High Country Heartbreak

[archeryisking]

This is a last ditch heart break moment for me. I’ve been out in Utah hunting the high country in the Wasatch East since the opener this past Saturday. Shot a good 4x4 on top of the mountain. Shot felt good but it seems the deer jumped the string or I just plumb missed him high. Arrow went in last rib and left opposite shoulder. As he was running for the timber I could see blood coming out his offside shoulder 2/3 up his body. Gave him plenty of time and went in to take up the track. Blood wasn’t pouring but had a good track. Lost blood after 500 yards. I know it’s not a good sign he’d already gone that far but I kept after it. Spent hours/miles gridding for that deer in the timber only to be run off the mountain by a thunderstorm. Which was followed by even more rain. Was camped at 9500’ and with the forecast of rain for the next four days I had to pull up camp and get out when I could. The road out was already rough after only the first rain I can’t imagine what it’s going to be by the end of the week. Disgusted by the whole situation and cannot stop playing it over and over in my head.

Should anyone read this and stumble upon a fresh kill, shoot me a PM and I’ll send you some pictures of the buck that will be haunting my dreams. Even better would be someone stumbling on a bloodied buck out feeding in the sage hopefully recovering from a non lethal hit. Either way just reaching out to the group.

 

[bradyhunt]

WKR strikes again?

 

[archeryisking]

WKR strikes again?

I’m sure there’s a story I’m missing there…

 

[ropeup79]

Check out the BOAL thread if you have plenty of time to spare.

 

[archeryisking]

Check out the BOAL thread if you have plenty of time to spare.

Started into it and quit. Not looking for horns or sympathy, just closure.

 

[dtrkyman]

That is rough, being you were able to track that far I assume you were off on your estimate of where your arrow hit.

In at the last rib and out the opposite shoulder anywhere below the spine is game over inside 500 yards!

 

[archeryisking]

That is rough, being you were able to track that far I assume you were off on your estimate of where your arrow hit.

In at the last rib and out the opposite shoulder anywhere below the spine is game over inside 500 yards!

Ya agreed. My only argument to the contrary would be catching the liver and back of one lung. It’s very possible I’m just way off on what I thought I saw.

 

[dtrkyman]

Possible on the one lung liver, but one it is harder to hit one lung than most people think and two one lung liver is game over as well, and being high you would generally not get liver.

Not calling you out or anyhting but I have seen countless shots where guys were just wrong about their shot, I guided for a high volume whitetail outfit for 10 years as well as another 10 on other big game, 99% archery and have been on my share of tracks!

Always tough when you are unable to definitively know the outcome!

 

[Plainsman79]

That sucks man, but it’s bound to happen if you hunt long enough. Did he travel uphill or downhill during those 500 yards? If uphill, it was probably a non-lethal hit. If you know of any water in his direction of travel, I’d give that a good once over. Gut shot deer prefer water. Definitely get backup there the first chance you get and look for birds circling or making a bunch of commotion.

 

[archeryisking]

All downhill. I checked all the water I could find. That’s where I usually head for with liver shot. Only reason I suspect liver shot was the coloring of the blood I was finding. I’m one of those no good out of staters with a wife headed for labor soon. This was my swan song for the season. My plan was exactly that…stick around, keep gridding and watch for birds. Just a terrible stack up of a bunch of conditions put me in a spot where I feel like a real bag of you know what.

 

[SoTxShooter]

Tough break man! Hopefully it’s scenario B and it was non-lethal and he was able to recover. I had a very similar situation on a marginal elk shot last season, so I know exactly what you’re feeling. Only thing that helps is time. Good luck to you and your wife on the upcoming little one!

 

[ropeup79]

Started into it and quit. Not looking for horns or sympathy, just closure.

Just answering your question about WKR, supposedly a Well Known Rokslider stole the Buck of a Lifetime and it became a running joke throughout the forum.

 

[Dwnw/theAltitudesickness]

I've had a couple animals jump the string, never to be recovered. Both times there was rain the night of/ after the shot. Both ended up being hit farther back than I wanted. One I went back a week later after season to see if I could find a downed animal, stink, birds etc. Gridded a very large, semi open area nothing.

As a consolation, time helps the situation slowly fade. You stop thinking about what went wrong and what you saw, from many times a day to weekly to rare occasions like your post. More vivid replaying in my head those shots and the searching than when an animal is normally recovered.

 

[alaskalund]

It happens. Never want it to, but it does.

 

[khart_6882]

Check out the BOAL thread if you have plenty of time to spare.

Nobody has that kind of time lol


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[Rich M]

I never met an archery hunter who doesnt have a lost animal story.

Guy i work w lost a doe and buck so far this year. Doe was ahoulder shot buck jumped andvtook theu backstraps.

Chin up. Eyes forward. Stuff happens.