Don't give up!!!

longbowman · October 04, 2011, 02:24:00 PM

Last night I shot a large doe. She came in in that last 15 mins. of shooting light and offered me a broadside shot at around 20 yds. At the release my bottom limb touched a small twig but at the noise she turned inside out and moved nearly a body length before my arrow hit. It looked like I took her just under mid point in the back left ham and she was gone.
I waited a few minutes and went to the shot location and slowly followed her knocked down goldenrod until it opned wher I found what looked like good blood.
Two hours later we were back on the trail and this old girl used all the tricks! She took us straight to "over-the-head" flora rose and briars, through wet golden rod and raspberry bushes. After 50 yds. and 1 1/2hrs. later we came to open woods with decent blood and then bumped her!
We backed out with me going back this morning. It rained all night and was still raining when I got back to our last spot. The direction she went was towards a group of ridge fingers that brought 3 streams together about 400 yds away. I made my way to the first drainage and crossed over so I could walk the edge and see both ridge tops. All the things you read about come into play in a situation like this. When it's a poor hit the deer go towards water...usually. They go down hill...usually. I had nothing more to go on than sound instincts and I made my way down to where all three finger ended. I looked as far as I could in every direction and there about 100 yds. away I saw what looked like a deer streched out facing up the final ridge.
By her body temp and the lack of bloating I could tell she had made it most of the night before expiring. Never just say it was a leg hit and leave. "ALWAYS" follow-up and use common sense before throwing in the towel.

Bob B. · October 04, 2011, 02:51:00 PM

Longbowman, Wow, it took me a while I guess I tracked your story like you tracked your deer! Nice job and way to stay at it!! Congrats on the shot ... congrats on tracking and finding a fine animal. Well Done!!!

Bob.

Cyclic-Rivers · October 04, 2011, 02:52:00 PM

Way to stick it out.

BobCo 1965 · October 04, 2011, 03:00:00 PM

Awesome! Congratulations!

rice · October 04, 2011, 03:54:00 PM

Thumbs up to you for sticking to it. Good lesson for all of us.

October 04, 2011, 04:46:00 PM

good job stayin with it

looks to be a biggun too.

steadman · October 04, 2011, 05:10:00 PM

Congrats!!

Mudd · October 04, 2011, 05:39:00 PM

glass76 · October 04, 2011, 08:04:00 PM

Perseverance pays off. Nice job.

recurve_shooter · October 04, 2011, 09:15:00 PM

Way to stay with it. She looks like a pretty good sized gal, too.

lpcjon2 · October 04, 2011, 09:19:00 PM

congrats and good on you for staying in it to the end.

Hooper · October 04, 2011, 09:36:00 PM

Glad you found her. Nice doe! Congrats!

Bow Bum · October 04, 2011, 09:38:00 PM

Good track job, and NICE DOE!

B

RedShaft · October 04, 2011, 09:47:00 PM

where did you end up hitting her?

Big Ed · October 04, 2011, 10:10:00 PM

Persistance definitely pays off. Well done!!!

jsweka · October 04, 2011, 11:04:00 PM

Way to stick with her

babs · October 05, 2011, 01:30:00 AM

I was in the same situation last year with my biggest buck to date. I had good results just like you did, it took me alot of searching hands and knees and alot of prayers. I'm glad you found her, looks like a nice size doe. I hope you get your buck too good luck from one PA hunter to another

longbowman · October 05, 2011, 08:32:00 AM

Thanks everybody. I ended up hitting her just below center in the left ham but missed the femoral ther but the arrow exited out through the right ham and just caught it in that one. I was using my 70# @ 27" Bighorn Ram Hunter longbow, cedar arrows with Zwickey Delta two blade heads.
I've had so many guys tell me about having just a leg hit and they knew the deer would be OK and I just wanted to stress how important it is for each of us to follow until we're 100% sure.
Also, it was a very large dry doe.

maineac · October 05, 2011, 11:22:00 AM

Way to follow through!

KentuckyTJ · October 05, 2011, 11:35:00 AM

Way to be persistent