The surprise hit

[Ulysseys]

Anyone ever experience a surprise hit?  Last night I got out on some public land in NJ but forgot my headlamp so with about 20 minutes of light left I decided to start down with my climber.  I lowered my bow down and took my bag off the hook when I saw a meaty spike heading right for me.  I figured I had nothing to lose so I started pulling my bow back up when the buck noticed it dangling about 10 feet up.  From about 20 yards away he got nervous and turned, trotting a few feet facing away from me.  I took the opportunity to finish pulling my bow up, took the tab from the limb and got it on my finger.  He was determined to get past me and turned, heading right back down the trail.  I quickly nocked an arrow and got in position.  At about 18 yds quartering away from me now I picked a spot, anchored, and released.  He turned and quickly bolted and I was pretty sure I shot over him.  With the adrenaline of an otherwise cool encounter I finished getting down and went to find my arrow.  After searching and not finding it with my phone flashlight I walked a few yards in the direction the buck ran and was surprised to find significant blood.  Pretty excited that I may actually have him but unsure of the hit I hiked my stuff out to my truck, grabbed my headlamp and headed back in the now pitch darkness.  I easily found the blood trail that was soon a carpet of kick outs and bubbles.  Not 60 yards away my light illuminated the downed deer, hit perfectly.  I never heard the hit or him crash.  I used a Simmons landshark and it did significant and quick work resulting in a quick humane kill.  He's now hanging in the garage and the hide is salting for me to tan it.  I didn't have the opportunity for pics but it gave me a good memory and story.

[ranger 3]

Very nice, glad you found him

[Car54]

Cool story..& way to go. Oh..and carry two flashlights..LOL

[Warden609]

That's great. Congrats

[Tradcat]

Congrats. Great story. I had a similar situation happen to me in Missouri ascending a tree early morning in my climber but was unable to score

[fnshtr]

Congrats!

It happened to me on a bull elk. I thought I had shot under him. I recovered him about 100 yards away.

[Orion]

Sometimes things go right.  Congrats.      

[highlow]

Same thing here. Shot at a doe at about 25 yds. Would have bet the farm it had been a clean miss but when I went to retrieve the arrow, it wasn't where it should have been. Finally located it about six feet away and lying at an odd angle. Decided to check where she had gone up over the hill and good thing I did as it looked like someone had emptied a red paint can. Long one short, when she turned at the sound of the shot, she turned into it and the broadhead severed her jugular. I never assume anything anymore.

[Pine]

Gotta love it .    

[joe ashton]

Outstanding

[Gordon Jabben]

[SC Bowhunter]

Congrats!

[Tim Finley]

I shot at a doe once and the arrow went high and looked like I had shot over her. The arrow hit a poplar tree and bounced off , I thought why didn't that arrow stick in that tree. I looked back at the direction the deer had gone and she ran into a diamond willow bush and died . We couldn't find a hole, It was hidden in  a heavy winter coat. My son noticed a drop of blood on the deer's head he parted the hair and there was a snuffer hole right between the eye and the ear. That deer ran about 20 yards after being shot in the brain. It was a surprise and not a good shot.

Congrats!

Bisch

[South MS Bowhunter]

All of my hits are a surprise  

I've had two count them two of the situation that "highlow"  described above this year.  Both died from a slice to the jugular and a very clean arrow except for a fine misting on one fletching.

If not for my senses being pricked by unusual behavior I would have guaranteed that I had missed clean.

Both deer did not blow as is usual from a clean missed and a spooked deer.  Both kept their tails tucked hard against their hind quarters when leaving.

These actions caused me to take a pause and re-evaluate the shot and trail.

[Irish Archer]

Nice job, congrats.

[Michael Arnette]

I never have but that's awesome!

[bogeyrider63]

Congrats.

[CoachBGriff]

Glad to hear it turned out to be a great shot!

Congrats!

[drewsbow]

congrats