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Help!!! Recurve doe track!! Help please!!!

hunna771

Junior Member
On December 31, 2011 i hunted the final 45 minutes of legal shooting time. Not expectng to see anything, i sat in a brush grounblind and didn't bring my camcorder. The view from the blind is limited so i couldnt see or hear much, if anything. The final 10 minutes came, i had 6 or 7 deer within 30 yards of me. They never offered a good shot so i didnt shoot. I hunted the next evening and dumped corn. Nothing. I hunted this morning(the next day) without any success. Today being the last day of my winter break, i had to hunt. I sat in my stand, i also dumped 4 lbs of corn to get any deer to stop in front of my stand. I prayed to God, asking Him if a deer came in, either i miss completely or have a clean kill.

Before i knew it, there was 15 minutes left.. I did my usual ritual. Turn the camera on and start recording the bait, and stand up ready to shoot. I looked to where i expected a deer, and sure enough there's a big fat ole doe. 75 yds out. Then another, then another one, another, until there were a total of 6 or 7 deer. The wind was perfect, in my face, blowing towards the south, keeping the deer upwind. There were 2 big does and 4 yearlings. They all headed East about 5o yards away. The yearlings quickly worked their way west right to my bait. The big does headed south then west to get Downwind of me. 3 of the 4 yearlings stayed behind a tree and bush, the 2 big does were behind a small pine thicket due southeast of me.

The one yearling headed 10 more yards west, standing exactly 15 yards quartering slightly away on my bait in front of me. I calmed myself down, picked a spot and slowly pulled back my Samick Sage Recurve(50#). i let the arrow fly. From what i saw, it looked like a good shot. But, by now i had literally shot in the last minute of legal time. So it was pretty dark.

I called up my buddy Zak W. and told him what happend. He was stoked, grabbed his headlamp and met me back up at my house. I told my dad. We screwed around at the house for a bit and by the time we were back in the woods to track, it had been 45 minutes- an hour. I hadnt checked for blood or anything when i first climbed down from my stand. We looked over the bait and where i thought she ran. No blood. No guts. No arrow. No anything. There are still a few other places she could have gone, but i have to wait until after school tomorow to go look again. I know for a fact i made conact with her and it looked good. But from reviewing the footage, it looks like i hit high and a bit back.

I'll try to make a map of the property etc. so you can see the layout.. Please let me know what you think of the situation. Where do youthink i hit her? Thanks for any help!!
 

tuffshot

The Crew
With a questionalbe hit it is best to back out with the cold weather no spoilage.
Get with tracking first thing in the morning though before the yotes beat you to it. (if your lucky)
Plan on doing a lot of circling.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
Sometimes in all the excitement, you will find they did not run quite like you thought they did. Every trail is still an option until you find the right one. I have went 50-60 yards before I found blood before also. The Video will help a lot hopefully, and I agree with Tuffshot......When in Doubt ~~ Back Out!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Hard saying without being there Hunna. Get your old man out there. Stick a beer in his hand. Tell him it is time to work. I am sure he has been there before. In fact, if I remember correct, he was all over a track for Mike last year. I know he has done some tracking. lol If I hadn't been plowing all night and about ready to hit the sack, I would bring Hank up there to give you a hand.
 

hunna771

Junior Member
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8MA-y3_xzI

the light/ darkness sucks, i know. Its better than nothing i guess. I found her bed with some blood in it and followed the trail for a good 75 yards and lost it. i went to meet up with my buddy zak and happend to see a bare spot in the snow... i walked up to it and it had fresh blood in it! i put a marker down and when i stood up a doe took off! 90% chance it was the doe i hit. I went back to here i originally found blood and found a few large chunks/spots of bloody guts too... on the bright side, i found a really nice shed, no squirrels got to it! any help on what you think tracking wise is appreciated. thanks guys
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
Watched the video, and from what I think I seen, looks like she hunched up after regaining her balance. I'd say you hit her a little fer back. You didn't say when you jumped her? Last night or today? Where did the deer go that "jumped up" on you? Did you follow that trail and look for blood? How much blood is in the bed? Did you find the arrow? We are not getting enough info here to make a good sound judgement. Sorry.
 

xbowguy

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
29,632
234
Licking Co. Ohio
If you have permission to search across the road, I would wait until tomorrow and go in and look for her. After crossing the road, she probably stopped 20-30 yards on the other side to check her backtrail. I'd look for blood there and hopefull get a direction.
 

hunna771

Junior Member
well, my buddy called that owns the property across the street and told me he saw a doe bed down in a small thicket when he was hunting. i told him about hitting the doe and he said he'll help me look tomorow :)
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
That's a long time for a gut shot deer too live..... Especially beded down numerous times and jumping up and running like that..... Ones I've had experiance with they don't go that far..... Don't know what too think at this point..... Like it was said earlier the weathers cold enough and the meat won't spoil.... hit it again tomorrow.....
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
Gonna be a tough one in my opinion buddy, if she lived that long she is likely not fatally wounded, take your bow and go in slow and with the wind in your favor, you never know! Looking forward to see how this one plays out. Best of luck!
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio
Gonna be a tough one in my opinion buddy, if she lived that long she is likely not fatally wounded, take your bow and go in slow and with the wind in your favor, you never know! Looking forward to see how this one plays out. Best of luck!
Ditto and that's what I would do.

Goodluck and keep us posted.
 

hunna771

Junior Member
I think I'm gonna give up on this one... :( I found my arrow, but it was on the trail i jumped her out on. The arrow had blood all the way down it and on the fletchings. Some guts on the broadhead, and hair. There was no blood anywhere across the street. There's a couple thickets across the road i wanna check one last time. 5% chance i find her/ anything... wish me luck.. :smiley_cry:
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
I think I'm gonna give up on this one... :( I found my arrow, but it was on the trail i jumped her out on. The arrow had blood all the way down it and on the fletchings. Some guts on the broadhead, and hair. There was no blood anywhere across the street. There's a couple thickets across the road i wanna check one last time. 5% chance i find her/ anything... wish me luck.. :smiley_cry:

Part of bowhunting... Keep your chin up and get after the next one, after you do your last check that is lol..... Take the lessons learned from this one to make you better at the next one......