Shot Placement Thoughts/Broadhead Failure?

[slonstdy]

I agree, I would have liked a higher entrance.
Not 100% certain of actual aim because I use an EZ-V so there isn't a precise "point of aim" to use as a reference. I want to believe it's possible the flight algorithm could be off due to the uphill shot instead of that my eyesight isn't what it used to be.

 

[Weldabeast]

That's pretty much where Id aim off the ground with that same kinda shot...maybe a little lower to account for "string jump"

 

[Hunter260]

Good shot. Dead deer, but I'd take that shot 2 inches higher too. Were you aiming that low?

I was aiming around there but a touch higher suspecting that she’d duck and I’d hit a few inches higher.

 

[Jrain904]

Very Low hit and didn't wait long enough to track. Wait a couple hours next time after a marginal entry location. SMH at the ranch fairy haters. Ashby and the fairy help a lot more ppl than they don't.

 

[Jrain904]

Just wondering, for all these people aiming low to account for a deer ducking - why? Why are your deer ducking so often that you need to aim low? Are you shooting only deer alerted of your presence? Is your bow too loud? Just wondering because I aim where I want my arrow to hit. Never had a problem with deer ducking. My arrows fly slow. Less than 240 fps in most cases.

 

[trailblazer75]

What broadhead was this?

I shot heavy two blades at 3 deer this year and had 3 blood trails pretty much be non existent with dead deer at the end of them. I'm not sure if it was an issue with the angle I sharpened them at or what but I made 3 solid double lung shots on deer that I recovered with Cut on Contact, fixed blade heads, got pass throughs and didn't have blood on the ground. And these heads were SHARP.

 

[Weldabeast]

Just wondering, for all these people aiming low to account for a deer ducking - why? Why are your deer ducking so often that you need to aim low? Are you shooting only deer alerted of your presence? Is your bow too loud? Just wondering because I aim where I want my arrow to hit. Never had a problem with deer ducking. My arrows fly slow. Less than 240 fps in most cases.

All the deer I've shot at dropped significantly...Id venture to guess my bow is just as quiet if not more so than urs....I shot at a doe that was ducking already to go under a vine and when I shot she pressed her chest against the ground and the arrow went over the top...I couldn't believe it...15yd shot

 

[Hunter260]

Just wondering, for all these people aiming low to account for a deer ducking - why? Why are your deer ducking so often that you need to aim low? Are you shooting only deer alerted of your presence? Is your bow too loud? Just wondering because I aim where I want my arrow to hit. Never had a problem with deer ducking. My arrows fly slow. Less than 240 fps in most cases.

How many deer you killed?

 

[Hunter260]

What broadhead was this?

I shot heavy two blades at 3 deer this year and had 3 blood trails pretty much be non existent with dead deer at the end of them. I'm not sure if it was an issue with the angle I sharpened them at or what but I made 3 solid double lung shots on deer that I recovered with Cut on Contact, fixed blade heads, got pass throughs and didn't have blood on the ground. And these heads were SHARP.

It was a Rocky Mountain advantage head. Just a simple cut on contact 4 blade but about impossible to take apart and sharpen

 

[trailblazer75]

It was a Rocky Mountain advantage head. Just a simple cut on contact 4 blade but about impossible to take apart and sharpen

And you had no blood right?

I wish you could've recovered the arrow to see if the head had survived. I found 2 of the 3 heads I shot this year and they came through great. Edges were okay. We ought to take a metal detector out sometime to find that arrow.

 

[Hunter260]

And you had no blood right?

I wish you could've recovered the arrow to see if the head had survived. I found 2 of the 3 heads I shot this year and they came through great. Edges were okay. We ought to take a metal detector out sometime to find that arrow.

Honestly I bet the arrow and broadhead is fine, it didn’t hit heavy bone and the hole it came out of was clean. I wasn’t like super committed to finding it, but it probably went underground so without a metal detector it’s pretty much gonna be impossible.

 

[Jrain904]

How many deer you killed?

Been seriously hunting for about 4 years now and have 8 dead deer with the bow in that time. Shot at 3 others that I missed clean due to twigs. Never had any duck at all. WV and FL.

 

[Jrain904]

All the deer I've shot at dropped significantly...Id venture to guess my bow is just as quiet if not more so than urs....I shot at a doe that was ducking already to go under a vine and when I shot she pressed her chest against the ground and the arrow went over the top...I couldn't believe it...15yd shot

What bow are you shooting, out of curiosity.

 

[Weldabeast]

What bow are you shooting, out of curiosity.

Parker revolution... But draw weight is probably lower and arrow weight is probably higher...it's pretty quiet

 

[Jrain904]

Parker revolution... But draw weight is probably lower and arrow weight is probably higher...it's pretty quiet

My bow is pretty quiet. Mathews v3 63# hamskea drop away and an arrow approaching 560 grains. Ran it through the chronograph today - 234 fps.

 

[Jrain904]

BTW I'm not trying to be argumentative. It was a legit question. Why are these deer ducking? I'm wondering because I have never had that problem and if other people are intentionally aiming low to account for a duck then its obviously a problem for them. I'm just trying to understand why my experience and their experience is totally opposite.

 

[trailblazer75]

BTW I'm not trying to be argumentative. It was a legit question. Why are these deer ducking? I'm wondering because I have never had that problem and if other people are intentionally aiming low to account for a duck then its obviously a problem for them. I'm just trying to understand why my experience and their experience is totally opposite.

A lot of traditional wisdom says to aim at the lower 1/3 of a deer to account for them ducking the string under any conditions.

I've had it happen twice. Once from the ground where the doe I was shooting at got completely out of the way on a frontal shot.

The other the deer dropped and turned so much that my broadside shot hit her in the throat and killed her right there. This was a 35 yard shot from a tree stand, shooting a 355 IBO bow with a heavy arrow that was plenty quiet. However it was low light and I was trying so hard to get a sight picture that I could've been off on my sight picture altogether.

These two experiences were enough for me to rethink some of the shots I take. If we are constantly stopping deer in our shooting windows, they're alert to SOMETHING. Not necessarily hunter presence. But alert is alert. I've gotten to a point in my life that I don't make any noises to stop them unless I have to. For example, if I've ranged them or the spot they'll be in and I am at full draw, I'll stop a deer to make my shot. I generally try not to do this but it does happen.

 

[Hunter260]

BTW I'm not trying to be argumentative. It was a legit question. Why are these deer ducking? I'm wondering because I have never had that problem and if other people are intentionally aiming low to account for a duck then its obviously a problem for them. I'm just trying to understand why my experience and their experience is totally opposite.

I think it’s because you haven’t had it happen yet. I really don’t think your bow is just immensely quieter than anyone else’s, or that your woodsmanship is so impeccable that you never alert your quarry.

If you shoot at more animals you’ll eventually have something duck you.

 

[Jrain904]

A lot of traditional wisdom says to aim at the lower 1/3 of a deer to account for them ducking the string under any conditions.

I've had it happen twice. Once from the ground where the doe I was shooting at got completely out of the way on a frontal shot.

The other the deer dropped and turned so much that my broadside shot hit her in the throat and killed her right there. This was a 35 yard shot from a tree stand, shooting a 355 IBO bow with a heavy arrow that was plenty quiet. However it was low light and I was trying so hard to get a sight picture that I could've been off on my sight picture altogether.

These two experiences were enough for me to rethink some of the shots I take. If we are constantly stopping deer in our shooting windows, they're alert to SOMETHING. Not necessarily hunter presence. But alert is alert. I've gotten to a point in my life that I don't make any noises to stop them unless I have to. For example, if I've ranged them or the spot they'll be in and I am at full draw, I'll stop a deer to make my shot. I generally try not to do this but it does happen.

I never try and stop a deer either (other than a chasing buck). I wonder if this has something to do with it. I just shoot them when they stop on their own. I learned that from watching Dan infalt. Why intentionally alert a deer to your presence before shooting it lol? If its alert cause you "meh" at it then I can see why it would try and duck the sound of the bow.

 

[trailblazer75]

I never try and stop a deer either (other than a chasing buck). I wonder if this has something to do with it. I just shoot them when they stop on there own. I learned that from watching Dan infalt. Why intentionally alert a deer to your presence before shooting it lol? If its alert cause you "meh" at it then I can see why it would try and duck the sound of the bow.

I do think a lot of string ducking comes from this very thing. I feel like if a deer is looking my way, it knows I'm there. And when I go "meh" the deer looks at me. I think a deer isn't intentionally ducking the string when they duck like that, I think it's a lot like a human jumping when they're startled. But it achieves the same end.