You know its a good morning when

Muddyboots! The trail job is the best part of bow hunting, right after the the mystical flight of the arrow.

I'm on nins and peedles awaiting your results!
 
So trailed into tamarack swamp and left trail 4 hours after dark. Went back this morn and brought tracker dog in since it was in swamp. Lost trail and dog stopped working. I am pretty sure I hit behind right front leg low clipping brisket. Dang arrow disappeared into the muck so we couldn't find that and no it wasn't in deer so that I know from what I saw. Just one of those moments where I had to decide to either range buck as he was walking slowly into my opening and I was on ground fully exposed to him or draw as he entered and estimate yardage. I took draw and estimate and I know now I was off around 6 yards. I thought 22 yards but when I ranged it this morning it was oh crap at 28 yards. This is a spot you can hunt in one wind direction period and deer come through opposite direction this buck came from. I was set up for other direction so I was in plain sight which made me decide not to range and create movement that he would likely see. Then game is over. Of course QB'ing, I should have ranged and had perfect range shot. I waited for weeks for this wind direction not to booger up this unique spot and hit perfectly then muck up the shot. Sick to stomach over it. In addition, yesterday morn I had my first pool therapy for resistance for back so after last night and this morn, I am sitting home and can hardly move. I know I am 72 but moving like 90 tonight. Those tamarack bog swamps are so freaking nasty, footing is anybody's guess except when you go up to your knees in calf high boots! I was lucky but buddy helping not so much! This will bug the crap out of me for quite a while. I know not lethal hit for sure but Monday Morning QB makes me second guess EVERYTHING!
 
Muddyboots said:
So trailed into tamarack swamp and left trail 4 hours after dark. Went back this morn and brought tracker dog in since it was in swamp. Lost trail and dog stopped working. I am pretty sure I hit behind right front leg low clipping brisket. Dang arrow disappeared into the muck so we couldn't find that and no it wasn't in deer so that I know from what I saw. Just one of those moments where I had to decide to either range buck as he was walking slowly into my opening and I was on ground fully exposed to him or draw as he entered and estimate yardage. I took draw and estimate and I know now I was off around 6 yards. I thought 22 yards but when I ranged it this morning it was oh crap at 28 yards. This is a spot you can hunt in one wind direction period and deer come through opposite direction this buck came from. I was set up for other direction so I was in plain sight which made me decide not to range and create movement that he would likely see. Then game is over. Of course QB'ing, I should have ranged and had perfect range shot. I waited for weeks for this wind direction not to booger up this unique spot and hit perfectly then muck up the shot. Sick to stomach over it. In addition, yesterday morn I had my first pool therapy for resistance for back so after last night and this morn, I am sitting home and can hardly move. I know I am 72 but moving like 90 tonight. Those tamarack bog swamps are so freaking nasty, footing is anybody's guess except when you go up to your knees in calf high boots! I was lucky but buddy helping not so much! This will bug the crap out of me for quite a while. I know not lethal hit for sure but Monday Morning QB makes me second guess EVERYTHING!
Click to expand...
You told me already but still bummed for you. Chit happens. The buck will be fine and you get your butt out there and find another.
It happened to me many years ago on a buck in Az. Arrow hit a prickly pear cactus and deflected and hit gut. Green bile on arrow. I watched him lay down down the hill. I was sneaking down there and got into some Javalina. Shot one. Was messing with him and looked over and buck has got up and moved up hill . I tracked him. I found little drops of blood here and there. By the time I got to top no more blood. Figured it plugged up with intestine junk. I glassed and glassed. Never found him. I had to leave that night to drive home. Bugged me for a long time.
 
Last edited:
WYO300RUM said:
You told me already but still bummed for you. Chit happens. The buck will be fine and you get your butt out there and find another.
It happened to me many years ago on a buck in Az. Arrow hit a prickly pear cactus and deflected and hit gut. Green bile on arrow. I watched him lay down down the hill. I was sneaking down there and got into some Javalina. Shot one. Was messing with him and looked over and buck has got up and moved up hill . I tracked him. I found little drops of blood here and there. By the time I got to top no more blood. Figured it plugged up with intestine junk. I glassed and glassed. Never found him. I had to leave that night to drive home. Bugged me for a long time.
Click to expand...
Tough luck on the buck but their will be more to come. If you haven't lost an animal you haven't bow hunted very much. It sucks bad but it's part of the game. I lost a really nice six point bull quite a few years back. Everything about the shot looked like it hit its mark. My hunting partner saw the broadhead come out the other side, he thought it was a good hit. Had good blood for about 150 yards then nothing. Spent the next three days doing grid searches with a buddy, Nothing. I quit bow hunting for six years. Hard lesson learned but a few of my bow hunting friends got me back into it and my passion for it is just getting stronger every year. Keep the faith brother and the gods of the hunt will smile on you soon enough.
 
Allen Kitts said:
Tough luck on the buck but their will be more to come. If you haven't lost an animal you haven't bow hunted very much. It sucks bad but it's part of the game. I lost a really nice six point bull quite a few years back. Everything about the shot looked like it hit its mark. My hunting partner saw the broadhead come out the other side, he thought it was a good hit. Had good blood for about 150 yards then nothing. Spent the next three days doing grid searches with a buddy, Nothing. I quit bow hunting for six years. Hard lesson learned but a few of my bow hunting friends got me back into it and my passion for it is just getting stronger every year. Keep the faith brother and the gods of the hunt will smile on you soon enough.
Click to expand...
I can relate . I still bowhunted in Az. for years after that but got away from desert mulies and Javalina and concentrated on archery elk. Shot one bull and 5 cows. I was hooked. Then it took so many points to draw 5BN archery elk I burned my points on a late rifle bull hunt in 4B this year. . Last week of Nov. I shot a decent buck last Sun. Last day of season for that area. My knee a whole different post. Muddy knows story. Posted about knee another post. Keep kicking butt Alan !
IMG_20221106_080533323_HDR.jpg
71419~2.jpeg
 
WYO300RUM said:
I can relate . I still bowhunted in Az. for years after that but got away from desert mulies and Javalina and concentrated on archery elk. Shot one bull and 5 cows. I was hooked. Then it took so many points to draw 5BN archery elk I burned my points on a late rifle bull hunt in 4B this year. . Last week of Nov. I shot a decent buck last Sun. Last day of season for that area. My knee a whole different post. Muddy knows story. Posted about knee another post. Keep kicking butt Alan !View attachment 408323View attachment 408324
Click to expand...
Congrats on the buck! Looks like some pretty rugged country.
 

Similar threads

Lefty38-55
  • Poll
TIME - When do YOU bag most of your deer?
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
KoolBreeze
K
Jlchevy59
Opening morning
Replies
3
Views
268
Baker Alvin
B
RMulhern
Opening morning....
Replies
3
Views
1K
Jackal11
J
barnesuser28
Sunday Morning Success!
2
Replies
14
Views
3K
barnesuser28
barnesuser28
D
Got lucky this morning
2
Replies
14
Views
3K
SidecarFlip
SidecarFlip

Recent Posts

Top