Almost my first trad deer

RodL · September 14, 2013, 08:25:00 PM

I thought my long wait for a traditional deer was over this morning, this is the first year that I have gone totally traditional, in years past I have hunted half the season with a recurve and the last half with my compound and it seems like I always got my shot opportunity later in the season with the compound but this year I'm going to get one with the recurve. Anyway, the morning started out great with lots of deer around my stand but they were all doe with fawns, at 7:30 a lone doe came by with no fawns with her and I decided to take a shot when she came into range, at 12 yards she stopped slightly quartering away which was a perfect shot opportunity so I drew and released, she ducked a little and I hit her about 4 inches below the spine and about the same distance behind her front shoulder. I knew the shot was a little high but I was pretty sure it was a fatal hit, my arrow penetrated to the fletching which gave me 2 holes which I also thought was a good sign. I watched her run out of sight and waited an hour before I came down out of my ladderstand and started tracking, the blood trail wasn't the greatest when it started but got better as I followed it, I tracked her almost 200 yards off of our farm and onto the state ground that borders our property on one side, I wasn't on the state ground that long when I came upon a gentleman with the deer I had shot, he had finished her off with his compound bow and was gutting her when I came up to him, we chatted for a couple of minutes and he asked how long I had been tracking her and I told him, he then asked if which one of us should take the deer, I said since you made the finishing shot that you can have her, he agreed and we looked at the lungs in the gut pile to see what my arrow hit, only the top of one of the lungs had a slit in it so who knows how long she would have went if he wouldn't have shot her. We chatted for a few more minutes and I offered to help him drag the deer to our property and I went and got my truck and we loaded it and took it to his truck.
I was a little disappointed but happy to see that the deer was harvested, made a new friend in the process and got an invite to hunt with him in PA on his property if I ever wanted to. Maybe next time, if only the shot was a little lower I would be showing pics of my first traditional deer.

Rodney

achigan · September 14, 2013, 08:30:00 PM

Hey Rodney. What an EXCELLENT interaction with another hunter. WELL DONE! Looking at the positives, a wounded deer accounted for, is absolutely the right mind set. Here's hoping your sportsmanship is rewarded 10 times over. Jim

Bowwild · September 14, 2013, 08:34:00 PM

While it would have been great to get your 1st, I'm glad this turned out the way it did. The deer was finished quickly and you had a positive encounter.

I try to stare a hole in the top of the heart on my shots to prevent high shots.

A very accomplished recurve shooter (record holder in multiple states) who also shoots compounds explained why a lot of folks shoot high with recurves.

If you are accustomed to compounds with sights and you go to a recurve without sights, you see the point of the arrow and may be pointing the arrow (like a sight) at the center of the kill. At 20 yards and under that will result in a high shot (unless your arrow is a few inches too long or your bow is incredibly slow). My bow/arrow combination for example is point-on at 35 yards.

modr · September 14, 2013, 09:00:00 PM

Rodney, great encounter, a positive example for everyone, good luck the rest of the season.

The Night Stalker · September 14, 2013, 09:10:00 PM

Great story Rodney, many years ago I had a hunting partner. We built a shooting platform to practice from. We shot all the time out to 35 yards. We would shoot leaves,cans, golf balls,etc. When I get up in a tree, my site picture is different but comfortable. I am much more accurate from a elevated stand because of those earlier years.

Bud B. · September 14, 2013, 09:25:00 PM

Sometimes a scripted encounter has not the ending we desire, but a good story has a good ending. This was a good story of your almost first trad deer. Congrats on how you handled it.

I have a feeling the next one is close at hand.

September 14, 2013, 09:31:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Bud B.:
Sometimes a scripted encounter has not the ending we desire, but a good story has a good ending. This was a good story of your almost first trad deer. Congrats on how you handled it.

I have a feeling the next one is close at hand.

I could not have wrote it out better......so I won't!

Good luck on getting your first!

Bisch

limbolt · September 14, 2013, 09:35:00 PM

Great responce to a difficult situation,congrats.

Shawn Leonard · September 14, 2013, 09:39:00 PM

One question, why not shoot one of the does with fawns or better yet one of the fawns?? Shawn

gringol · September 14, 2013, 09:44:00 PM

Well handled. Next time I'm sure you'll drop it within sight of your stand.

John146 · September 14, 2013, 10:08:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by achigan:
Hey Rodney. What an EXCELLENT interaction with another hunter. WELL DONE! Looking at the positives, a wounded deer accounted for, is absolutely the right mind set. Here's hoping your sportsmanship is rewarded 10 times over. Jim

X2!

VictoryHunter · September 14, 2013, 10:35:00 PM

Great job! You absolutely did the right thing. That is a tough thing to do but the important thing is that the deer was recovered. You will get another chance so just keep at it!

Digger_JC · September 14, 2013, 10:44:00 PM

Excellent ethics story! You'll be rewarded for that I'm sure!

reddogge · September 14, 2013, 10:57:00 PM

Just curious, did the other hunter shoot the deer running, walking, standing or lying down? Technically the first mortal wound with an arrow gets to claim an archery deer, at least that is what we used to teach in NFAA bowhunter education classes in the 70s. A hit in the lungs would prove fatal over time. Just the opposite of the unwritten rifle law.

But you guys worked it out and you have a new friend and maybe a new place to hunt. Congratulations.

Mudd · September 14, 2013, 11:33:00 PM

You represented us and yourself well.... thank you!!

God bless,Mudd

coyote30 · September 15, 2013, 12:50:00 AM

You handled this situation with true sportsmanship. I hope you are greatly rewarded for your decision this season.

Gen273 · September 15, 2013, 12:52:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:

QuoteOriginally posted by Bud B.:
Sometimes a scripted encounter has not the ending we desire, but a good story has a good ending. This was a good story of your almost first trad deer. Congrats on how you handled it.

I have a feeling the next one is close at hand.
I could not have wrote it out better......so I won't!

Good luck on getting your first!

Bisch [/b]

x2

bowhuntingrn · September 15, 2013, 04:37:00 AM

Not sure if I would have handled as well. I like to think I would, but I guess you never know until the situation arises. Here's hoping karma's looking out for you down the road.

skunkhound · September 15, 2013, 04:42:00 AM

So either this guy shot your deer immediately after you did, and waited a while to let it die, climbed fown from his stand, and already started gutting before you got to her,which is possible, or a staggering dying deer walked or fell in front of him, and he put an arrow in it to claim it. Not sure what the other guys motives were, but if I get a good lung shot on a deer, it's mine. The guide who finishes off a dying animal for a client, doesn't get to keep it, and neither should this guy have.

Cyclic-Rivers · September 15, 2013, 09:39:00 AM

A one lunged deer can go a long ways, yours already travelled 200 yards.

Its unfortunate the way it all turned out, but I want to thank you for conducting yourself in a true sportsmans manner and positively reflecting others in our sport.

It sounds like the encounter went from a potentially bad situation to a as good as it can get. You may have made a good hunting companion and perhaps gained access to great property to hunt in PA.

My hats off to you