Reloader

(post edited)

This really ruined the rest of my day.

Fella's: did you stop to consider these thoughts:
A. The archer is a bad shot?
B. The archer is a great shot but missed?
C. The archer took an above angle, center body shot and the Doe moved at the exact moment of release?
D. The archer was aiming at another Deer and his arrow sailed over his target?
A head shot may not have been an accurate scenario but I'm only guessing.

If this arrow could be removed, chances are this Doe would survive with no ill effects. If she breaks it off, there is a good chance the remaining shaft may come out with the Doe's help. However, if this isn't the "Poster Girl" of the year award for ALL anti-hunting groups, I'll be a Monkey's Uncle. I'd pull this post if it were me. Just my 2 cents worth.
LDK

Some years back I shot a 3x3 buck held the pin right behind the shoulder, I did not see a small stick up between us the arrow clanced off entering right in front of the hip and sticking out it's ass I was lucky it severed a major artary and it bled out in no time.

I agree a great poster girl for PETA.

quote:

agree a great poster girl for PETA.

From the looks of it, the arrow passed through the nasal cavity, somwhere near the middle turbinate.

I agree, if the doe could somehow break the arrow and skirt infection, she would survive.

I don't know any bowhunters that would purposefully shoot for the head of any aminal.

Man, I hate seeing things like that. I agree with David, however: no ethical hunter would intentionally try to stick an arrow in a WTD's ear, I don't think. And since we don't know any of the facts, think it prudent that we don't assume that the individual who let that arrow fly was a bum based only on a picture. That said, these pics do the hunting community no good at all.

KG

Legal or not I am hoping someone put this deer out of its misery???

A couple of years ago I found a dead 5x5 whitetail, nice rack, with an arrow imbedded in its skull just below the deers left antler. The arrow had a mechanical broadhead on it, identical to the one in the photo. The deer had evidently died of infection. I found it sitting upright, its antlers wedged into a bush where it had evidently been trying to dislodge the broad head.(The shaft was broken off and not found.) Obviously a long and probably miserable death.

As far as this not doing the hunting community any good at all, well if you are going to allow bowhunting you are going to have to live with the problems it brings in the PR department. I bow hunted for years before shoulder injuries made even compounds impossible and I am sad to see these photos but not surprised. My personal experiences with bow hunters over the years has not always been good. They range from very impressed to totally discusted, more of the latter unfortunately. My wife, a serious rifle hunter in her own right, absolutely hates bowhunting especially after the incident with the buck I refered to above.

Back when the local Butcher still processed deer and elk he would find quite a few broadheads as well as bullet fragments in processed animals.

A dozen years ago he processed a trophy 6x6 bull that went 370-380 inches. He found a CEDAR shaft about 4" long with a BEAR arrow head on the end. The entire shaft was encased in a grey semi hard sort of grisel The head was amazingly clean, also encased in the same material. The head/shaft was found over the pelvis.

Didn't seem to bother this bull as he lived a long life.

The shot of the doe is a real shame.

FN in MT

We see fotos from head-shot wild boar here once in while, lower jaws shot off, the animal sentenced to slow death by starving.

I just don't understand those "artists"...

some are more capable than others.

the latter will always be trying to imitate the former. it is human nature.

When they attempt these imitations and fail the grief always comes back on the capable ones.

There are archers out there that can hit a thrown egg. There are archers who cant hit the chicken.
dont blame one for the failings of the other.

kstephens - very well said!

I've seen a lot of pics like this. It only takes a split second for an animal to move and make for a bad shot.

One thing to consider is a rifle wounding doesn't stick out like a flag- an arrow does. There are lots of deer walking around with pieces of bullets in them.

Still sad to see though isn't it?

the chef

quote:

Originally posted by calgarychef1:
It only takes a split second for an animal to move and make for a bad shot.

Fot that reason I only did it once, when a buck I had wanted for quite some time was standing completely quiet in a wheat field, only the head was visible and it was getting dark. Otherwise, I think we should not "snipe" at live animals.

A friend of mine recently had to track a wild boar with the lower jaw shot off. It took him and his two jagd terrier several hours to get it, even though the poor animal was half starved already and had been seen in the area several times.

quote:

Originally posted by calgarychef1:
... It only takes a split second for an animal to move and make for a bad shot. ...

+2 It doesn't take much field experience to understand how much Game actually moves, especially their heads.

Thanks Reloader.

We had an antelope roaming around for several years with a pretty yellow arrow shaft sticking out both sides of her neck about 4" behind her ears. Being a doe, the hunters didn't want to waste their precious NM tag on her and she seemed healthy enough so we left her alone. She moved onto the neighbors and we only saw her once after that. Guess she finally died of old age or rubbed the arrow shaft off on some brush or something.

I am going to forward this to my friend back in Nebraska.

Our yearly arguement is over head shots. We are both pretty good shots (I am a better one, but I can practice more). He maintains that the only "ethical" shot is a head shot. Which if you connect right and the bullets hits the brain he is right.

I ALWAYS aim at the heart/lungs. My friend year after year gives me a hard time about all the meat I ruin (not much, but he loves ribs) and that the deer "suffered". Yet I have always found the deer I shot within 20 yards. He has lost a few of his.

Head shots are a high risk shot. If the deer moves, and the head moves the most of any part, you can have a wounded animal that will die a slow death.

quote:

Originally posted by NEJack:
He maintains that the only "ethical" shot is a head shot.
.

Respectfully, I think your buddy is a misguided jackarse, at best.

KG

i always find it funny how a heart lung shot at 400 yards is ethical but a head shot at 50 is irresponible.

This picture tells a story about this young doe:



If you look at her with her head down and follow the arrow shaft you can see she was not far away from the shooter. More than likely, she may have been grazing in a field such as this, near the tree line where the shooter might have been in a tree.

The shooter more than likely felt they were close enough and that he was skilled enough to make the shot.

Obviously not so and a poor decision.

On a bear hunt a few years ago I watched a sea gull floundering around along a large remote lake with an arrow straight through it. A group of fishermen had been there the week before and one of them brough his bow to 'practice' for his upcoming elk hunt.

So to say when other people make very bad decisions like this that bow hunting should be banned, is not good. This is just like saying no one should have guns because guns kill people.

I've had to work on several recent hunting related Homicides, all firearms related that would blow your mind.

One a young man was bored and decided to take some pot shots at a tractor in the middle of a field. He killed the farmer sitting in it. Killed a man sitting in his own tractor on his own property.

Another, a young man shot a man picking berries because he was sure it was a bear. He left the wounded man to die despite his pleas for help.

Another, killed a turkey hunter because he was sure he was shooting a turkey.

Right.

If some one here would be willing to post the pictures, I'd be pleased to tell you a tale of a head shot gone seriously wrong. I killed a black bear in Montana twenty years ago that was hit in the face with a high power rifle. The bullet took out the entire sinus area and one eye, split the skull and took away a hideous amount of bone. I'd like to share, but I'm green at the picture business and frankly think it is easier for someone else to do it. anyone?

I will do it, just e-mail me the pictures at Johnny_Zanni@hotmail.com include a story to please

I have found my share of pieces of arrows in the chest cavities of healthy deer I have shot. I am deathly afraid to reach into a deer anymore after almost grabbing several broadheads.
The result of the wickedly stupid super light arrows and goofy broadheads target archers insist on using on big game. Due to the 3D target sport, archery hunters want to carry over that equipment into the field. I have gotten into so many arguments on the archery forum that I don't go there anymore. It would be like the cowboy action loads being used on moose or brown bear.
I can only say that if a deer would have moved to give me a hit like that, my arrow would have gone all the way through and the deer would be fine, not walking around for fodder for the anti hunters.
I get sick of the jerks that say a 35# bow will kill a deer or a .22 is the best. Of course they can kill but that is not the point. Ethics is!
I have taken over 230 deer with bows and I insist on a heavy bow and the heaviest arrow I can use. I am 70 and still hunt with 82# bows and 2419 shafts with LARGE, HEAVY broadheads.
I was in the archery shop a while back and was astounded at the size of some of the broadheads. Anyone that would shoot anything larger then a rabbit with one IS OUT OF HIS MIND. I can sharpen a pencil with a larger edge. I blame the current crop af archers for the junk hunting stuff the factories are turning out because the fast bows and light arrows can't be tuned for the proper hunting equipment and it doesn't sell anymore. Even the expandable heads need an 80# bow to ensure every shot will have enough penetration.
The same applies to handguns and is why I don't like anything under a .44 mag with at least 300 gr boolits with a large meplat. My .475 with 430 gr WFN boolits is better yet. Someone will say the .357 kills fine, I don't care! I won't use the toy.
OK, I am off of my soapbox, but stuff like this makes me sick. I have been shroom hunting and can't believe the deer carcases I found again.
More and more hunters are turning into slobs, I can tell by the 20 beer cans and candy wrappers around some jerks stand.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:

quote:

Originally posted by NEJack:
He maintains that the only "ethical" shot is a head shot.
.

Respectfully, I think your buddy is a misguided jackarse, at best.

KG

He is that at times. Granted, most of his head shots have been at under 50 yards from a prone posistion, but I still hate it. One year we checked in a deer that had most of its head blown off. Died quick, but I have seen alot of animals with head wounds that survive.

Can't say I would take a 400 yards shot at big game either. Have at praire dogs, and will again, but that is a different thing.

That instance is no reason not to head shoot, hell I have seen more gut shot deer than head wounded deer...

These things happen because of poor shooting or an untimely accident that causes it...If you hunt then you will wound animals at some point in your hunting career, its a given, its just a matter of time, not something most will ever own up to, but it happens and the more you hunt the more likely it is to happen.

I think most hunters need a reality check, and need to understand the importance of being as careful as possible and to be honest with ones self so that it doesn't happen more than a couple of times in your life.

You should have put that doe down and ate her. end of story.

Here is Krag1902's story and pics

I shot this male black bear on a Spring hunt in '87. It was a small bear, even for spring, and I bet he didn't weigh a hundred pounds. I am told this is about average anymore. The Montana Fish and Game aged it at two years.
Anyway, you can tell by the loss of bone that some serious and painful damage had been done and the bear survied being shot in the face. The left eye was blind and scarred over, there was some hair loss on the face, and there was a greenish discharge out the nose. Evidently, he had just emerged from hibernation, and the suspicion is that he spent the winter under a burned out stump; his fur was full of cinders. I posed a healthy bear skull next to this one for contrast.
This must be the unluckiest bear in the history of the genus. There was a charge of birdshot under the skin at the chest, and a mark on a front paw that was likely made when he stepped into a trap.






sorry for the wait.

A lot of hunters are slobs to start with. You can listen to it; bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, click. A little while later it starts again. I wish I had stock in the ammo companies!
But even the best hunter and shot can have something go wrong, it can't be avoided. It WILL happen and if you say you never lost any animal, you just have not hunted long enough. Things happen and I will not judge a man by that. But I will judge that man that says he is perfect.
I also judge the hunter that leaves his gun in the corner all year until a day before opening day and then tries to hit a running deer. For that matter, any deer!
I don't think anyone here can be judged unless you act like you are better and nothing ever happened to you. And I will judge those that judge others when the facts are missing.
Go out on the roads and watch the nuts all around you talking on cell phones or putting on makeup at 70 mph. How many of you have had an accident? How many were your fault? Are all of you different in the woods?
I have been driving for 55 years and never had an accident or went off the road in snow and ice even though I drove from 55 to 70 mph in snow. I can drive and I can shoot but I have lost deer. I am not perfect and none of you are either so hold back criticism of others unless you know what happened or can REALLY say he is a slob. Yeah, there are a lot of them out there in the real world and we can't do anything about it. I have neighbors and have tried to reach out to them to come and shoot and learn something but have had no luck. The gun does not come down until opening day.
All I am saying is to let off a little, shit happens.

BRRshooter,
Your spot on..I have been hunting and been in the hunting business most of my life, I am as good a shot as anyone I have known so far and Yep I have wounded animals, I have taken shots that I should not have, and I learned a lesson on each ocassion and I matured into a hunter as opposed to a shooter..I know that I can still wound an animal so I am very careful these days..

I have learned from these years of hunting and shooting that a cocky fantastic shot is not likely to miss a long shot, but he is more likely to wound at long range..A piss poor shot will just miss at long range and be on his merry way shooting up the hill side, but having little effect on anything...My advise is if you are a really good shot then have the maturity to keep your shots within the sure hit range and that is probably 300 yards under field conditions! end of story.