[Fuda44]

I had a big 8pointer come into my grunts yesterday morning. I almost got busted drawing back but he stopoed for a few seconds and then continued on his way and i was able to come to full draw. I got a gold hold and let the arrow fly. I see the arrow change directions and hit him in the neck, my arrow deflected off a tiny branch i never saw. He started to run and stumbled and then stopped and started walking away. I waited for a while amd came down. I called my dad _he was hunting very close by) we started to track and had good blood for about 200 yards. He walked into the neighboring property's field then lost blood. As approaching the field there was a deer running a few hundred yards running away. Couldnt tell if it was a buck or doe. As we were looking in the field there was a small buck chasing 2 doe around so im not sure if it was one of those deer. We looked all over and could not find anymore blood and even looked throughout the property and never found anything. I know there is an artey in the neck but believe if I hit that it wouldn't have made it as far as it did. We looked all over the property and some of the neighboring properties and nothing. Im just hoping that the deer recovers and was wondering if anyone thinks the deer will make it. I watched a video and it says the neck has a lot of tissue in it. Does anyone think the buck will be able to recover. Im pretty bothered by this, never been in this situation. Just looking for sone input.

 

[mauser06]

Check your PMs....I am sending another PM in a minute....


Long shot but I might have this solved I hope!!!

 

[59Willys]

Deer are tough animals! This time of the year "rut" bucks neck is alot larger then normal. If you hit his main artery that buck would drop in it's tracks.I think you nick his neck. If infection don't kick in he should be fine. Don't beat your self up to much! It stinks,If you hunt long enough things like this happens to all of us. Live and learn.

 

[steelhead125]

Well said.

 

[SlickShot]

I had a similar experience a few years back. I had a broadside shot at 24yds, I thought I made a decent shot, but the arrow somehow struck the big 9pt in the neck. We had a blood trail for about 70 yards, even found my arrow broken off with blood all over it, but never found my buck. I was very upset to say the least and couldn`t stop thinking of the buck laying dead somewhere. That was on Halloween weekend in late Oct.

Fast forward 6 weeks later on the last Fri. of rifle season, my hunting bud, calls me and says he shot a big 9pt at 4:45 pm and that he cut his finger pretty bad while field dressing it while reaching up to sever the wind pipe. That got me to thinking that maybe, just maybe he sliced his finger on my Muzzy broadhead.I went over his house to look at the buck, and sure enough it was the same one it hit 6 week earlier.

They are very tough animals, I wouldn`t be surprised at all if your buck is still roaming around, just as the one I hit square in the neck. I hope this story will give you some comfort and peace of mind.

 

[Fuda44]

I had a similar experience a few years back. I had a broadside shot at 24yds, I thought I made a decent shot, but the arrow somehow struck the big 9pt in the neck. We had a blood trail for about 70 yards, even found my arrow broken off with blood all over it, but never found my buck. I was very upset to say the least and couldn`t stop thinking of the buck laying dead somewhere. That was on Halloween weekend in late Oct.

Fast forward 6 weeks later on the last Fri. of rifle season, my hunting bud, calls me and says he shot a big 9pt at 4:45 pm and that he cut his finger pretty bad while field dressing it while reaching up to sever the wind pipe. That got me to thinking that maybe, just maybe he sliced his finger on my Muzzy broadhead.I went over his house to look at the buck, and sure enough it was the same one it hit 6 week earlier.

They are very tough animals, I wouldn`t be surprised at all if your buck is still roaming around, just as the one I hit square in the neck. I hope this story will give you some comfort and peace of mind.

It has and thank you very much. As much as I would love to have tagged that buck I want it to be ok more than anything.

 

[mauser06]

Did you get my PM??? Looks like it may have been lost in cyberspace??? Let me know...

 

[Fuda44]

I did get it Mauser before the site change, thanks I appreciate you looking out. I checked out that page and the buck on there was shot in montour county, the one I hit was in bucks county.

 

[mauser06]

Man....that seemed like way too much of a coincidence!!!

 

[Fuda44]

I know and when I seen the picture of the buck they even looked similar but obviously not the same deer. Guy that also hunts the property told my dad that he seen a big rack buck limping a little last night but was to far for a good luck. I'm hoping that was him and he is doing ok. Maybe I will get another chance at him this weekend, fingers crossed.

 

[curverbowruss]

I'm late to this party, but would like to tell you that it's all gonna be fine. There is an old saying--Hunt long enough, and you will experience some downs in your hunting. Things can, and will happen. As your title says--shake it off. We have all been there, and in our sport many times experience is a nasty teacher that rips at our egos, and she will deal out some disappointment at times. Shake it off--things are going to be ok. All we as bowhunters can do is try--try again. If it were easy, and success came easy--well it wouldn't be hunting. As I recently told a guy in a conversation at work--If, and when hunting becomes like work, or I feel no challenge at all, and I no longer get excited about it along with it not teaching me that I am only human--things happen----that's when it's time for me to give it up.
Get back out there, and try--try again--it's all good, and you will bounce back.