FML... Bad shot advice
- Thread starter thehuntingwoodman
- Start date
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Bud, I’ve been hunting deer for over 25 years...don’t ever worry about that excitement. That’s what keeps us going back for more.
rsmith
Member
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Congrats on being able to get a follow up shot and put her down! The nerves are hard to control at times but I always try and take a deep breath or two, control my heart rate and my breathing, and then set up for the shot. Also if shooting from a stand remember to bend at the waist and not just drop your arm to maintain your same anchor point and form when shooting down. Congrats again and hopefully you are able to put another down soon [emoji106]
I don’t try and control it, I practice with it. I’ll do push ups till I can’t do them anymore (about 2[emoji23]) and then get up and shoot. That makes my arms shake, gets the heart pumping and gets my breathing up.
I do the same. My backyard is also nothing but hillside, so that helps too, especially since I do 75% of my practicing at 50 yards. I'll jog uphill to my 50 yard spot, then I focus on making that first shot the best while I'm still attempting to control my breathing.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
cspot
Member
Very nice!! Congrats Again!! Like Jackalope said the 1st shot really wasn't that bad. The spine dips down into the body of the deer pretty good there. Also it is hard to see sometimes when the excitement and how fast everything happens, but the deer sometimes start to drop which may have made a perfect shot end up being a touch high. Personally if I make less than a perfect shot a spine shot would be my preference as that shot allows for a quick followup to finish.
cspot
Member
Hortontoter
Senior Member
That was one of my thoughts as well. Bend at the waist if shooting from an elevated position.
Nothing wrong with that deer at all! Congrats again on your first deer. Looking forwards to your next one!
Congratulations and well done!
Like you, my first deer was like yours, a spine shot, and I had no idea what to do. He was bawling like crazy.....I moved closer to take a second shot, forgot about changing the range and shot right over it. I'd left my other arrows in the stand, so I moved in and finished him off with my knife. That was in 2008 season, and I can close my eyes and still see that morning like it was yesterday. I sometimes struggle to recall other deer, but that one is with me forever.
Like you, my first deer was like yours, a spine shot, and I had no idea what to do. He was bawling like crazy.....I moved closer to take a second shot, forgot about changing the range and shot right over it. I'd left my other arrows in the stand, so I moved in and finished him off with my knife. That was in 2008 season, and I can close my eyes and still see that morning like it was yesterday. I sometimes struggle to recall other deer, but that one is with me forever.
I'm in this club too. First deer was a yearling shot off the ground. First shot was in the spine and by the time I had my wits about me to follow up, she had worked her way under a briar bush. My dumbass thought a throat should would be a good idea (self taught hunter lacking common sense in the moment). So after that failed, I went back to the house and got dad. Thankfully she was dead when I got back, but it took longer than necessary and I never forgot that feeling.
tpierce
Junior Member
Congrats on your first deer! I had a spine shot 3 years ago on a buck. It knocked him down, and he was paralyzed at the rear. I got down and put a kill shot on him. When I field dressed him I found the arrow had cut a big artery that runs along the bottom of the spine. He was close to bleeding out. I learned a lot about shot placement and shooting a moving deer. I don't take those shots now.
A few years back I hit a doe and spined her after hitting a twig I didn’t see, she crawled about 50yards, I got down and walked a 100 yards or so coming at her from the front to push her towards my stand if she took off again..... Finished her off only to see a fawn that wasn’t with her when she came in.... I gutted her out while the fawn watched from a distance.... Not a good feeling but it happens from time to time.... All part of the game I guess....