Whip,
Great story and a lesson for all to follow, and a "Beautiful Deer". I agreed with you that the one thing that always make for a better outcome (in all of life) is prayer. And nothing is trivial with God and his children (not a knock, but an agreement) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God". Now if I can just see a deer close to me  

Awesome job on that one Joe!

Nice buck too!!

   

You did the right thing and your hunting ethics are perfect. A great buck is your reward for your ethical treatment of a tough situation.

Well Done!!

Mr. Sherpa, although I do not understand completely what you said, it makes alot of sense in this situation, thanks for chiming in.

Joe

Thanks to you as well for sharing this story with us (congrats on a fine buck by the way)  The items you state as being so important in bowhunting and that really came to the fore for you could not be any closer to the truth!  This situation perfectly shows how important those things are for each of us to consider.  Hats off to you for sticking with it.

Way to go Joe!              

Way to go buddy!!      

QuoteOriginally posted by dakota tim:
Way to go Joe!                        

Im willing to bet its a RER...

Congrats Joe!  That story will help us all at some point I'm sure.

I still think you have THE golden horseshoe hidden somewheres.....

QuoteOriginally posted by Tom Phillips:

 Does that buck have a brother,uncle,father or grand-dad living on your grounds ???

I can't say for certain they are related, but the one that I mmmissssed with the selfbow earlier in the week was bigger!   :eek:

Tim, yep, that is my RER LX.  The thing is a shooting machine and has an amazing track record since I got it a year and a half ago.  Two whitetails, two cow elk, two javilina, and a mule deer have fallen to it.  The buck this week keeps the streak alive  

"It lodged in the bone just above the spinal column."  

It was actually lodged in a bone OF the spinal column near the spinal cord. The vertebrae make up the spine and the cord runs through them.  

It would appear that the lodged WW would have worried that bone back and forth by rubbing of the scapula as the buck walked because there is very little space between the top of the shoulder and the spine. The arrow probably snapped off from this action of the shoulder blade.

Dr John's theory that inflammation of the spinal cord caused partial paralysis sounds just right to me. Arrow heads that hit the spine seem to really stick in the vertebrae, often so hard that they cannot be pulled. Torquing that vertebrae as he walked had to cause trauma.

You did just right to take a break and check in with the Boss for inspiration. It is never wrong to ask for guidance, asking to find a specific thing may be pushing it, but you must have had some chips to cash like JC said.

I bet you subconsciously waited for the deer to step forward with the close side leg. This opens the heart and lower lung for broadside but covers the upper lung / spine area from high angle close shot.

Good shooting, good follow up, good story, great WI buck. Way to go Whip!

Right Shaun, it the bone it lodged in is of course actually part of the vertebrae.  But rather than being in the thick part of it that surrounds the spinal cord it was just above it in the "fin" that sticks up from each vertebrae.

I saw that and I bet it had some good leverage from there to twist that joint. I know you know the anatomy, just wanted to clear it up that there is no separate bone ABOVE the spine for newcomers.

I bet your shot was real close to going into the boiler room - less than 3" difference between where your arrow hit and a double lung. And there may have been some deflection from the scapula especially if it was moving when you hit - walking or ducking as a reaction string jump.

Great deer and perfect how-to follow up lesson.

Awesome Bud.  Power of prayer.  Amen.  Still wished I lived there so I could put water in that cabin for you.

Congrats Whip      

Whip, what an inspiring story. Great hunt, follow up, communing with the Boss, and overall recovery! That buck is one to remember for the evenings around the campfire/fireplace.

Congrats!      

P.S. I'm a believer.

Tom, the answer is YES!!!!

Very informative thread.