect.

I had taken time to sharpen my broadheads a few days ago.

I got in the woods around 3:00 o'clock. I set up, climbed a little higher than usual, and waited. It was 4:00 p.m. and I caught movement to my right. It was a small buck. Then another. And another. A total of 3 small bucks from 4 to 6 points. I also saw a doe and a yearling. A total of 5 deer to watch at 25 yards out. No clear shots so I settled down and watched them. Something spooked them. Maybe a shift in wind carried my scent that away. They left the area.

It was 6:02 p.m. and I look up and there is a nice little 6 pointer standing in the clearing. I thought he was going to go away from me; however, he turned and came towards me. He went down the hill into the picked cornfield. He was no more than 15 yards and very slightly quartering away. I drew, took a deep breath, asked God to make my hand steady and my aim true, and released.

The shot was textbook perfect! I watched as the Buck tore down thru the cornfield. I thought he went into a thicket but I could not find the bloodtrail in the thicket. I came back out to the cornfield and found the trail again. This time, step by step, I tracked him. He had started to go into the thicket but veered back out into the corn field. I kept watching ahead as I tracked and then I saw him. He was piled up about 20 yards ahead of me. Yes !!!

I had to drag him about 1/2 mile by myself as I hunt alone most of the time. I finally got him back to the road and loaded him up.

I think the sight adjustment, the extra practice, and sharpening the broadheads all came together Sunday.

I also thank God for answering my prayers for a steady hand and a true aim. Thank you !