Update To Live From Stand Post

[quackaholic]

I had a real slow start yesterday morning. Saw a pretty decent bear and a black coyote. A little later a bear cub was playing across the field from me. Fun to watch, but not what I was after. It started getting warm and at 10:30 I called it quits and went to my truck. Crap, forgot my coffee in the blind. Went for it and back to the truck I go. Just as I was getting in a couple of bucks flashed their tails and I was shocked. They stood there. I got a good rest and heard the sound of a solid hit. The buck was fairly decent, so I decided it best to give him plenty of time. I drove on out. As I was about to get the gate I saw him and his companion on the other side of the field. He was obviously hurting and hesitated to cross the fence on the other property. I snapped a quick Pic to mark the spot to start. I went back and the blood trail was easy to follow. But when he stopped at the fence he actually spun and somehow the bleeding became much slower. Give more time. Then 3 hours later I go back to where I thought he'd be and low and behold, he was and so was the other but they took off to another property. This place is chopped up pretty good into smaller parcels. So I backed off at the fence and hopefully finding him this morning. Here is a pic of his rack. Hard to make out but he is to the right of the 6 point.

 

[Gravey]

Hard to see on my phone but hope you find him.

 

[TN Larry]

Good luck. Might want to consider getting a dog. Did you find the arrow? Any bubbles or gut matter in the blood?

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Good luck

 

[quackaholic]

The short story is... did not recover him. If I hadn't jumped him from the first bed it might have ended with a better story. I can say without a doubt that my confidence in a crossbow has plummeted to zero. Accurate as it is; I have had poorer blood trails and harder recoveries, and lost 2 deer while using it. I had only lost 1 in the past 41 years with a regular bow. No matter arrow-broadhead combination. I have always had decent to good blood. All but 1 a complete pass through. Usually ends well within 100 yards with a dead deer. This deer was similar in size to the buck in my avatar. Maybe a little wider. So hopefully he makes it to muzzleloader and gives me a second chance. Property owners are looking out for buzzards for me in case he died. The blood trail this time was very easy to follow for about 80 yards and this was where things went south. And the blood trail just became sparse.

 

[Ski]

Looks like muscle blood to me. If it were heart he'd be dead. So it must be brisket or leg muscle, which means it'll clot up & he'll be sore for a long while but likely will survive. In my experience if you see the deer still alive the day after shooting him, you're not going to recover him because he's not going to die.

 

[knightrider]

Uhm, its not the crossbows fault, they are killing machines. As ski said its low or low forward non vital hit ,which isnt on the weapon. Hopefully you get another crack at him

 

[Ski]

Totally not the crossbow. The deer's body can't tell if it was hit with a crossbow bolt or an arrow. Get a broad head through vital organs & it'll die.

 

[quackaholic]

Looks like muscle blood to me. If it were heart he'd be dead. So it must be brisket or leg muscle, which means it'll clot up & he'll be sore for a long while but likely will survive. In my experience if you see the deer still alive the day after shooting him, you're not going to recover him because he's not going to die.

Could be. But we didn't see him today. Yesterday after 3 ½ hours is when I jumped him from a bed 15 yards from where I last saw him when I snapped that Pic. I'm not saying it's the bows fault, but I have zero confidence in it after shooting several deer with lack luster results.

 

[jc0313]

Were you able to find the arrow?

 

[Ski]

I have zero confidence in it after shooting several deer with lack luster results.

Confidence matters. If you don't trust it then don't use it. Hunting is a hugely mental game.

Hopefully you see him again soon & get to finish the job.

 

[kaizen leader]

I had a real slow start yesterday morning. Saw a pretty decent bear and a black coyote. A little later a bear cub was playing across the field from me. Fun to watch, but not what I was after. It started getting warm and at 10:30 I called it quits and went to my truck. Crap, forgot my coffee in the blind. Went for it and back to the truck I go. Just as I was getting in a couple of bucks flashed their tails and I was shocked. They stood there. I got a good rest and heard the sound of a solid hit. The buck was fairly decent, so I decided it best to give him plenty of time. I drove on out. As I was about to get the gate I saw him and his companion on the other side of the field. He was obviously hurting and hesitated to cross the fence on the other property. I snapped a quick Pic to mark the spot to start. I went back and the blood trail was easy to follow. But when he stopped at the fence he actually spun and somehow the bleeding became much slower. Give more time. Then 3 hours later I go back to where I thought he'd be and lo and behold, he was and so was the other but they took off to another property. This place is chopped up pretty good into smaller parcels. So I backed off at the fence and hopefully finding him this morning. Here is a pic of his rack. Hard to make out but he is to the right of the 6 point.

Man I hope you get him. Good luck.

 

[knightrider]

Could be. But we didn't see him today. Yesterday after 3 ½ hours is when I jumped him from a bed 15 yards from where I last saw him when I snapped that Pic. I'm not saying it's the bows fault, but I have zero confidence in it after shooting several deer with lack luster results.

What crossbow, bolt and broadhead combo? We have had nothing but awesome results withem using nap killzones and g5 megameats. But it doesn't take much when shooting them through the goodies. Never shoot at live game over 50 yards with one and have had great results.

 

[quackaholic]

Were you able to find the arrow?

No. It's

What crossbow, bolt and broadhead combo? We have had nothing but awesome results withem using nap killzones and g5 megameats. But it doesn't take much when shooting them through the goodies. Never shoot at live game over 50 yards with one and have had great results.

First, I used a 125 Sevr titanium 1.5. I have used the mega meat and had poor performance on a buck at Oak Ridge. I did recover him, but only because I heard him fall. I have a CP400 and use Victory X Bolts. Shoots a flat 375fps. And I haven't shot at any game past 50. As a matter of fact this deer was ranged at 47yds. Perfectly broadside. The only real issue was with his stance when I shot which may have been the whole problem he was stretched out. While he was running he was pouring. When he slowed the hole may have covered by shoulder and skin. I hope it was just too far forward. That he will survive and I get another opportunity.

 

[knightrider]

No. It's

First, I used a 125 Sevr titanium 1.5. I have used the mega meat and had poor performance on a buck at Oak Ridge. I did recover him, but only because I heard him fall. I have a CP400 and use Victory X Bolts. Shoots a flat 375fps. And I haven't shot at any game past 50. As a matter of fact this deer was ranged at 47yds. Perfectly broadside. The only real issue was with his stance when I shot which may have been the whole problem he was stretched out. While he was running he was pouring. When he slowed the hole may have covered by shoulder and skin. I hope it was just too far forward. That he will survive and I get another opportunity.

Not to be mean or irritate you, but no the problem wasnt being stretched out , it was not being shot in the vitals or he wouldnt have been alive 3 hrs later, once again no disrespect meant

 

[quackaholic]

Not to be mean or irritate you, but no the problem wasnt being stretched out , it was not being shot in the vitals or he wouldnt have been alive 3 hrs later, once again no disrespect meant

I would believe the same thing, but when I jumped him from his bed yesterday, I clearly saw the wound on his side. Adequate penetration? I don't know. Where did my arrow end up? Again, I don't know. Is it unbelievable that I put the arrow in the shoulder and it went funky after that? I don't know I have seen stranger things. I have seen guts enter the plural cavity and clog the entrance wound. I have seen a bolt hit the off shoulder and turn inside the animal and come out behind the rib cage only to reenter the hind quarter. You aren't talking to someone who isn't experienced. I have bowhunted for 41 years. Been on hundreds of blood trails. Yet things still baffle me. I do believe he survived and it wasn't fatal. And 99/100 he would have piled up in sight. I also think he should have died in that first bed. But he didn't. But I do get curious when I see all the "need a dog" posts. Are they too getting crappy blood trails using a crossbow?

 

[jc0313]

Hope you get another chance at him this season, good luck!

 

[Ski]

I have used the mega meat and had poor performance on a buck at Oak Ridge. I did recover him, but only because I heard him fall.

What was the poor performance, out of curiosity? Sounds like the deer died quickly if you heard him fall.

 

[wcw280]

What was the poor performance, out of curiosity? Sounds like the deer died quickly if you heard him fall.

Ski out here being Dr. Phil of TNdeer today I love it. Telling the real facts. Wasn't the crossbow, I agree on muscle blood, and if a deer dies where you can hear him fall with anything that's not poor performance.

 

[quackaholic]

What was the poor performance, out of curiosity? Sounds like the deer died quickly if you heard him fall.

Yes it is poor performance if there is no blood trail to follow. You won't always be able to hear the deer fall. It just so happened he fell into a ravine and there was quite a ruckus. In Archery blood trails are a very important issue. I ain't calling a dog every time I shoot a deer, are you?