First deer by bow

[mrsfiremaker]

Ive been pretty busy the last week I usually come around a couple times a week to peak around (but never post cause I dont have much to say since my skill is zilch in these areas) but I just noticed that Darel never came up here to post about his first deer by a bow he got. Hes not one to brag so I guess I'll do it for him cause Im dang proud of him.

I dont have a lot of grand pics to show you but I will tell you of the emotional bit he always sees to leave out. He went out with a bow that he made about ten years ago (maybe longer???). Its not all natural but it was a laminated recurve that he made that is 73# @ 30 inch draw. Of all the things that Darrel has made though his life, this is the only one he managed to keep. This bow has moved around with him and been through low times with him and hes still managed to hang onto the thing. If anyone here knows anything about Darrel, they know he keeps nothing that he makes. He always sells or gives away everything because after that peice his skill has increased, and after studing it, he will find a way to make it better, different. So anyway, this bow as pretty special to him, and now it carries the spirit of beautiful doe that he took with it last Saturday night.

You can view the story as he puts it here: http://p067.ezboard.com/fthecave37261frm9.showMessage?topicID=3.topic

Becky

 

[ArkAngel]

Sounds like a very impressive shot.

It's good to see he shot from such a close range to maximise target area and kill potential. By the sounds of it, it was a good clean kill one to be proud of.
Not sure how i feel about the "ran 40 yards" before dropping bit- is this normal?
I know things that have been killed "clean" can continue to run on nerves for a few seconds after shooting.

I must admit that i know little about deer hunting and the few i have seen killed were taken with a rifle and dropped where they stood.

If anyone can enlighten me i would be grateful.

Not that i am trying to detract from what Darel did. The skills to make my own bow are way beyond me. To cleanly kill an animal with a tool you have made yourself must give an enormous sense of satisfaction.

 

[Wayland]

Not sure how i feel about the "ran 40 yards" before dropping bit- is this normal?
I know things that have been killed "clean" can continue to run on nerves for a few seconds after shooting.

That is not unusual with a bullet or an arrow.

My observation, not a very scientific one I'm afraid, is that a lot seems to depend on whether the deer was stationary, poised for flight or at rest when hit.

 

[Ice Tigre]

Having never been deer hunting....my general knowlege leaking out here.... having read a lot of acounts of good/clean kills, it depends on the animal itself, some are sturdier than others and it just takes a little longer for the body to shut down. I've read of rifle shots that go through the heart, but it can run 20 yds.


Congrats to Darrel!

G.

 

[ArkAngel]

I thought as much, a broad headed arrow launched from a 78lb bow at 10-15 yards is going to have some force behind it.
It would certainly make your eyes water

 

[mrsfiremaker]

I just hit me rereading my first post, it isnt a recurve but a flatbow ( we also have two lower pound laminated recurves for playing around with). When Darrel sees this I'll never hear the end of it, lol.

Well the first deer I helped clean I was 7 years old and Ive been around hunting all my life. All good hunters want a shot that kills immediately because they do not want the animal to suffer. It is a respect for the animal that is giving up their spirit so that you your spirit can continue on. But sometimes you will get an occasional poor shot, rifle or bow, and in that case it is probably better to let the deer take off (unless you get the unlikey second shot chance) and give it some time to pass on, I believe that a half hour to an hour is the norm, depending on how poor of a shot it was. It is actually quite common for an arrow shot deer to take off and one can go pretty far. It is always wiser to give the deer their time to pass on before following the blood trail to them. If they still have enough in them, they can jump up and take off again, making a lot of walking for the hunter. Or if they dont have the stength for that, they can fight/kick you, putting you at risk for serious injuries. When you do get up to them, toss a stone at them or poke them with the end of your bow with your arm fully stretched out too. I would NEVER poke one with a rifle as a good kick in the right spot might cause an accidental discharge. I think that that the stone toss is the safest option. There has been many a bow hunting show on in our home (much to my "delight") and it is common practice with the compound bow hunters to shoot, watch the deer take off and then filming preceeds again when it is very dark, after they have trailed it and made sure that it was not still kicking.

I think that a lot of it also have to do with the individual animal. Darrel was telling me of a hunting story the other day were someone saw a doe coming toward him. Behind her were two bucks. Everytime she stopped to nibble grass, the bucks would fight. Then she'd start off again and the bucks would follow. Closer and closer they came to the hunter. Finally while they faught, he had his chance. He shot but must of missed because the buck he aimed for didnt move, it held its ground full of adrenline for the fight. He readied his bow and shot again. Finally after a few moments, the buck just fell over. The other buck wandered off to claim his prize, Im sure thinking that he actually was the cause of his death. Further inspection showed that both arrows went clean through him. He was so full of adrenaline that he didnt even notice that he had been hit. (ok I that is pretty close to how the story went so if someone else read it somewhere on line please forgive me if Im a little off.)

Darrel had a lucky good shot, and she when she did drop, it was all over. There were no kicks left in her so there wasnt much suffering. She ran from instinct and probably had more instinctual fear than pain in her last moments. The children and I were away when he got her but we came home and our daughter almost 5, our oldest, and I went to take a look at her. She saw where the meat she eats comes from. I told her that the beautiful creature had given up her spirit just for our family and that we should thank her and feel humbled. She was full of questions about what we were going to do with it. Then she told her Dad that he did a good job and thanked him for "getting the deer so that we can eat." I made sure she knew what she was eating too when we had our first vension meal and chowed, again thanking her Dad for his work. She is ill now with a cold but Darrel plans on taking her out hunting with him yet this year, a surpise she is unaware of so far.

 

[Snufkin]

Congratulations on the deer, and thanks for sharing the story. Just imagine the mojo that that deers sinew will impart on the next bow Darrel builds .

 

[dtalbot]

She saw where the meat she eats comes from. I told her that the beautiful creature had given up her spirit just for our family and that we should thank her and feel humbled. She was full of questions about what we were going to do with it. Then she told her Dad that he did a good job and thanked him for "getting the deer so that we can eat." I made sure she knew what she was eating too when we had our first vension meal and chowed, again thanking her Dad for his work. She is ill now with a cold but Darrel plans on taking her out hunting with him yet this year, a surpise she is unaware of so far.

The way it should be!! My 6 year old daughter can skin a rabbit and when the 2 yearold accidentally came across us plucking some ducks she joined in. Thanks for sharing this story.
David