Posted: 10/11/2010 4:56:48 AM EDT
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First off, a little background. This is my sixth year of bowhunting, however there was a gap of about 5 years between my first three years and this.
Got to the woods fri afternoon, in east texas. Sat there all weekend, and my persistance with the spot pai off sun morning. About 8am, had a doe walking toward me at my ten o'clock (from my ladder). She's walking right toward my opening, and it's looking good. She pauses, starts eating leaves off a tree on her right, and turns into the brush. She keeps walking into the woods, staying what I ESTIMATED at about 35 yards from me. Long story short, I sent my rage 2 blade downrange as soon as I had a small window in the brush, because I knew that it was my last hunt for the next two weeks. After a lot of searching, I found my arrow... Bone dry, and not a drop of blood to be found. Walked the distance, and it was a cool 40 yards. Here's my problem. I range my "intended" shots by walking it off prior to hunting season. This is my third shot in my 6 years of hunting, where for whatever reason, I mis judge distance, and miss a deer. (Still not had success). Also, I feel like I take a lot longer to release arrow when shooting for practice that when its the real deal. I almost felt like I get to full draw and let her fly. Anyone else have this problem? Rookie thing, or am i just jacked up? 
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if you are hunting from the same place every time, mark off your distances before hand with some marking tape. use the same color tape as you sight pin for that distance.
i use three pins. they also relate to light available for the shot.(red is the first color that is hard to see in low light, so i will have a better judgment for taking the shot.) green=20yds yellow=30yrds red=40yrds now if you shoot into brush, expect a miss or bad shot placement. if there is anything in the way, your arrow will hit it. murphy's law and all that. and lastly, i don't use mechanical broadheads. why add something else that has a chance of going wrong into the shot. fixed blades can't fail to open.(see murhpy's law) lastly, don't rush it, do it just like you practice. slow is smooth and smooth kills deer. |
| Simple....Wait until they get closer, or don't take the shot!!! Yea, I know, you probably practice at longer ranges, but target shooting and hunting are two different critters. Take the high percentage shots, you'll put more meat in the freezer!!! Good luck to ya!!! |
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Or, if you hunt from the same place, put some ranging stakes in the ground during the off season, the deer will get used to them by hunting season next fall. Or, get a rangefinder, you may be misjudging your range.
Personally, I'd use ranging stakes painted white...easy to see. Just sayin. |
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Quoted: I use "T Posts" painted with florescent paint in the same colors as my pins. Red, Green, YellowOr, if you hunt from the same place, put some ranging stakes in the ground during the off season, the deer will get used to them by hunting season next fall. Or, get a rangefinder, you may be misjudging your range. Personally, I'd use ranging stakes painted white...easy to see. Just sayin. I have one at 50 yards (awareness marker, that is painted all 3 colors). |
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I"m really just kicking myself in the ass right now for missing... AGAIN... if i thought there was any chance of her coming into my clearing, I wouldve waited. But where I hunt, if you see a deer during a hunting trip, you did better than most, so I had to take the shot when she started heading out.
I'll keep shooting my block in the back yard, and have some steaks ready to put out for the next trip. 
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