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Thread: I had a... bad good weekend (It's a novel)

  1. #11
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    Have to admit I didn't know Beech Trees were hollow.... I think the biggest risk is that they are very smooth - I want to say that my summit climber owners manual actually warned against climbing smooth trees "...such as Beech trees...". Not worth the risk in my opinion.

  2. #12
    Senior Member mrbb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Genesis 9:3 View Post
    I might have been wrong not to come back in the morning, I can accept that. I will say that I have a good bit of confidence I did not kill it and here's why. When I initially found my arrow, all I saw was a few hairs imbedded in the tip... no blood (to me that's a huge sign, as every deer I've ever passed through left either bubbles on the veins/shaft for a lung shot or smeared blood for a gut shot). Later that evening as I was cleaning the broad head off, I realized there was a few pieces of meat smeared down the arrow. When I aimed high to compensate for shooting below the prior deer and, as arrows fly high when shooting down, I believe I took a small slice out of it's back. That night I did spend a good bit of time walking a grid with my Coleman lantern putting out plenty of light and found nothing past the 30yd point. There was a blood trail... so I certainly could be wrong.

    On Saturday I did some elevated shooting and had no problems hitting the target. My limbs didn't hit my stand when I shot at the critters either. Thinking back I think I might have convinced myself I did everything right when I really aimed high on the last two deer to compensate for the first low shot. I also think I may have hit a limb on the first shot, pushing it low. The final thought is that there's a decent chance that as soon as I shot I pulled my head up to see where my arrow went, instead of following through with the shot.

    In regard to the beech trees, I've seen that as well. Is the concern that it's going to fall on me/over with me on it, cave in while I'm climbing it? Maybe this topic should be a new thread...
    if you found a bloot trail you hit more than its hair on its back
    a GUT shot arrow many times will NOT hold blood on the shaft, seen it dozens of times over the yrs
    the FACT that deer only went so far and laid down, Meant it was HURT/hurting!
    your would have been much better off that night backing out once you seen poor sign on the arrow, rather than push a wounded deer
    as MAYBE if you had, that deer would have died where it rested after teh hit
    these are learning things you get experience from both doing right and wrong, so I'm NOT bashing you

    BUt it is the proper thing to do , to give it your all to recover a deer you shot
    as again, you knew for a fact you hit it, had a blood trail, found where it laid down
    all that should have said ? go look again in GOOD light
    tracking a wounded deer in the dark is , a very HARD way to find a deer, all the more so on a poorly hit one/bad blood trail
    Day light might have shown you a LOT of things the dark hid
    every deer you shoot deserves the effort to find it! IMO!
    I've spent weeks looking for a deer I have hit , hired a tracking dog and brought in a small army of friends
    and some times we found them some times we didn't
    but we made the effort!
    Last edited by mrbb; 10-28-2014 at 05:41 PM.

  3. #13
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    Here is a good link to check out.
    http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/...bloodtrailing/
    Is there anything better than being in the woods?!

  4. #14
    Senior Member Genesis 9:3's Avatar
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    MRBB,

    You make a valid point. I should have gone back and looked for it. I guess it really never crossed my mind that I could have killed it when I was examining my arrow... I was convinced I only gave it a haircut and was quite surprised to see a blood trail! Next time I plan to follow through, with my shot and with tracking! Who knows, maybe I'll even bring one home...

    In regard to the Beech tree... I've had a little trouble, but nothing to write home about. Honestly, I've had more trouble on other tree's that seemed like they shouldn't have been any problem! I will also add that if I'm using my harness and I'm strapped into my climber, sometimes it's really hard to find the right tree in the right location... in this case, I could pick another tree, but I don't know how much of the underbrush the landowner is cool with me clearing out and I don't want to push my luck too far!

    The tree is in great shape. In my experience, growing up in the woods and venturing through other peoples properties over the years, a beech tree typically doesn't start to go downhill until it is damaged in some way first. They are typically also beyond a certain size/age. They make awesome firewood if you can get one that's not been damaged and started to rot out...

    That said, they do rot from the inside out and if there were any sign of rot, fungus, or death on any part of the tree, I would be very concerned about climbing it! Aside from it coming crashing down, you don't know what might come climbing out of the top of that tree and meet you half way down :)

    With my climber I always make sure the cable going around the back is high on the back side and it generally keeps me from slipping. Now if only I would have finished the siding on my house instead of missing deer this weekend I'd be in better shape... oh well, it was beautiful and had an awesome time just being surrounded by deer!

    Whodey- I checked out that link... good information! Only problem is that my arrow doesn't really match any of their descriptions. I didn't find ANY blood on my arrow... just two hairs and some meat. Now from what I did read, it kind of confirms I had a back/meat shot. From memory the hair was lighter but black at the ends... which means... I don't really know. That page is getting printed out and going into my binder though, no doubt! My wife and I are considering writing some children's books revolving around learning life skills and hunting skills... that'd be awesome information to put in there!
    60# Bowtech Destroyer 340

    Team Gutpile '12-13

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Genesis 9:3 View Post
    MRBB,

    You make a valid point. I should have gone back and looked for it. I guess it really never crossed my mind that I could have killed it when I was examining my arrow... I was convinced I only gave it a haircut and was quite surprised to see a blood trail! Next time I plan to follow through, with my shot and with tracking! Who knows, maybe I'll even bring one home...

    In regard to the Beech tree... I've had a little trouble, but nothing to write home about. Honestly, I've had more trouble on other tree's that seemed like they shouldn't have been any problem! I will also add that if I'm using my harness and I'm strapped into my climber, sometimes it's really hard to find the right tree in the right location... in this case, I could pick another tree, but I don't know how much of the underbrush the landowner is cool with me clearing out and I don't want to push my luck too far!

    The tree is in great shape. In my experience, growing up in the woods and venturing through other peoples properties over the years, a beech tree typically doesn't start to go downhill until it is damaged in some way first. They are typically also beyond a certain size/age. They make awesome firewood if you can get one that's not been damaged and started to rot out...

    That said, they do rot from the inside out and if there were any sign of rot, fungus, or death on any part of the tree, I would be very concerned about climbing it! Aside from it coming crashing down, you don't know what might come climbing out of the top of that tree and meet you half way down :)

    With my climber I always make sure the cable going around the back is high on the back side and it generally keeps me from slipping. Now if only I would have finished the siding on my house instead of missing deer this weekend I'd be in better shape... oh well, it was beautiful and had an awesome time just being surrounded by deer!

    Whodey- I checked out that link... good information! Only problem is that my arrow doesn't really match any of their descriptions. I didn't find ANY blood on my arrow... just two hairs and some meat. Now from what I did read, it kind of confirms I had a back/meat shot. From memory the hair was lighter but black at the ends... which means... I don't really know. That page is getting printed out and going into my binder though, no doubt! My wife and I are considering writing some children's books revolving around learning life skills and hunting skills... that'd be awesome information to put in there!
    Hey Bub, stay at it! Good things will happen for you!! Best of luck!!
    Is there anything better than being in the woods?!

  6. #16
    I agree on all suggestions here all good points. the only thing I can add just pretend you are at home shooting at the target. aim for the boiler room and don't second guess if a deer will duck your arrow as some say. a deer never ducks an arrow it is how he takes off by springing down with his legs to get going. a deer is smart but is not thinking I had better duck here comes an arrow at me. shoot for the vitals and let the deer decide what it will do. if it stands there during the shot good blood trail. if it does lower its body to take off possible spine shot and get ready for 2nd arrow to put it down. either way deer in the freezer.

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