break the ice

[Patriot]

I guess you can't assume that all hunters know most deer run after they've been shot.  Wow.....scary!

[coach]

I hate to say it.....but its a hard lesson learned.   I find it funny that the other hunters didn't go and check.  I understand Rookie not going.......but other more experienced hunters ..?!?
 
Ah well.....[8|]

[OHhunter]

ORIGINAL: coach

I hate to say it.....but its a hard lesson learned.   I find it funny that the other hunters didn't go and check.  I understand Rookie not going.......but other more experienced hunters ..?!?

Ah well.....[8|]

 
If I read it right he told the others that it wasn't him doing the shooting, to embarassed that he had missed.   Just my OP but someone with that little expirience should have had someone hunting with him to help guide him through the process. 
 
 

[Demoderby4]

That is not a funny story at all imo, that is almost tragic, hopefully the deer werent suffering after the shot and they just ran a distance and died, we owe to them to kill them quickly and cleanly, every hunters safety course has a blood trailing section to it, at least they did when i went, and some younger people i know, or used to know said they had it too, so i hope u have taken the course. You should always make an effort to check. Always Always Always.

I have shot at many more deer than i have connected with.
This year alone, i took, 2 shots with my bow (well one, the 2nd i was a fraction of a second away from firing and they doe spooked.) Needless to say i came home empty handed for bow season.

Gun season i shot 4 times, got 1 deer. Does that make me a bad hunter? I don't think so, just lazy. i failed to sight my guns in properly and i know that is why they missed, the 3 shots i missed were low and to the left each time. My fault, i should of took a day and sighted them in instead of hunting, but thats a lesson learned and i will be better prepared next season.

I'm not afraid to admit if i miss It's not "less manly" to admit if you miss a deer, sure you might get heckled a little but thats all in good fun, i heckle my dad or buddy when we hunt and end up missing, and they do the same. It's part of the hunting experience and when we actually do connect and get that deer, were all happy and proud of one another.

And the one doe i did shoot, i could of swore i hit her, it looked like she was hit, tail between her legs, kicked in the air, i was pumped! Walked over to wher she was, nothing, no blood, no hair, i was like what the heck!?! i knew i hit her, i looked for over an hr and i did not find much blood at all until about 50 ft away from her, it was weird, but even though it looked like i ended up missing, i stuck with it and found her about 75 yds away in a thicket.

Hope you learned a lesson and are better prepared this coming year!

[Jdbllung]

I believe the law in PA is you must make every effort possible to recover the animal.  I tracked a doe for 200+ yards after taking a shot without seeing a spec of blood.  Then I found some hair, then I found some tiny drops of blood.  25 yards more and I had a heavy blood trail with the doe just beyond that.  Always, always, always investigate after you take a shot!!!