lost a doe

[PWR]

Well today was the first actual sit and hunt for me this year.
Wouldnt you know 20 minutes after I sit down, bam doe walks out presenting no shot. 10 minutes later, a small crab claw comes out.( the first non spike buck I have ever seen while hunting) way inside the ears no go. 5 minutes after that two deer come out another crab claw, maybe a 6er still no shooter and a doe trailing him. Well I'm watching them for about 20 minutes and its go or no go time, so I let the bigger doe the first one have it. Perfect broadside near shoulder extended arrown makes comeplete pass through I wait 20 minutes due to failing light I find the arrow covered with, bright deep blood from end to end on arrow. No blood on the ground. Well I start walking circles and find some good blood and it makes a good trail for 50 yards and stops
Walked in progressively bigger circles from there not another drop. I searched from that point for 2 hours with no avail.
Needless to say I'm exhausted, mad, and feel like crap for the doe not being able to find her.

My grandpa said its just a part of hunting. But I feel bad still
How ever it was the most excited and most deer ive ever seen in a sitting so im doing something right idk just letting you guys know

[AntlerCollector]

You could try calling a tracking dog in. Sorry to hear you lost her

[flywise]

It won't be the last one you lose and it won't feel any better next time either. Your grampa is right.

[bloodtrailer28]

It won't be the last one you lose and it won't feel any better next time either. Your grampa is right.

Yep.... sorry you lost her.

[Electrican]

It won't be the last one you lose and it won't feel any better next time either. Your grampa is right.

Unfortunately this

[DirtyDave]

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=399611

[rednecktbrizz7]

Sorry to hear this bud I've lost a couple in my bow Huntin career includin a spike last Wednesday and it hurts and bothers me still it's somethin that happens and it sucks. :/

[AntlerCollector]

If your in a county that allows tracking dogs. Don't give up yet. There is a guy on this thread that will help you for little money if that is an issue.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=488501

[jooger17]

It IS part of hunting and it IS going to happen again, but it's good that you're not "ok with it" because it's "just a doe."

Here's a very helpful blood trailing tip. Forgive me if you have tons of experience and maybe it can help someone else. Keep toilet paper in your pack. The next time you find yourself trailing a deer, drop dollar size pieces EVERY WHERE you see blood. If it's every 3", drop it every 3 inches. No need to pick it up later, the first rain that comes through will dissolve it back where it originally came from. What this will do is give you a line to follow. I'm gonna say 70% of the time they will be following a trail of sorts. If you have the blood marked that way and you loose blood, STOP. Don't just keep pressing on. Give it a full on hands and knees search for 10' from where you lost last blood. If you don't find anything in 10', back track and see if there is another trail splitting off from the one you've been on. Give it a 10' search. After you've searched 10' on all the trails, go to 20' and start back at the original trail. I don't mean go the 10' that you've already searched, I mean start at last blood and SEARCH for 20' and repeat. Then go to 30', 40', 50'.

They don't just stop bleeding. Sometimes you can't find blood, but they're still bleeding. You hear people talking about making a lung shot and the hole getting "plugged up". That's a great theory and happens from time to time, but if you've shot their heart or kings, they're bleeding out of their nose and mouth as well. When they're blowing out of their nose and mouth, a lot of times its TINY LITTLE specks. The size of this ".". It's hard to find but it will be there if you hit the deer like you think. Sometimes like on a buck I killed earlier this year you just can't find it. You search and search and look high and low and you just can't find blood. Don't do circles. Do a grid search. Pick a spot 100 yards away and go to it. Searching for blood or deer. Smell the air. Even lung shot deer have a smell. When you reach your spot parallel yourself by 20 yards and repeat.

Occasionally you will kill a deer and just won't be able to find it. It sucks, but it's reality. It's a little easier to sleep when you have exhausted every single inch of your knowledge to try and find it. Get back in the saddle. Don't doubt your equipment, don't doubt yourself. Cinch up and do it again.

[PWR]

I dont believe tracking dogs are legal in harrison country is there a list of legality per county?

[TopNoc]

I know exactly how you feel. Shot a nice 8 point Thurs evening, and spent 6 hours searching Friday, but never found him. I'm hoping he doesn't die, but no way to be sure unless he shows up again. I think we all have to remember that this even happens at times when ppl shoot deer with high powered rifles. So it's not just a bow thing.