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wounded deer in archery

9K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  WisconsinDeer 
#1 ·
i have hunted for 12 years and today was a sad day. I shot a doe with its fawn and broke its back. I put another arrow in its chest and went to the house for an hour to give the deer time. By the time i got back the deer was still crawling. This was a very disheartening sight. I reluctantly had to knock it out with a rock before i cut its throat because it was trying to nip at me. This has never happened to me in the past. When i gutted the deer both lungs were shot through. Cutting the throat was a very cruel BUT ethical way to dispatch this deer. I had two friends with me while i was doing this. They both refuse to bow hunt again ever!!!! I will cointinue to bow hunt because that is the nature of the beast. The only reason i am talking about this is because i want other hunters to be aware of evry possible situation dealing with wounded deer. Although it may make you feel differently about hunting, it shouldnt make you stop hunting altogether. Dispatch the animal as fast as possible. SOme grief and dispair maybe.
 
#2 ·
Wow. Two arrows and a double lung shot and a hour later she was still crawling? :confused: What a tough ol gal.

I have never been bow hunting and have never really had any problems with the deer that I have shot dying a slow death(I haven't really shot that many actually), but I probably would have knocked her out and finished her off before I went to the house for an hour. I am sure she would have appreciated that. She couldn't have been too much of a threat after that second arrow. Just a thought.
 
#4 ·
If there's any bright side to the story I guess it is that you did find her and was able to harvest the deer. Some people shoot the deer and never find them. I hope your friends don't give up hunting because of this. Ask any hunter and I'm sure that you will have 1 or 2 horror stories from them.
 
#5 ·
Yea that's sad, I hope I don't run into that situation. This year is my first year bow hunting. I've hunted 8 years gun and have always had my deer go down within 80 yards and never needed a second shot. This year though bow hunting opening week I took my first shot at a smaller buck with my bow and hit it.

Found a blood trail 20 yards away that started, I fallowed it for an hour in a half through real thick brush and prickers until it came to an end. There was a big circle of blood and it just ended. My dad and I spent over 5 hours searching and searching, but never found the blood trail continue along with not finding the deer or my arrow. I was bummed for this was my first experience like this. We tried all we could. I thought that was bad but I hope that situation doesn't happen again or one like yours.

As Ted Nugent says, all you can do is try your best and make the best shot you can as well as try hard to find the deer and sometimes a weird situation will come up and you can't beat yourself up over it.

Good luck the rest of the season guys!
 
#6 ·
You gotta be tuff about it. The fawn will be fine without her if the season is open. Were all gonna die, some of us will suffer. A coyote ripping it apart isnt much better. I have threatened to quit bowhunting after shooting deer and not finding them but know buzzards, coyote, and other critters will feast on it even though I wont. Be glad you found it, thank the gods for the feast and backstrap boogie baby!
 
#7 ·
Yes this is a very tough situation to end up in but it does happen.
Thanks for sharing the story with us.
And you're right I also think it's important for others to read about these situations instead of learning about them the hard way.
 
#10 ·
this thread is seriously making me re evaluate wether or not i want to bow hunt any more. last year i acsidently hit a doe with my truck. it badly hurt the doe, but dident kill it and this was the one time i dident have my .44 on me. it would not let me neer it to kill it with my knife. iv never felt so helpless in my life. i had hurt this deer and could not put it out of its missery. i dont ever want to feel like that again.
 
#12 · (Edited)
That’s a tough situation for sure, and in my opinion sometimes inevitable because of various reasons (like hitting a deer with a vehicle or just shooting a little high and hitting the spine). While you did harvest the deer you can look at as a testament to these amazing animal's will to live. They survive harsh winters with little food and predators, not to mention all of US!!! Congrats on the kill, but I hope your next experience is a more satisfying one for you, and tell your friends not to base their future in the sport on this, especially since it wasn't easy for any of you.
 
#13 ·
That sucks however its a more humain death than nature can offer. Let's see what are the alternatives. Starvation,Predation,wounded by vehicle, wounded by other deer. The human is the only predator that cares about making a quick kill. Other preditors dont care. When a pack of wolves are tearing apart a calf alive in front of his mother i dont think they care about a quick kill. Most drivers that injure a deer are usually on the phone with the insurance company after the collision not looking in the woods to make sure the deer is dead. Starvation really suck it is a slow process till the deer finally falls over and dies. I forgot to mention freezing this is a pretty bad way to go. Anyway don't beat yourself over it. That deer is actually lucky that you put it out the alternatives are worse Orly
 
#16 ·
huntnh, in Vermont we're not allowed to carry Any firearm (rifle, pistol or shotgun) while bowhunting.
Our only means to end a deers suffering is by knife.
I always thought the same as you and wondered why doesn't Vermont let the bow hunters at least carry a pistol?
I guess they're just concerned that some hunters might use the firearm instead of their bow to shoot the deer.
the following is the Vermont rule


* No person taking deer with a bow and arrow or crossbow (special permit required)
may possess a firearm and no deer may be taken
by firearms during the archery season.
 
#18 ·
Well I would like to say that Bow hunting has nothing to do with the animal suffering. It is a proven statistic that there are many more deer and other game animals hit and maimed by vehicles that there are injured by arrows.

And I feel strongly the part of hitting it in the head with a rock because it was nipping at me just is a little out there. But hey who knows maybe it did happen I am just a newbie here, but have been bow hunting for over 30 years and have yet to mortally wound a animal and not find it.:bye:

Not saying it don't happen because it does, but no animal can live without oxygen and if the balloons are popped they are not getting any air and in less than 2 minutes oxygen deprivation sets in and they go night night.... :thumbup:
 
G
#19 ·
i'm willing to bet that many more deer are wounded, gut shot, by guns than by bows. Only because there are way more gun hunters out there. It happens with both. Thats why we practice, we don't take too long of a shot, we don't take iffy shots, this is the same for all weapons.
 
#20 ·
i'm willing to bet that many more deer are wounded, gut shot, by guns than by bows.
Only because there are way more gun hunters out there. It happens with both.

Thats why we practice, ...

we don't take too long of a shot, ...

we don't take iffy shots, ...

this is the same for all weapons.
:goodposting:
 
#21 ·
I go fishing with a guy and one night he was driving him and his dad home from hunting when this doe stumbled in front of them and it was super pregnant they hit the front of it and the babies popped out!!! They video taped the babies walking around!! I saw it it was.. Weird then the cops got there and they dispatched the babies but gave them to Austin's dad he has them mounted now. But the video tape is just crazy I'll put it up on here once I can get a hold of it.
 
#22 ·
been there done that and it does really sux.Had to listen to it scream and bellow until I could get down and put a knife to her.Took awhile to get over it.I was 16yrs old and I cannot confirm nor deny if there were any tears during this ordeal. As for the last post, why did they kill the fawns?
 
G
#24 ·
tough call

though it is a tough call i have ben very fortunate as to always be afforded the opportunity to take good clean shots. my dad shot a deer a while back and same story but i carry a Glock 9mm on me during bow season. i carry it concealed and un-loaded. i only load it when going to and from my stand and when tracking a wounded animal. it is against the law however i don't think the local PD or DEM officers would ticket me as i am only doing this for safety from coyotes and hey should a wounded deer be suffering i would much rather end it instantly. I have been practicing this for a very long time and have never had anyone question my practices. hope it helps and hey don't beat your self up over it. you reacted with what you thought at the time would be the best option and now you are more informed should this happen again.
 
#25 ·
though it is a tough call i have ben very fortunate as to always be afforded the opportunity to take good clean shots. my dad shot a deer a while back and same story but i carry a Glock 9mm on me during bow season. i carry it concealed and un-loaded. i only load it when going to and from my stand and when tracking a wounded animal. it is against the law however i don't think the local PD or DEM officers would ticket me as i am only doing this for safety from coyotes and hey should a wounded deer be suffering i would much rather end it instantly. I have been practicing this for a very long time and have never had anyone question my practices. hope it helps and hey don't beat your self up over it. you reacted with what you thought at the time would be the best option and now you are more informed should this happen again.
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