BOWHUNTING.. Post up!

[SheezFast02]

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who loves to bowhunt. Thought it'd be cool to see what members love bowhunting as much as I do. Maybe even tell a story or post pics. Don't have any pics on this computer, but I started bowhunting just a couple of years ago. My friend convinced me to buy a bow so he would have someone to hunt with, so I did. I bought a nice starter bow: Reflex Bighorn (made by Hoyt) at 60# and 29" draw. Full package brand new was only $400 and it shoots great.

 

Our very first day out, we walked to the edge of the woods at my Grandma's farm, where he went one way and I went the other. 2 hours later my big old Doe was on the ground @ 13yds. What a rush.

 

This past season I got busted by a mature doe because my treestand squeeked when I stood up. She stood there and stomped at me for a few minutes, basically point at me for the other younger Doe to see. She couldn't quite make me out, so when the mature Doe took off and the younger one turned her head to watch her I drew back and settled my 30 yard pin behind her right shoulder. I hit the trigger on my TRU Ball release and thwack! Made a good hit but was a little high. I watched her run away and I texted my friend. He came to meet me at my treestand and we waited a bit, then went after her. We followed the most insane blood trail my friend (who rifle hunts) and myself had ever seen. But, something was wrong. We kept following this mess of a bloodtrail but still no deer. We went in too soon and jumped her. We ended up walking so far in the bush that we were dehydrated and exhausted. We called off the search when we lost the bloodtrail and her tracks met up with a deer highway, so there was no way of following just tracks like we did further back whenever the blood would stop for a distance.. We got back to my treestand and my buddy ranged the shot for me with his rangefinder. 25 yards! I was 5 yards off with my estimation before the shot and placed the shot a littl high. Biggest piss off ever. We did everything possible to retrieve the deer, but it sucked to not verify the kill. I'm buying a rangefinder before next season.

[madjimmax]

Heres some pics from earlier this year on a thread that I started Deer hunting

[SheezFast02]

Very nice non-typical! Can't wait for next season so I can redeem myself for last year. How long have you been an archer?

[madjimmax]

Very nice non-typical! Can't wait for next season so I can redeem myself for last year. How long have you been an archer?

 

I've been hunting about 17 years or so and I mainly do all bow hunting with a little rifle and muzzle loader. I also turkey hunt. If you do a search I believe bbcmudtruck took a real nice deer with a gun if I'm not mistaken and meat got a real nice 10 pointer on video. He didnt get a shot on it but he has it on video for a while like I said try doing a search they should be on here. Well hang in there and good luck next year and remember scentlock is your friend.

[tundish2800]

I love to bow hunt i would rather bow hunt then gun its a little more personal. I use and old pse sr 1000. Oldie but a goodie. They just select cut all the woods i hunt i have to go up and see whats left of my hunting spots. we have forty acres surrounded by state land and only three guy bow hunt it.

[yfz&shee]

I've been bowhunting and target shooting for 17 years, own an archery shop in northern missouri. I'll still be the first to tell you killing a deer with a bow is 100X better than shooting one with a rifle, i didn't see any bucks worth shooting this year, i try to hold out for about 140" with a bow but i did shoot a doe in the face heres the picture. the second picture is my 3-d target bow for 2010 Bowtech Destroyer 350

 

[SheezFast02]

Sweet bow, man. I have to ask, though. Why on earth would you shoot a deer in the face? Not trying to start an argument over ethics or anything, but why would you even consider that shot? No other shot available?

[bbcmudtruck]

Ya Nick, wtf!

[tundish2800]

The face shot is one to show off. Shit i wish i could shoot that good NICE SHOT

[Meat]

Here the bow I bought last season. Its a Matthews Outback

 

[madjimmax]

Sweet bow, man. I have to ask, though. Why on earth would you shoot a deer in the face? Not trying to start an argument over ethics or anything, but why would you even consider that shot? No other shot available?

 

X2 on that we as hunters get enough shit just for doing what we do.

[yfz&shee]

uh, why not shot it in the face, if you know anything about the anatomy of mammals then you will realize that the brain controls EVERY visceral organ in the body, once the brain quits the rest of the body does as well, and shutting down of the brain immediately will prevent pain receptors form activating, so if your a good enough shot, which trust me I am, why not take the face shot. Not to mention you either kill the animal or clean miss, very minimal amount of space to wound it. I agree no need to start an argument over the situation, but everyone has their own set of ethics. Meat, do you have the shaky hunter prong on your trophy taker?

[madjimmax]

uh, why not shot it in the face, if you know anything about the anatomy of mammals then you will realize that the brain controls EVERY visceral organ in the body, once the brain quits the rest of the body does as well, and shutting down of the brain immediately will prevent pain receptors form activating, so if your a good enough shot, which trust me I am, why not take the face shot. Not to mention you either kill the animal or clean miss, very minimal amount of space to wound it. I agree no need to start an argument over the situation, but everyone has their own set of ethics. Meat, do you have the shaky hunter prong on your trophy taker?

 

To be honest bro that shot looked like it was in the cheek more then in the brain even more so if that shot was taken from a tree stand. What happens if that shot would of been 1" lower the only thing you would of done is rip half of her face off. In my opinion thats what 3D targets are for. If you think its ethical to take them shots go for it, But coming from someone whos been hunting all of their life and killed many deer, I wouldnt even take that shot with a gun. And thats not because I cant make the shot Its because I feel its unethical. I agree no need to argue if thats what you do then by all means go for it. I'm just saying that a shot like that will have more hunters looking down on you then it will impress. I printed that pic and showed it to a few hunters that I know and everyone couldnt believe that you did that. I leave shit like that for the 3D range.

[Ruko]

I have rifle hunted my whole life but only started bowhunting last year. I dropped a little mulie from a ground blind at about 25 yards. I agree it is way more exciting than rifle hunting. I can't wait till the fall to get out again.

 

As far as the face shot... that is a tough call. I personally try for the boiler room when ever possible but I have know people who swear by the head/neck shot. It is a smaller target so it is harder to hit which means if you miss it is more likely to be a clean miss. If you do hit anything chances are it will be a kill. Between the brain, spine and arteries in the neck it would be hard to not kill. How ever there is still the chance of hitting the jaw or nose and missing those areas that will make for a clean kill and ending up with a wounded animal. Unfortunately that is a chance we all take when hunting no matter where you aim for. I have had an animal get away on me and it is a terrible feeling. I thought I made a good hit... had good blood to start with but it faded away and we lost the trail. I am glad to see that one on the ground.

[yfz&shee]

I agree, but that was the exit hole side, i was about 25 feet up in my lone wolf climber, it was dark, thats a cell phone picture and i was in a hurry to gut and hang before the NWTF banquet which our shop sponsored. the entrance hole was more at the top of the head it was a brain shot, but shooting rage broad heads 2" cut 2 blades that brain was mush, to be honest i shot one in the head with my 300 win mag with a 150 grain Hornady GMX and it took everything off the head under the top of the skull plate almost to the bottom of the jaw. I guess it really just depends on the area your in. I can completely understand where you guys are coming from saying thats not an ethical shot but i feel it is. Ethics is a personal opinion, i've seen many many deer get way from a vital area shot than a head shot. Just my opinion not trying to turn this into a giant blow up thread just a discussion. I've lost 2 deer in my life, one with a bow and one with a gun. The one i lost with my bow was a 2 yard shot for a stand that measured 22' from the platform to the ground (old oak tree with a perfect split for a permanent stand) went in straight down and i watched the buck with the arrow sticking straight up out of its back just on the right side of its spine, problem was that we couldn't find any blood to trail it because the hair was soaking up or just not enough to run clear down its back. The next spring the neighbor found him laying in the bottoms so it was a kill shot but just couldn't find him. We looked for 3 days. Too bad, that was the nicest buck i've ever shot too. The mice/squirrels had ate up his rack by the next spring. Morel of the story is, no matter how good of a shot you are, shit happens and no matter what area you shoot/ aim for, at some point in your life you WILL loose a deer, like if you own a quad at some point you WILL wreck it. It's inevitable, just hope everytime you shoot, doe, fawn, trophy buck, you make a quick clean kill.