Well the season has had ups and downs.Lots of deer seen,some nice bucks,few bears,and nice weather.A friend and I have helped a neighbors kid get addicted.He took his first deer,a second deer,and finally an 8 point buck on sat.That's the good.We had a poacher come on our land and shoot a 18point buck via spot light.A sad time.Friday I finally got a chance to get by myself and hunt.I saw 22 deer total.20 were does and two bucks slipped around and got in behind me and I caught them both as they were leaving.I finally got a shot at a large doe before the evening was over.The shot was about 55 yards and right as the hammer broke she turned.She jumped up in the air and bolted.After 2hours of searching,I called it for the night.Saturday morning I was back in the woods looking,3 more hours.Nothing.Today I returned and found her in the thickest spot in that block.The shot was off by 2".On the turn I guess I hit her in front of her onside shoulder barely clipping it and down out in front of the off side shoulder.I barely clipped the frontside of the onside lung and nothing else.Needless to say this autopsy was stomach testing.The buzzards had found her and started on her rear,but I had to know.I hate that the meat went to the buzzards,and I hate thet she turned at the last minute,but that's hunting.The bucks started chasing hard the weekend so maybe in the next two weeks I'll have some more news to report.

It happens, and that is simply the nature of hunting. That it bothered you speaks volumes about you as a person. That said, the season has just begun!

.........what Whit said! As hard as we try, and as much time and money as we spend, we cannot always guarantee the perfect one shot kill every time. I personally have nothing but respect for someone that tells a hunting story based on truth!!! You sir are a true sportsman!

As Forest Gump said "sh!t happens". Many would have blamed the bullet. The fact that you know sure certain that the shot placement was off a bit say a lot about your thoroughness and I applaud you

If,if and buts were nuts it would be Christmas all year.That said if she hadn't moved,or turned towards me........I'd be having tenderloin tonight.It's just that I am aproaching 40,and I have lost animals before and it stings just as bad this time as it did the last.However opening a deer again after it's laid in the field a few days is off my future agenda.

If you think your shots are off now, wait till you get to be my age....cant see the deer move, cant see the sights....and sure as heck cant find the deer when it runs off....count your blessings...youth is bliss!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by flat top:
If you think your shots are off now, wait till you get to be my age....cant see the deer move, cant see the sights....and sure as heck cant find the deer when it runs off....count your blessings...youth is bliss!!!!

And youth is relative!

Cottonstalk, too bad about your deer. What gun, load, bullet were you using.

Dick

Dick I am using a 4 5/8"bl bisley blackhawk 45colt with a 300grWFN from Montana bullet works over 23grs of H110 for about 1200fps.

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:

quote:

Originally posted by flat top:
If you think your shots are off now, wait till you get to be my age....cant see the deer move, cant see the sights....and sure as heck cant find the deer when it runs off....count your blessings...youth is bliss!!!!

And youth is relative!

...how right you are!

My friend Don lost one Sat with his bow. He held a little low because the deer was close. White hair, bad sign. Not a whole lot of blood and after a mile and a half we lost all sign. Don felt real bad.
He tried his bow at home and found it was shooting 5" lower with the broad head then the field points. I had to move the nocking point down to even things up and he re sighted it.

Several years ago in northern Alabama, I shot a nice buck with a .284 just before dusk. he took off. I waited awhile to (hopefully) let the injury do its work, then went to where I had hit him. He had lain down 30 feet from there; there was a huge pool of dark blood. I followed a blood trail for 300 yards though darkening woods until I couldn't see. First thing next morning (it had been a cool night), I drove into the area, and saw several buzzards circling.....drove to a point beneath them, and there lay the buck, covered with buzzards. They had eaten the entire rear end. I cut away the edges of meat, and took the balance of the the carcass home. Actually, they had completely eviscerated the deer, and the thoracic cavity was clean. Had the buzzards not been flying overhead, I doubt I would have found the deer.