Opening day bummer

[Dragsmack]

Let me preface this with saying this is the beginning of my second year hunting, so I still have alot to learn. Today was the first day of archery on the WMA in Florida I am hunting. I set up late this afternoon with my new Predator on the edge of a firebreak with planted pine on one side an swamp on the other.

I set up facing upwind, so of course a doe came in directly downwind of me. I heard her, otherwise I probably never would have seen her. She came within 15 yds, but I never had an unobstructed shot and she broke off into the swamp. She never saw me.

An hour and a half past with no action and then I heard some activity upwind. A nice hog was coming in from my right. I knew he was going to pass in the open on the firebreak, so I readied my shot. I took a shot about 20 yds. Im pretty sure that I hit him, but I think I hit him further back than I hoped. He did not squeal, but took off into the swamp. I recovered my arrow in the flooded firebreak.

There was nothing on the arrow, but that might have been because it landed in water. I hope that I just had a clean miss, because I could not find a blood trail anywhere. I am pretty sure I hit him and the arrow just blew thru, but I hope im wrong. I searched through the swamp until dark and never found blood.

Was I irresponsible taking a shot late in the evening by myself? Should I have not taken the shot being so close to swamp? I feel bad about the situation and want to learn from it.

 

[Drslyr]

Only you can determine if it was an ethical shot. If the shot was within your effective range? If it was a shot you knew you could make. If it was let it go.

 

[Cajunshooter]

First of all you are very lucky to have a hog to practice on. Second I doubt there is anyone bow hunting who hasn’t missed a shot if they have ever shot at an animal. That’s the only way you’re going to get better at it.

Hogs are really difficult to get to go down when you shoot them even with a gun.

Don’t feel guilty, chalk it up as a learning experience and be ready to do the exact same thing again next time. Don’t start second guessing your shot. Practice shooting at a target, get comfortable with it and do the same thing on an animal.


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[DanO]

Your arrow would have something on it if it went through the hog even though it ended up in the water. Hairs caught in the broadhead, slime on the shaft, even a film residue or smell would still be on the shaft. My bet is a clean miss.

 

[Drslyr]

I'm big into filming my hunts, but even if I wasn't I would use lighted nocks. They are such an advantage to actually see where the arrow hits.

 

[Nutterbuster]

I've had sinilar situations play out. I don't think I've ever had a hog admit that he was hit. And they live in some of the crappiest terrain imaginable, so blood trailing is always a guessing game. I don't think a 20 yard shot on a hog would be considered "unethical." Chalk it up as a learning experience, and get back out there!

Next one you shoot at, do shoot further forwards than you think you need to. I'd personally rather catch shoulder (especially on a sub 100lb pig) than hit too far back. Their vitals are a bit further forward than a deers.

 

[Dragsmack]

Thanks for the replies! I went back and looked at the arrow in more detail and didnt see any blood, residue, slime, smell, etc so Im hoping it was a clean miss.

 

[10essee]

Don’t get down on yourself for a miss. It happens. Since going traditional I’ve missed way more than I ever had in 25 years of compound hunting. Learn from it and have fun. If you make a bad shot make every effort available to recover the game but never get down on yourself.

 

[Nutterbuster]

Don’t get down on yourself for a miss. It happens. Since going traditional I’ve missed way more than I ever had in 25 years of compound hunting. Learn from it and have fun. If you make a bad shot make every effort available to recover the game but never get down on yourself.

Words of wisdom for sure.

Them that ain't missin', ain't huntin'. If you hunt long enough, you will eventually eat crow. Easy to preach, but I admit it was a tough pill to swallow after losing my first buck this year. It's a bad feeling knowing you put a bullet in one and didn't find him. I get mad every time I think about it.

But any predator loses prey every now and then. Watch a little Nat-Geo. Even a gut-shot deer dies a "good" death compared to what happens when most predators connect.