Best and worse evening hunt I've had bow hunting to date...

[bikeoutback]

I worked till 4pm and then showered, jumped in the camo and hit the stand by about 4:20. I live where I hunt and work out of my house so I go out in the evenings alot. I got my bow last year and shot last year and all summer, can group 5 arrows in a 1" circle at 20 yards, am comfortable taking an ethical shot at a deer at 30 and won't shoot one at 40 yet. I also have my shooting lanes marked. Just some back story on me as a hunter.

About 4:50 I had a doe come in, since I've only shot one other deer with my bow also a doe I said if she gets in a shooting lane I'll take her since she was decent size. She came in from my left, I'm a left handed shooter so she's not in my shooting lanes so it's gotta fall right for her to come around. I did get stood up as this is a homemade stand wtih a shooting rail so I had to stand to turn and get a shot out the front shooting lane. She was in the shooting lane 45 degrees to my left licking salt quartered toward me and continually looking up at me. I'm holding my bow stood frozen, this goes on for 10 minutes. I wasn't at draw just holding the bow in my hand hooked up. She then crossed in front of me straight out in front of the stand and I drew and took a shot. I think I made rookie mistake and rushed it, I don't recall checking the level before I let it fly but I had it level at full draw I do remember looking then. I sat back down figured I either hit her or missed but could see my arrow. To make it short arrow covered in hair and some green, worst feeling ever!! I found blood 20 yards away and an hour later tracked it 50-60 yards where it went dry and I got snorted at <- rookie mistake #2, I think I bumped her. I backed out will do circles and a grid search tomorrow, I marked the blood trail, feel horrible about the badly placed shot.

BUT gets better. I didn't get down to track until after experience #2 I had in the stand. After shooting the doe I decided to try and rattle as I'm not good at it and what do I have to lose. I've still got one open tag can use at this property so I hit the rattle bag for a minute and set it down. About 5-10 minutes later I hear another deer coming in to my right this time, sure enough here comes a deer and IT'S A BUCK!!! He comes in to my right and will cross a shooting lane that I can shoot down sitting in this stand and it's directly to my right. His crossing point is exactly at a tree I marked last year at 15 yards. Heart pumping, adrenaline flowing, trying to calm down but here he comes. He gets just to the edge of the lane and sticks his head into it and I go to draw as his head was down. I tried to draw too smooth and careful and drew about 25% and my arm gave and it recoiled. I caught it so the arrow didn't fly at all but it did bounce in my whisker biscuit chattering like teeth and he looked dead at me. I tried to hold steady but he stopmed and snorted and then I must have moved... hard to tell shaking that much but he turned and white flagged me. About 20 yards later he turned and snort wheezed a few times and then took off I'm 85% sure this is him from my trail cam picks earlier this month. I've only had him in nocturnal pics:

Doe - I feel horrible but will try my best to track her down tomorrow.

Buck - WHAT A RUSH but I had buck fever badly. I've never shot one gun or bow.

To tag out in one night would have been a definite crowning accomplishment but oh well. Hopefully I can put one in the freezer. Will the buck come back or is he gone for good now? I'm hunting just a 40 acre property, should I try that stand again tomorrow and rattle again or switch stands and try rattling again? Or give up on him and move on with my season? I plan to be back out searching for that doe extensively but after that I'll get back on the horse and back in a stand and hope not to make so many rookie mistakes in one night. Sorry this was so long by the way.

[bikeoutback]

Ha Ha ha, noticed in my pic that was when my salt lick was still hanging too high. Apparently I thought deer are much taller than they are, after that picture I went out and lowered it a lot.

[archerystud]

Good luck on finding the doe.

When the temps are cool (like this) you are definitely better off just backing out and coming back in the morning. It can be a sleepless night but I've helped many find deer the next morning. Seems like they will bed down within 200 yards and expire overnight if you don't push them.

[Rippinlip]

Hopefully she will bed down sooner than later, but bumping her she might travel a ways.

Like AS said with the temps the way they are, she will be fine when you (and you will) find her.

Let us know.

[bikeoutback]

Forgot one other detail to the night. Right after I got on stand since I don't hunt this stand much bow hunting, typically rifle I did draw down that front shooting lane to see how it would feel and best way to do it with the shooting rail there. I accidentally as I was adjusting pulled the trigger, yep sent an arrow with broadhead up into the trees never to be found again more than likely. Like I said somehow I just thought it was gonna be one of those nights and then turns out see two deer within a half hour, crazy how that works.

[Archerysniper]

Well hopefull you didn't bump the one you shot. With a gut shot they will normally only a little ways and bed down. With gut shot deer your best chance to find them is leaving them lay for +6 hours or more. If you bump them normally their will be no blood trail.

I had to finish one off for the brother in law a few years ago he had gut shot her off my front steps but did the right thing and called me while I was fishing on Millacs. I told him just to wait and not go outside or let the dogs out. 6 hours later I got home and found his arrow but no blood trail so I shined the yard with the spot light and their she was still head up and bedded about 60 yards from where he hit her laying just behind my barn.

[DonBo]

Oh yeah, tracking a definite gut shot deer last night was a very bad idea. I'd be surprised if she was the one that blew at you, but you still probably bumped her. Good luck today. Blood will be sparse. Don't give up.

[bikeoutback]

Status: unrecovered I'll go back after work and look more but the blood trail just ends completely so I can't figure out which direction she went after that. Really kicking myself, considering hanging up the bow for the rest of the season and back to practice shooting to get my confidence back.

[PropsterII]

Nah, get back in the saddle. Coyotes gotta eat too if she did perish.