Feedback on Whitetail Shot

[Yoder]

What craphole state are you hunting in that won't let you go after a wounded deer regardless of the legal method used to track it? If it's legal to use a drone to find it, and have proof like pictures, that it's wounded, it should be legal to go after it and end it's misery.

The law is probably intended to keep people from using drones to kill deer. I know that's not what happened here but I understand.

 

[CMF]

I hope you went in and stuck another one in him. No need to tell us if you did that... sometimes the letter and spirit of the law aren't quite aligned.

All that said... I do not understand why folks insist on shooting narrow two blades at whitetail deer with modern compound bows pulling a reasonable poundage. At least use a 3 blade head, or a wide 2 blade with bleeders.

This is not great evidence of a narrow two blade failing. He missed the vitals. Would another 1/2" of cut mean this buck doesn't live 36 hours. I don't think so.

I'll take the improved accuracy and penetration of a narrow two blade over a 3 blade or wider head. I've put a 7/8" stinger killer bee through a mature bull, a muley buck and a couple whitetail with zero issues.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

This is not great evidence of a narrow two blade failing. He missed the vitals. Would another 1/2" of cut mean this buck doesn't live 36 hours. I don't think so.

I'll take the improved accuracy and penetration of a narrow two blade over a 3 blade or wider head. I've put a 7/8" stinger killer bee through a mature bull, a muley buck and a couple whitetail with zero issues.

What makes you think the extra half inch of cut (and three cutting planes instead of one) wouldn't make a difference on marginal shots? It only takes one good artery nick to change the situation. Sharp blades and well tuned bow with a little arrow weight is way more important for penetration if you're using a compound at normal poundages.

OP, I'm sorry you lost the buck. That really sucks!

 

[adamm88]

i gut shot a doe 2 years ago(today actually) on the last day of archery i could hunt. I soon as i shot i knew something was wrong. I started tracking right away and found it was gut shot, I did back out about an hour and came back, Jumped the deer out of its bed and did some serious tracking to find it.

Point of the story i shot it with sever broadheads, I would have never found that deer without that wide of a broadhead. I have missed and wounded deer with fixed blade and mechanicals, but the sever got me that deer. I know buck are different animals(bigger tougher) after being found by drone on the first day i would have pushed that deer after 24 hours, either it dies quick and you get another shot or gone forever. Jmo

 

[wind gypsy]

What craphole state are you hunting in that won't let you go after a wounded deer regardless of the legal method used to track it? If it's legal to use a drone to find it, and have proof like pictures, that it's wounded, it should be legal to go after it and end it's misery.

People are already using drones illegally to locate/hunt deer. I can understand why they dont want to open the door further to more people bending the rules just "looking for wounded deer" that they never shot at.

Edit to add: I freaking hate drones.. The disrespect amongst people using them over other people's property and over public lands is a problem. They can be 400' up in the air and deer still freak out about their presence from what little i've seen.

 

[260284]

This. Your shot placement is the issue not the equipment. Not throwing stones it's just the truth of it.

For informational purposes, care to share the cost/process in how you were connected with the drone recovery operation?

This. A quartering to or frontal shot works great with a rifle, not so good with a bow.

 

[veres1210]

I had thought about just forgetting about this thread because it seemed like people just wanted to turn questions on these forums into a lecture when the main thing I was just looking for was feedback on if the buck would die. People keep saying it was a frontal shot (when it wasnt), my decision making was bad, or I should go break the law and try to shoot him again, etc, so I figured what's the point of a reply? But maybe someone will learn something from this so I'll finish the story as there is an update.

We found the buck on Thursday, 5 days after the shot and 15+ hours of looking on foot. Since the last spot with the drone he went back onto our property another 200 yards, ripped the arrow out, died in the stream mostly underwater and floated under heavy chest high grass along the bank. The thermals from the water covered his body heat making the drone miss him. We happened to get a lucky angle walking through there for the 2nd time and saw his horns sticking up. He was likely dead not long after we saw him Monday morning.

I've attached photos of the body to see shot placement. I shot this deer broadside and you can see the entry is right where you want for double lung. I did a full autopsy of the buck and here are the results. The arrow went it and immediately hit a rib gashing it deeply and deflected right where it deflected off the adjacent rib next to it and turned 90 degrees to the right. It then exited out his guts on the same side as the entry near the rear leg(see photos). His opposite side had no exit contrary to what the drone photos appeared to show the first time we found him. The resulting damage was slightly cutting the liver/stomach but then mostly guts with some intestines hanging out the exit. We did not find the arrow yet so he may have pulled it out or it caught and ripped out when he went to water before he died. I suppose it also could've floated further downstream if it fell out in the water.

I've had a dozen people, neighbors and friends/family come look at the deer and where I shot him in the treestand/where he was standing while we looked at the entry and exited and we're all still scratching our head on how this happened. I'm still wrapping my head around it because I feel horrible for how it ended but I wouldn't change my shot placement on this deer. It just seems bad luck hit at the wrong time and sometimes shit happens that's out of your control. Contrary to what some have said, I can admit when I take a bad shot and this was not one of those cases. I'm sure this statement will likely be controversial to people but I don't plan on looking back at this site again after this post.

To anyone interested in the drone info, I found numerous options online of guys who use them for deer recovery during the season and then photography or pet/farm animal rescue in the off season. I was charged $300 if they found the deer and $200 if they didn't. The guy was super nice came back 3 times because he believed he would die and didn't charge extra for any return visits. I highly advise understanding the laws around them or asking the pilot you hire about them so you don't accidentally get yourself in trouble. Also know that you cannot get coordinates of the deer if they find it alive.

Overall, the result of this story obviously sucks. The buck died a slow death, his meat went to waste, I felt like shit for a week, and all I'll be left with are some horns and a bad memory. I'm glad I got some closure on where the arrow hit and what happened but it still sucks. I understand sometimes shit happens when bow hunting but it's just making me wonder if ethically gun hunting is just the way to go. This will be my 11th buck I've shot in my 13 years of bow hunting since I turned 12 and the first situation I've had like this. I guess we'll see how I feel next year but when shit like this happens the fun and excitement are gone and idk if it will come back for me in the same way it was before.

 

[Taudisio]

The shot was 20 yards slightly quartering to from a 16ft tree stand.

Was it broadside or quartering to? Just clarifying.

 

[veres1210]

Was it broadside or quartering to? Just clarifying.

I addressed that already in my second post.

 

[Taudisio]

I addressed that already in my second post.

Just went back and looked, nothing mentioned in your post #2, #6, or #14.

I’m sorry about your experience. I would have done things differently, but that’s not me saying you did anything wrong.

It would appear, you shot him quartering to you, to what angle only a video would show. The arrow probably hit that rib and deflected it to more of an angle than it already was, causing a severe gut shot. Bummer deal.

My only thought for next time, work out before next summer and bump your poundage up to gain some speed, use a heavier arrow setup, and punch that front shoulder. Or just wait for perfectly broadside/quartering away shots.

But that’s just my opinion.

 

[veres1210]

Just went back and looked, nothing mentioned in your post #2, #6, or #14.

I’m sorry about your experience. I would have done things differently, but that’s not me saying you did anything wrong.

It would appear, you shot him quartering to you, to what angle only a video would show. The arrow probably hit that rib and deflected it to more of an angle than it already was, causing a severe gut shot. Bummer deal.

My only thought for next time, work out before next summer and bump your poundage up to gain some speed, use a heavier arrow setup, and punch that front shoulder. Or just wait for perfectly broadside/quartering away shots.

But that’s just my opinion.

#33

 

[ResearchinStuff]

It's very obvious from the pictures and how long it took to die that the deer was quartering to, likely quite a bit. That's also why there was no exit on the other side, the arrow was not on a path that took it through both sides the deer.

It's tough to keep details straight, and even harder when your amped up with a giant in front of you. Sucks that it turned out this way. Given the laws you have around drones, calling one in probably hurt you more than it helped, because that deer needed shot again for a good recovery.

 

[waspocrew]

First off - I’m glad you eventually found him. It’s a great buck!

I agree, there’s no way an arrow deflected like that on a broadside shot. With how it deflected, it was quartering, likely more than you thought.

Sorry to see it played out that way, but it is what it is. Again, glad you found him - closure is a good thing!

 

[Taudisio]

#33

Just re-read that one. It can be hard to remember that stuff. Could have jumped and moved at the shot, could have been more angled.

The last buck I shot with my bow, was at about the same 5 degrees quartering to me. Jumped the string and turned towards me more. Arrow hit nearly where yours did and exited the front of his back leg. Exit wound was blocked by gut. I caught the back of the onside lung and his liver thankfully, but didn’t know that at the shot. I knew he jumped the string and heard the arrow hit and immediately knew it was gut. I tracked him immediately to try and get a follow up. Found him dead as a doornail after 250 yards.
I shot a cow elk with my bow this year and the arrow deflected on a branch and it went straight liver. Got a follow up through brush and that went back too. Immediately trailed her and found her bedded about 200 yards away. 3rd shot went through her scapula.

All this to say, shit happens. I go by the thought, “trail them slowly, quietly, solo, and immediately”

 

[Machingeaneer]

Thanks for coming back and sharing, glad you found your buck. The Internet can be rough, especially when sharing a situation like this. Sounds like there's a fair helping of bad luck in this case, I wouldn't let it get ya down to the point of quitting. Try to use it as motivation for the many seasons ahead.

 

[Jason Snyder]

He will absolutely die and you shot too far back on a quartering to shot.

Edit: I read further and saw your updates. You said afterwards it was a broadside. I don’t know, my speculation is his body was bent in some way. Arrows can do funny things, but a 90 degree turn is hard to believe.

It’s not your setup. Guaranteed.

Next time consider a tracking dog instead of a drone you you don’t have legal limitations. I will go against the grain and applaud you for following the law. It sucks, but it is what it is and when we introduce technology into the equation like this it will certainly bring hard choices.

Sorry for the outcome.

 

[CMF]

Awesome buck! glad you got him. I wouldn't beat myself up about how it ended, that's just nature, scavengers got to eat too. Sounds like you went above what most would do to make the recovery.

What makes you think the extra half inch of cut (and three cutting planes instead of one) wouldn't make a difference on marginal shots? It only takes one good artery nick to change the situation. Sharp blades and well tuned bow with a little arrow weight is way more important for penetration if you're using a compound at normal poundages.

I guess it really depends on how many arteries it's possible to hit when slinging one outside the vitals. I don't feel like there are too many, cause very few animals die quickly when hit outside the vitals, even with a gun. I agree that the more cut you have the better the chances, but who knows if it's 2% better or 60%. I feel like it's on the lower end. And at what point does that wider head end up as a marginal shot cause of the wind, brush, etc. It's just been my experience that I get much better groups with smaller heads.

Next time consider a tracking dog instead of a drone you you don’t have legal limitations

Even if you go drone first and then lose it. A dog would have you brought you straight to him. My buddy's kid gutshot one on a Saturday morning, after not finding it the same day, they went back in with a dog on Monday at noon and found him.

 

[Murphy]

Yes thanks for sharing. While it's possible he was quartering to you more than you originally thought it's also very possible he was standing as you thought. I believe arrows can do some strange stuff when encountering bone.

 

[MichigAndy]

Great job on the recovery. Way to stick with it.

 

[tchance21]

Awesome deer congratulations! I wouldn't be to hard on yourself. In my opinion there's nothing that compares to bow hunting these big mature whitetail. Sometimes it's hard to keep track of everything that happens through the excitement of finally getting your chance at a deer like this. Deflection happens, bad shots happen it all part of the thrill. I'm not huge on the drones because they totally tie your hands and it sucks to see them suffer but awesome job with putting boots on the ground to end up finding the deer. The internet can be rough but don't let it ruin your love for the sport... learn something from every hunt and keep improving