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Redemption?

Jay_Disarray

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
1,950
Location
MN
So I posted a few weeks ago about a nice body 4pointer I most likely liver shot, and was unable to recover.

Finally today I had the day off and available so I went hunting. Got all my stuff rewashed and clean, my stuff packed, threw in the sitdrag I picked up for a backband and headed to the woods. I picked out the tree I wanted to sit in, and do a last scan of the area before I climb, sure enough 20yds from me is a doe bedded down. I loosed a shot into her, and she took off running, I could see a big blood patch on her side, so it's just a matter of time no before I hopefully redeem myself this year. Just killing time now and giving this one more time to die.
 
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Fingers crossed for ya bro. Sitdrag back rest. Why didn't I think of that. Super packable. Can fit in a cargo pocket. Dang, right man.
 
Fingers crossed for ya bro. Sitdrag back rest. Why didn't I think of that. Super packable. Can fit in a cargo pocket. Dang, right man.
Right? And I think it's going to be more comfortable than a slim band backrest. I want to figure out how to attach it to my H2 as a second panel kind of design
 
Right? And I think it's going to be more comfortable than a slim band backrest. I want to figure out how to attach it to my H2 as a second panel kind of design
Just use a longer adjustable bridge and slide it down or up for extra support. I am going to give it a try this weekend.
 
You COULD just stich in some molle loops and pair them with those EWO slip in jobs. Like the dano pouches have but with the toggle on either side. that would allow you to at least attach them.
 
The only problem with a sitdrag attached to a H2, it would be a huge saddle. Walking around would be a pain. I say, don't attach just overlap and adjust as needed. Then when you're on the ground, pack up the sitdrag and good to go.
 
The only problem with a sitdrag attached to a H2, it would be a huge saddle. Walking around would be a pain. I say, don't attach just overlap and adjust as needed. Then when you're on the ground, pack up the sitdrag and good to go.
Yea probably. Another plus is that if I leave it unattached i can double use it as the drag part of a sitdrag. Yea it packs up pretty flat, I'll just add a small bridge to it and use it independently
 
So I posted a few weeks ago about a nice body 4pointer I most likely liver shot, and was unable to recover.

Finally today I had the day off and available so I went hunting. Got all my stuff rewashed and clean, my stuff packed, threw in the sitdrag I picked up for a backband and headed to the woods. I picked out the tree I wanted to sit in, and do a last scan of the area before I climb, sure enough 20yds from me is a doe bedded down. I loosed a shot into her, and she took off running, I could see a big blood patch on her side, so it's just a matter of time no before I hopefully redeem myself this year. Just killing time now and giving this one more time to die.
Do all you can to figure out where you hit her. Did you shoot her while she was bedded? I did that on my first bow deer and hit exactly where i aimed and she took off like a rocket. I went back to my truck to get it closer for easier loading. I was sure she was gonna be laying not far away. After following her very sparse blood trail and more following the kicked up pine needles and leaves i caught up with her in her first bed about 350 yds from where i shot her. That's when i found out it was a gut shot. She jumped up.and out of sight. I backed out to get permission to track on the property she was on now.
It took a while and i got permission. I had a hard time finding her but did in the end but the shot was not double lung like i thought but because she was laying down and slightly turned i hit her just behind the scapula and the exit was the bottom of the belly. I got one lung,liver and guts and broke her foot since it was tucked under her. That made the trail easier to follow.
So i wont shoot a bedded deer again because of that,things are in weird places when they lay down.
Good luck with your recovery!
 
Yea probably. Another plus is that if I leave it unattached i can double use it as the drag part of a sitdrag. Yea it packs up pretty flat, I'll just add a small bridge to it and use it independently
Here is a partially completed DIY saddle I use as a backband. Pretty much the same as a sitdrag. Two sub 1 minute videos.
 
I leaned against a tree and sat for an over hour and a half before backing out to get rid of my pack and saddle, and another 30 before moving to check my arrow.

I think I'm gonna call it a year, can't stomach the thought of losing a second deer this year.
 
Sucks. Wait and see how tomorrow goes. When they're bedded its tricky picking out the vitals.....good luck with the dog
 
It's happened to all of us and it sucks. No need to give up! If ya can't find it don't worry too much, the coyotes need to eat too!
 
Hey brother...we all been there...shoot yours broadheads only...focus on 20 and in type set ups and you will get on top...never give up
 
Tracking was crazy tough today too, gusts of high winds blowing the leaves around and off the trees and covering the ground and my trail.
 
Hey brother...we all been there...shoot yours broadheads only...focus on 20 and in type set ups and you will get on top...never give up
Great advice. I lost two deer a few years ago in one season,all my fault. My bowstring was wearing out and i didn't realize it. My tune would change as the string stretched. I made a high shot on an alert doe and got little penetration but she fell,but i wasn't smart enough to put another arrow in her. She got up.and walked off. I could never catch up with her. It was a bad shot and a bad reaction on my part.
The second one i thought i hit well and i ended up not giving her enough time. With my old setup i had a hard time seeing where i hit exactly,so i switched to lighted nocks now. I followed that doe too early because i had seen a coyote in the area 10 mins before the shot. In hindsight i think i hit the liver and pushed her too soon. I found a bed and another a few hundred yards further.
Those blunders tore me up. I got a new used bow,ot was time to upgrade anywyay and learned about tuning and what to do after the shot.
Last year i made two less than perrect shots,one lung and liver and one lung and guts and liver but i recovered both because i reacted right. Both deer didnt want to run after the hit and i just observed. They both were at least 50 yds after the initial sprint. I backed out on both and went back hours later and they both were within 100 yds of the hit site. I mentally marked a few spots for the first one and that's where i picked up the faint bloodtrail.
The second one had no bloodtrail as it snowed just enough overnight,but she didnt go 30 yds from where i last saw her. If you are unsure back out without spooking the deer and your chances for recovery rise dramatically.
Learn from your mistakes and bad fortune to become a better hunter. This year i will do everything i can to get some clean fast kills. Recovering the deer was great but i dont want them to suffer a slow death. So definetely room for improvement.
Take a week or two off and shoot your broadheads to get confident and get back on that horse.
 
I leaned against a tree and sat for an over hour and a half before backing out to get rid of my pack and saddle, and another 30 before moving to check my arrow.

I think I'm gonna call it a year, can't stomach the thought of losing a second deer this year.
I'd probably do the same.

Try to figure out what went wrong, resolve to improve and practice more, and come back better next season.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
I leaned against a tree and sat for an over hour and a half before backing out to get rid of my pack and saddle, and another 30 before moving to check my arrow.

I think I'm gonna call it a year, can't stomach the thought of losing a second deer this year.
I lost 2 bucks last year due to bad hits. Don’t let this stop you man. A week ago I double lunged an 8 point and he didn’t make it 80 yards. Bowhunting is about the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Put in the work and it will work out eventually.

Time and pressure brother stay with it
 
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