After a bad shot...
- Thread starter giles
- Start date
Yes I have... lost one last year due to high water crossing. Deer tumbled away...
Two years ago I lost two due to my neighbor not letting me cross the property line. That's why I no longer hunt my own property.
I know I'll get over this, time heals everything. I was wondering how others deal with it. All this talk is helping me, maybe I just needed to talk about it and hear some feedback?
Last year I missed a bunch of deer due to a bad scope. Clean misses are real easy to deal with compared to this! Although, I took that kinda hard because I should've figured it out A LOT quicker than I did.
Thanks for listening and talking folks. REO, that's the solid hard truth I needed to hear. I can dig that kind of lingo.
Joel
Senior Member
Quit shootin wires!
It sucks but it's happened to me too. 3 deer are out there running around with wounds I gave them. One doe got her tail shot off (no shit). 2 were big bucks. I am extremely cautious now about having a clear shot at a good angle but it is hard to shake off.
Last year I shot at 3 and recovered all 3 pretty close by. This year I plan on doing the same and I think those bad shots made me a better hunter. I hate the feeling of wounding them so badly that now I do whatever I need to do to make sure it doesn't happen again. But, it could happen again and that's what we need to accept. Do everything we can to avoid it though.
I think if you can go out, shoot a deer that gets hurt and never recover it, and NOT lose sleep/feel like shit- you're an asshole. The type of asshole that should not be hunting. Since you feel the way you do, that makes you normal.
I won't say quit beating yourself up or get over it. Beating yourself up and not getting over it are important parts of the learning process. Drink some bud light, drag a coyote out of its den and kick his ass, then go deer hunting. Just kill it this time.
It sucks but it's happened to me too. 3 deer are out there running around with wounds I gave them. One doe got her tail shot off (no shit). 2 were big bucks. I am extremely cautious now about having a clear shot at a good angle but it is hard to shake off.
Last year I shot at 3 and recovered all 3 pretty close by. This year I plan on doing the same and I think those bad shots made me a better hunter. I hate the feeling of wounding them so badly that now I do whatever I need to do to make sure it doesn't happen again. But, it could happen again and that's what we need to accept. Do everything we can to avoid it though.
I think if you can go out, shoot a deer that gets hurt and never recover it, and NOT lose sleep/feel like shit- you're an asshole. The type of asshole that should not be hunting. Since you feel the way you do, that makes you normal.
I won't say quit beating yourself up or get over it. Beating yourself up and not getting over it are important parts of the learning process. Drink some bud light, drag a coyote out of its den and kick his ass, then go deer hunting. Just kill it this time.
Just trying the tough love approach . I had a few yrs that haunt me. I hope ya can work this out and get out there again . I remember some of your prior hurdles now that you've reminded me . I guess when it's not your own mishaps you don't retain the bad taste the following year .
Good luck working it out ...I vote for ya to get back on the horse
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Hunt
I have wounded a few and have always felt like shit afterwards but as everyone has said you gotta get over it now I take my time alot of mine were from rushing the shot now if I don't feel confident in the shot I let them walk I had the biggest buck to date stand at 34 yards and shot him and didn't recover him real disappointing but shit happens I have also shot a doe and watched it die within feet from where she was standing and couldn't believe it happened like that you just gotta let it go and get back out there and breathe
I have wounded a few and have always felt like shit afterwards but as everyone has said you gotta get over it now I take my time alot of mine were from rushing the shot now if I don't feel confident in the shot I let them walk I had the biggest buck to date stand at 34 yards and shot him and didn't recover him real disappointing but shit happens I have also shot a doe and watched it die within feet from where she was standing and couldn't believe it happened like that you just gotta let it go and get back out there and breathe
No set time frame here, but I haven't been out since my opening day screw up. Doesn't feel right yet and so I remain sidelined...
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When it's time, you'll know then hop back up in that tree. It's good that you feel bad but as long as you gave your best effort in finding the deer and that you learn from this is what's most important.
Good luck when you get back out after em Dave!
Good luck when you get back out after em Dave!
I had hit a couple deer that I was unable to find in years past but always seemed to be able to bounce back right away. The year I couldn't find my biggest buck (that was found by my cousin several days later) I contemplated quitting bowhunting. Even after it was found the deer had spoiled and got ravaged by the critters, I did not have the closure I had been anticipating. Just something about it and how it all seemed perfect at the beginning, then the heart break. I think putting my tag on that dead-head so to speak was somewhat pointless (other than legally tagging it) when it came to because I had already checked out and decided I was done for the season. Now every time I draw the bow on a deer I have a bit of worry. That doesn't mean I've quit hunting though, it just feels different any more and it's hard to explain. I still enjoy it but even with the kids hunting I feel like I am instantly worrying if I don't see the deer go down. The last buck I killed was 2 seasons ago already and boy was it good to see him go down not long after I hit him. Maybe that's what it takes, get back out there and realize some things are not in our control and it takes confidence to make it happen again. Sorry for the ramble...
You are good, ramble away. It's what keeps us on our toes. This is also another reason I don't hunt with a vertical bow. Enough shit can happen with the best of weapons. I was thinking about going vertical again before this happened. No thanks
I was texting back and forth with a few members over the past week or so about this. Yesterday Brock asked me if I was back in the saddle yet. I said I think I found the horse... helping Joe today has me saddling the horse up now. I will be out again shortly! I was just taking to Michael on the way home from work tonight about going behind the house in the morning. I'm pretty positive that I wouldn't shoot anything (it'd have to be a real monster) but I feel like getting out again!
Thanks everyone for your support and I hope no one ever needs to reflect on this thread.
Thanks everyone for your support and I hope no one ever needs to reflect on this thread.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
Nobody likes when this kind of thing happens. And if you shoot at enough deer its gonna happen sooner or later.
I've had it happen and it drove me nuts. Asking myself so many questions it drove me crazy. The last time I had this happen was on a nice 10pt. Thought everything was good but it wasn't. Made a bad shot but I didn't know I did. My buddy shot the same deer a week later. Answered all my questions. What a relief.
I was in the stand the day after loosing that buck. To me, Its the best way to deal with this kind of thing. Get out there Dave
I've had it happen and it drove me nuts. Asking myself so many questions it drove me crazy. The last time I had this happen was on a nice 10pt. Thought everything was good but it wasn't. Made a bad shot but I didn't know I did. My buddy shot the same deer a week later. Answered all my questions. What a relief.
I was in the stand the day after loosing that buck. To me, Its the best way to deal with this kind of thing. Get out there Dave
