Over the last several seasons I have had several shots that had less than desirable outcomes due to 1-2” placement variations or just plain freak events. Unfortunately the majority of these have come on bucks.
Last month I shot a buck out of a brush blind, standing broadside and flat footed at 14yds. It was my first sit in the blind and the deer had no clue I was there. I got little penetration and the buck ran off with my arrow and left very little blood. I was convinced I had botched the shot. Two weeks later I videoed the buck with a slightly high double lung hole on the side of the chest. I went home from that trip and bought a compound.
Last week my friend shot the buck from the same location standing in nearly the same spot. The hole on the right is his; the partially healed hole on the left is mine.
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Upon autopsy my shot centered a rib, the braodhead rolled up the rib through the blackstrap and wedged between the fingers of the vertebrae at the top of the spine. I was relieved with my shot placement, though a little high, but deflated with the performance of my equipment. Though I understand that the deer had to be dropping and rolling for this outcome it is very deflating to hit a deer where you are supposed to and not recover it.
I must apologize to Bisch for my comments early in the season when he picked up a compound. Last week I shot a javi and a buck with a compound and even knocked down a buck with a riffle. I just don’t have confidence in my traditional equipment at the moment.
For those that are going to ask, my setup is as follows:
58# @ 29.5” recurve
5575 Goldtip 30.25”
125grn 4-blade muzzy phantom (shaves hair on my leg)
So as die hard of a traditional archer that I am I must take a breather and regain some confidence.
Last month I shot a buck out of a brush blind, standing broadside and flat footed at 14yds. It was my first sit in the blind and the deer had no clue I was there. I got little penetration and the buck ran off with my arrow and left very little blood. I was convinced I had botched the shot. Two weeks later I videoed the buck with a slightly high double lung hole on the side of the chest. I went home from that trip and bought a compound.
Last week my friend shot the buck from the same location standing in nearly the same spot. The hole on the right is his; the partially healed hole on the left is mine.
[ATTACH]210773[/ATTACH]
Upon autopsy my shot centered a rib, the braodhead rolled up the rib through the blackstrap and wedged between the fingers of the vertebrae at the top of the spine. I was relieved with my shot placement, though a little high, but deflated with the performance of my equipment. Though I understand that the deer had to be dropping and rolling for this outcome it is very deflating to hit a deer where you are supposed to and not recover it.
I must apologize to Bisch for my comments early in the season when he picked up a compound. Last week I shot a javi and a buck with a compound and even knocked down a buck with a riffle. I just don’t have confidence in my traditional equipment at the moment.
For those that are going to ask, my setup is as follows:
58# @ 29.5” recurve
5575 Goldtip 30.25”
125grn 4-blade muzzy phantom (shaves hair on my leg)
So as die hard of a traditional archer that I am I must take a breather and regain some confidence.
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