So I'm in Sask. bear hunting last week with my V-Archery longbow. I have a really nice bear come in at dark and I make a good shot. The bear takes off and crashes into the brush by the river. We (me and guide) decide to recover him in the daylight. We come back the next day and follow the blood trail... STRAIGHT INTO THE RIVER!!!!! I couldn't believe it! He just booked it into the river! Into the River, I can't believe it  :(

where in sask did you go what outfitter?

just a friend

Sorry man, Makes you sick when you can't find game. It's only happened once to me.
I hope he turns up somewhere for you guys!

Sorry, what a bummer.

tough luck

If you hunt enough, it will happen again. Even with employing excellent management of tracking skills, having a complete great bow and arrow set-up, competent shooting and excellent shot selection, lost quarry is always a possibility.
For example, an animal may move at the shot.
You may be able to determine if he is wired and wisely decline to shoot and then take a slightly quarting away shot on a calm animal and he turns inside out at the shot. We can't control that.
One of my trophies on the wall was trotting down the ridge broadside from left to right. At the shot, he wheeled and the shot was perfect, however the arrow entered on the left side. I was just blessed that time.

You can never bring that arrow back. Be prepared for the next.

It's something that happens if you hunt enough. It's happened to me, once on a deer and once on a turkey. The deer was a bad hit (shoulder). The turkey was a good shot, but it managed to get airborne. Spent hours looking for both, but found neither.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but you are not alone.

I told my wife my shrink said the only way to get over the depression is to hunt more!

She didnt believe it either...  

QuoteOriginally posted by Pruneemac:
I told my wife my shrink said the only way to get over the depression is to hunt more!

She didnt believe it either...    

When the horse bucks you off, you just have to get back on  

bound to happen if you hunt enough just keep after it and don't let it phase you.  It's a tough sport and if you let it eat you up you won't last long.  If it was easy everyone would do it.  Just stay positive and keep going you will get the next one.

We are predators. ALL predators are not 100% successful. We do the best we can and try to be ethical. You will be successful again. Nature will not waste any unfound game. The scavengers will take care of it down to the dry bones. Good luck in the future fellow trad hunter.