Posted: 10/7/2008 10:14:45 AM EDT
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Having never bow hunted before (and planning on starting) I have a few quick questions... How many of you have lost a deer after you shot it? I suppose you watch it from the stand until it's out of sight and head in that direction? Is there always a blood trail or path (footprints) that you can follow? About how far does the deer travel before it's down, considering you made a good shot? What percentage of deer have you been unable to find after you have made the shot? Thanks! |
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I have only lost one deer out of nearly 50 kills. The one I lost was shot very high with a bow. My arrow was covered in tallow (white, fatty substance) and it missed all vitals. I found nearly no blood, and I'm pretty confident the deer was able to recover so long as infection did not set in. The main reason people lose deer, even those that are "hit" well, is they take off after it right after a shot. Even if a deer is shot right through both lungs, they will still often run off a ways and take a few minutes to expire. When you shoot, you need to make a mental note of where it was standing so you can look for blood and/or hair. The color of the blood will often tell a lot about where a deer is hit. I ALWAYS wait atleast 20 minutes after taking a shot before descending the tree. I also feel it is ignorant to ever aim anywhere except for the vital lung/heart area of a deer. I imagine a lot of deer are lost by people trying to take neck/head shots  |
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I've never lost a deer. As long as you practice and become efficient with your weapon and take only good, clean shots - you should have no problems. Most deer will expire within 100 yards or so of a good shot. Bear in mind that you should wait at least 30 mins if you know you made a good shot and much longer (sometimes overnight if weather permits) if you made a bad shot. The deer, even with a bad shot, will bed down pretty quickly after being stuck. They will usually die where they bed down as long as they are not pushed. If you get in a hurry and jump down and start pursuing you can push a mortally wounded deer a long damn way - trust me on this. Tracking a shot deer is not difficult. Be patient, don't get in a hurry and have good light if its after dark. A coleman lantern is hard to beat for this. |
Check out the Bowhunting forum. Click here |
| Only lost one out a a dozen or so I shot with a bow. This one I hit in the shoulder and it hit the bone and didn't penetrait at all. The others usually went anywhere from 25 - 50 yards and died. Just after the shot give them 30 minutes or so and track them and if its a good lung or double lung shot they won't go to far and should bleed out in about 30 minutes. |
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That's key. You want rapid blood loss, and nothing to spook the deer while this happens. Nice clean shots, make it even quicker. Too many hunters, don't shoot their bows enough. We all owe it to the deers we take, to be the best shots we can be. And that includes set-up up stands off season, and shooting different angles, at known distances. It's all about pre season practice. and I have never lost a deer.... In fact, my last buck, was hit from 10 yards away, he ran a 20 yard circle and bedded down directly below my stand. Dead in less than 3 minutes, but I still waited 15 to be sure. Good luck. |
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What about an RFID chip implanted in the arrow that allows tracking up to 200 yards via a small remote device? Was wondering if it would be of any use in the bow hunters world? Would anyone drop $10 extra per arrow equipped with an RFID chip and $150 on a tracking device? |
Personally, no. Most shots I've made are pass throughs. Other things to consider are: How much will it weigh? If the end with the chip is buried in the deer/elk/whatever, will it still work? Will it take the abuse of being shot? I like the idea though, it's thinking out of the box. 
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Some states that is illegal. Most shots are pass thru. I guess it would help you find the arrow. |
It's already been done: www.trackmasterats.com/trackmasterintro.htm |