[Danesdad]

My son hit one this morning, but we couldn't find it. First deer hunt ended in heart break. More on my part than his. I think he hit too far forward. The front leg was broken but blood was scarce. We searched until we actually got lost, putting it up twice, but never getting it.

BTW, special thanks to the two archery hunters on SGL 79. While searching, we blundered right through their set up and not only were they not upset, but they'd seen the deer lay down and spent about an hour helping us search. My hat is off to these two gentleman, especially after our search trampled up most of the ground they were watching. I wish them a lot of luck at that spot. Props to them, for sure.

 

[browtine64]

Things happen, just a shame that it was his first deer hunt. On the plus side, it is definitely a hats off to those guys that helped you look for it.

 

[Danesdad]

Yep. I never even got their names, or they mine. They walked around looking for blood with me and my son. They told me exactly what they saw and which way the deer ran. All this, after we stomped through their set up. They had very right to be upset, but instead were nothing but helpful.

 

[cspot]

Sorry it didn't work out. Hope he gets one this year.

 

[great white hunter]

Sorry it didn't work out. Hope he gets one this year.

X2

 

[tdd]

Had sort of the same thing happen (lost deer) with my daughter. I sure toed a fine line talking to her that I didn't get her all upset, but that she understood the gravity of the situation. I also think she hit too far front.

Mistakes happen to the best of us. The way I put it to my daughter was that a mistake happens and you don't let it keep you down, you learn from it. It's only a disgrace if you keep doing the same thing over and over and don't do something to avoid that problem in the future. Then she went out that evening and made a text book shot on a doe.

Keep him after it and let him know that it wasn't the outcome you or he wanted, but you'll learn from it and be better hunters all around. I know I told my daughter that while she had things to learn from the experience, I had even more to learn as her dad and mentor in this sport, as there were things in her situation I could, and should, have done that would have changed the outcome.

 

[Danesdad]

I feel exactly the same way. I ask myself, should I have told him to wait until the deer got closer? What could I have done differently? He did feel bad at the time, but he's still willing to go hunting. I think it will take ma a lot longer to get over it than it will him. Bothers me every time I think about it.

 

[tdd]

Same here. Like the thought that I should have had one of my father's inlines. I don't own any, but he has several. All were ready to hunt. I should have had one for a clean-up shot if needed. That would have made all the difference.

But, the flipside is that she told me how focused she was on the doe on shot placement and not having the same thing happen again. Would she have learned that without the morning's go-round? No way to know, but I know that I learned a lot, and she learned with me, so that's a net positive.

 

[Janie]

So sorry he lost his first. I lost my first and I'll never forget it. Also, if you fumbled onto my set up, I'd of gotten down or out of my blind n helped you n your son. There are still good people who walk amongst us.

Tell him to get out there and hunt again! Sending him my best!!!

 

[Danesdad]

Oh, we'll be back at it I'm sure. A little wiser for sure.

 

[Hunter8319]

That [censored] but hopefully it turns into a learning experience for him. It's part of hunting and will afffect him again at some point. How long did you wait to track? When you jumped it, why didn't you back out?

 

[Bigbrownie]

It happens to almost everyone sooner or later. Shake it off, things will go better the next time.

 

[bobcat1]

Just a thought, what about going back out tomorrow and start in the opposite direction and see what you can find?

 

[59Willys]

We can't control everything that happens,We can only prepare and hope that things work out as you plan. You made every reasonable effort to track and recover it. To me thats a true hunter. Good luck with the rest of your hunting season.

 

[mus42tang]

That word "heartbreaker" bothers me. I look at it as a newbie making mistakes. Not enough practice. Not enough time to know that shooting is at a real animal. Make a mistake of the distance. Didn't look at a spot on the animal rather than a big part of the deer. Didn't really know where to shoot. Lots of mistakes a newbie can make.

Heartbreaker!!! Lot of hunters must retire on heartbreaker 1, heartbreaker 2...

I wouldn't teach them the heartbreaker method.

 

[bobcat1]

Darn mus42tang, just bend the kid over and kick him in the tush why don't you? You too were a young'un once. Another perfect person on the HPA Forum.