first time bowhunting, too bad a gutshot

rc256

Opening day in Illinois for deer archery. Pistol Leo and I got to the public
hunting place at 5am. Unfortunately the warden didn't open the gate till 6:
15am. We joked that probably it was because of the government shutdown.

I was first to enter the field. Went to the same hill slope where I shot two
deer last year. The woods were dense. Maximum visibility was about 30yd.
Waited for over 30min and not much going on even with some deer calls. I
decided to spot and stalk to increase chances of encounter.

Bumped into PistolLeo some 30min later around 7am. He was going to stay all
day. I decided go back to work around 8am so I didn't have to take a whole
day off. Saw lot of deer prints in the valley and the river bed.

7:15am, I decided to walk back. Again the bushes were too dense. It would be
better in two weeks time after some leaves shed off. When I almost got back
to the trail entrance, a whitetail doe got startled. She was probably 30
yard away, 12 o'clk position.

I stopped and stood still. She walked around to my 2 o'clk, white tail down,
hiding behind a tree, peeping at me. This was a good sized adult doe,
probably a little over 100lb. I ranged her at 30yd.

She was facing to my right, head and partial body just behind a tree. I drew
the string, aimed at just behind front leg, and let off the release. She
jumped and climbing up the hill. She stumbled a bit half way to the hill top
. I know I had a hit.

Upon recovering the arrow, there was no blood. Smelled like meat (clean, no
foul smell), a little slimy. Just tiny red tissue bits on the vanes. Arrow
head also had some tissue. The shaft was slimy. No blood on the arrow or
shaft. No blood on the ground.

I went to the top of the hill where I last saw her. Did not see any trace.  

Usually it can take up to 6-8 hours for a gut shot deer to die. The best
approach is to wait 4-5 hours. I headed back to check out. Will come back
tomorrow to trace.

Texted PistolLeo, hopefully he can trace it in the afternoon if possible.


I felt really bad to wound an animal and not able to retrieve it.

Looking back, I think I rushed a bit. Because of the partial tree cover, I
think I subconsciously shot to the more visible body part, too far back to
the rear. Also it was a little dark in the shade, I didn't have a clear look
at her head to determine how alert she was.

Let this be a lesson. Should have observed more, waited a little more for
clearer shot.

happydad

不是你带我去的那个了林子吧？

rc256

No. That' place would be too easy and hence no hunting. This is a public hunting land. Much larger.

PistolLeo

早上只收到你的前两个短信，知道你射中了，回信却怎么也发不出去，后来有关Trace的短信也是回到家才看到的，林子里通讯是个问题，看来手机不可靠，这是个教训。

PistolLeo

早上进场之前感觉有点疲倦，前几天感冒过一次，没完全好。昨晚又只睡了三个多小时，所以决定不背自己的树挂进去，而是去找D3第一次打到鹿的那个树挂，后来还真找到了，可惜顶上的座位被拆开锁在树干上，不能用。

我又想起林子里路边还有一个树挂（就是你第一次在这里用的那个），于是又走过去，没找着，大概被人拆了。就是在这里第一次看到两只鹿，大约在100码左右，他们很快往相反方向跑掉了，林子太密，没看清楚有没有角。我决定就在这片林子里守着了，果然后来又看到一次，也是两只，不知道是不是前面的两只跑回来的，不过还是隔得太远。在那棵叉子形的树下还看到了去年别人留下的散弹弹壳。

很快中午了，手机也没电了，当时觉得身体有些不适，于是就回来了。总得来说这地方鹿还是比别的公共猎场多，这时节植被十分茂密，很多地方冬天能走到的现在都走不过去。侦察充分的话，守对地方就必有收获。

graywolfman

PistolLeo 发表于 2013-10-1 17:09
早上进场之前感觉有点疲倦，前几天感冒过一次，没完全好。昨晚又只睡了三个多小时，所以决定不背自己的树挂 ...

你得用DEER CALL啊。另外还有食物。人说，BOW HUNTING WITHOUT A CALL, DON'T GET OUT OF THE DOOR. 看来你们那边鹿不少啊，公共猎场能够见到这么多鹿。

graywolfman

你这离开得有点儿太早了吧，起码也得等到8：30啊。

dengdengdeng

食物？bait非法啊。 decoy现在不是rut season有用吗？

dengdengdeng

我这2天搬家，deer tag都找不到了。人也忙死。下礼拜去打猎。

graywolfman

dengdengdeng 发表于 2013-10-2 08:46
食物？bait非法啊。 decoy现在不是rut season有用吗？

BAIT有些地方确实是不允许。可以查一查当地的规定。很多地方不允许是不让喂食特殊的食物，比如某种带添加剂的玉米啥的。DECOY在北方也许十月中旬已经可以使用了。不管怎么样，DECOY往那儿一放，不懂事的年轻鹿都会安心，或者过来凑热闹。没到RUT季节，鹿尿气味、DEER CALL真的作用不大。尤其DEER SCENT 鹿尿，可能会起反作用。

rc256

graywolfman 发表于 2013-10-2 08:37
你这离开得有点儿太早了吧，起码也得等到8：30啊。

It takes 2hr drive to work. I didn't take the day off. He he

saxe

rc256 发表于 2013-10-2 08:28
It takes 2hr drive to work. I didn't take the day off. He he

你得向我猎友学习： 出猎带上smart phone, 一边等一边和客户牵合同，公私两不误，还不浪费假期

rc256

saxe 发表于 2013-10-2 09:32
你得向我猎友学习： 出猎带上smart phone, 一边等一边和客户牵合同，公私两不误，还不浪费假期 ...

I wish that was the case. I am in the financial trading business, need to be at the desk. already used too much vacation this year.

If I get fired, then I really hunt to feed the family. ^_^

PistolLeo

graywolfman 发表于 2013-10-2 09:37
你得用DEER CALL啊。另外还有食物。人说，BOW HUNTING WITHOUT A CALL, DON'T GET OUT OF THE DOOR. 看来 ...

伊利诺伊法律不让用食物做诱饵打鹿。deer call买了。

我听说过有人用这样的办法，到home Depot买一袋肥料，到打猎的地方找棵橡子树施上，六个月以后再做一次。来年那棵树的果实就会特别好吃，鹿会自己发现它并且每天优先到这里找食。

法律禁止用食饵，但不禁施肥啊：）不过这个办法最好用在私人领地上，公共猎场可能为别人做嫁衣。

graywolfman

PistolLeo 发表于 2013-10-2 22:12
伊利诺伊法律不让用食物做诱饵打鹿。deer call买了。

我听说过有人用这样的办法，到home Depot买一袋肥 ...

给果树施肥，这个周期太长了哈。那只能用CALL和DECOY了。其实鹿用DECOY效果最好。野猪好吃，所以野猪只有用食物效果最好。

bjgg

saxe 发表于 2013-10-2 07:32
你得向我猎友学习： 出猎带上smart phone, 一边等一边和客户牵合同，公私两不误，还不浪费假期 ...

Yes! Work from tree.

dengdengdeng

今天在同一个地方。saw nothing.