Spirits of a new hunter

Well unfortunately it happened last evening the dreaded no recover.
My wife in her 3rd fall finally took a shot and unfortunately it was not lethal. she's worked very hard practicing, hanging stands, scouting, baiting, putting in plots, processing deer, checking cameras. Last evening with about 20min left of legal light left 4 does made their way into the "swamp stand". I was sitting on an oak flat up in my saddle when I got a notification from my Tactacam that there were deer at the stand followed by a message saying I think I got one. I made my way back to the truck dropped my bow off and made my way back to her, probably took 40min from the shot. I got there and absolutely zero blood, check the bolt light blood but nothing significant. we backed out and gave the deer a few hours and went back in with a couple buddies and the dogs. we found a few drops of blood up to 200 yards from the stand but nothing significant. back out this morning and nothing
I know it's happened to most of us, I've lost deer and a turkey and know the feeling quite well. being a guy your hunting buddies just say the "you'll get them next time and get back into the stand" not sure it will be as easy with my wife.
does anyone have any tips to boost the moral of hunter after a miss

Seems you done everything possible to ensure recovery of the deer. So shouldn't feel "guilty" and feeling demoralized is a sign that you take seriously the sport. No easy way to get over the loss guess one could punch their tag and say get 'em next year if they strongly feel their shot was lethal or consider their shot wasn't lethal and though it sounds cliché the only way to get over it is get back on the horse.

We have all done it. Get shooting at a target asap, this rebuilds the confidence

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Originally Posted by DanE

Well unfortunately it happened last evening the dreaded no recover.
My wife in her 3rd fall finally took a shot and unfortunately it was not lethal. she's worked very hard practicing, hanging stands, scouting, baiting, putting in plots, processing deer, checking cameras. Last evening with about 20min left of legal light left 4 does made their way into the "swamp stand". I was sitting on an oak flat up in my saddle when I got a notification from my Tactacam that there were deer at the stand followed by a message saying I think I got one. I made my way back to the truck dropped my bow off and made my way back to her, probably took 40min from the shot. I got there and absolutely zero blood, check the bolt light blood but nothing significant. we backed out and gave the deer a few hours and went back in with a couple buddies and the dogs. we found a few drops of blood up to 200 yards from the stand but nothing significant. back out this morning and nothing
I know it's happened to most of us, I've lost deer and a turkey and know the feeling quite well. being a guy your hunting buddies just say the "you'll get them next time and get back into the stand" not sure it will be as easy with my wife.
does anyone have any tips to boost the moral of hunter after a miss

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Well if you found light blood it was not a miss so the possibilities are it is slightly wounded and will recover or it will die. It it dies then you end up feeding some other forest animals and help them survive. I know you want to feel better but statements like "I know it's happened to most of us" for me is a bit of an overreach, its not happened to me in 40 years but then again I never bow hunted.
If you have lost a deer before and a turkey and now its your wife's turn maybe you need to have a frank conversation about where you both went wrong. I think you might need to put in some more practice from what you have provided as evidence.
I would not be interested in what my buddies would say, these incidents are the sole responsibility of the individual hunter and need to be addressed by them.

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Originally Posted by Gilroy

Well if you found light blood it was not a miss so the possibilities are it is slightly wounded and will recover or it will die. It it dies then you end up feeding some other forest animals and help them survive. I know you want to feel better but statements like "I know it's happened to most of us" for me is a bit of an overreach, its not happened to me in 40 years but then again I never bow hunted.
If you have lost a deer before and a turkey and now its your wife's turn maybe you need to have a frank conversation about where you both went wrong. I think you might need to put in some more practice from what you have provided as evidence.
I would not be interested in what my buddies would say, these incidents are the sole responsibility of the individual hunter and need to be addressed by them.

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In my case I'm not sure how much more practice you would like me to do
I shoot 5-6 days a week minimum of 40 arrows. the deer I lost was from an arrow deflection of a sapling twig, the turkey was a flatout miss of a target. I've taken 30+ deer with a bow plus 7 bears, 14 hogs and an Elk.
I'm not 100% positive where she hit the deer my guess is high across the back

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Originally Posted by DanE

In my case I'm not sure how much more practice you would like me to do
I shoot 5-6 days a week minimum of 40 arrows. the deer I lost was from an arrow deflection of a sapling twig, the turkey was a flatout miss of a target. I've taken 30+ deer with a bow plus 7 bears, 14 hogs and an Elk.
I'm not 100% positive where she hit the deer my guess is high across the back

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Well the choice to bow hunt is your to make and your wife's. With that choice comes the chance that you will lose the odd animal so I guess you have taken that into consideration.

It has happened to most people. As a hunter with a conscience, it naturally bothers most people and sometimes it makes you question being out there. It is an opportunity to improve your skills and place shots as well as you can and once you have done all of that things can still go wrong. Tell her not to give up, that the animal if it dies (sounds like it will not) will not go to waste. If its any consolation: a lot of animals succumb to natural predation and what we as hunters do is much more humane than what a coyote/wolf/bear or even a house cat would do to its prey.

do your best to get her back in the woods!!

$h!t happens. You hunt long enough and shoot at enough animals, it'll happen again. I've heard the clean slice of the sharp broadhead will have higher odds of healing quickly without infection. Run with that when you talk to her about it. You know how incredibly tough these animals are. Make sure she knows too. From the lack of blood and the fact that you found the arrow/bolt, maybe she just grazed it? Brisket or top of the back?
Back to the target block/bag. Confirm everything is still good and dialed in, and get back out there

I think the best and biggest advice to her will be(other then the obvious-get back and do not stop)is not necessary the target practice( as far i can hear from you-she had that enough)-but WHEN to take the shot,and WHEN not to take the shot.

If marginal opportunities/further then "reasonable"distances,moving animals,alert deer(the whole Nine yards) are in her mind at all the time - then when opportunity comes,she will be confident to take THE shot.

Plenty of Youtube videos-interactive tutorials-etc are available, to make her comfortable.

It's all part of hunting and as mentioned, it has or will happen to all of us. Confidence can sometimes be a hard thing to overcome but just assure her that it is part of hunting and that every hunter either experienced or just starting out, this has happened.
Sounds to me from your description after the shot that the deer is still walking and outside of some hair missing is healthy. She may even get another opportunity to harvest him.
Good luck to her moving forward.

It definitely happens, if you’ve never messed up a shot (ether by missing or wounding) you don’t hunt much or you hunt with a riffle over a bait at close range. I’m a fairly young hunter and I remember two years ago I shot at a doe, sights were perfect but my bullet hit a small twig on the way. The older boys at camps advice was stuff happens, get back out there and shoot another one. That’s the best way to gain your confidence back. Btw I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with riffle hunting over a bait, if that’s how you do it that’s great.

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Originally Posted by LowbanksArcher

$h!t happens. You hunt long enough and shoot at enough animals, it'll happen again. I've heard the clean slice of the sharp broadhead will have higher odds of healing quickly without infection. Run with that when you talk to her about it. You know how incredibly tough these animals are. Make sure she knows too. From the lack of blood and the fact that you found the arrow/bolt, maybe she just grazed it? Brisket or top of the back?
Back to the target block/bag. Confirm everything is still good and dialed in, and get back out there

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X2 great suggestions.
I get more concerned when it doesn’t bother a hunter that they just wounded an animal.

Most hunters feel remorse when they don’t recover an animal, especially big game animals. Wounding can happen with any weapon and by any Hunter (regardless of experience) and hunters need to reflect and reconcile on the possibility that it could easily happen to them one day. Unfortunately, sorting out hurt feelings isn’t part of Hunter Ed, however, having an understanding partner or group of friends can help. I feel badly for your wife and I hope that the deer recovers. Most of all, I hope that the experience makes both of you better people and hunters (not that you’re not awesome already). Best of luck on the next outing.

I've had this happen to me Nd ill tell ya its not a good feeling at all. Makes me double think hunting a couple times. I had a nightmare of aa story but I'm gunna keep that one to myself.

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Just a little update
like a trooper she grabbed he bow and put in almost an hour of solid practice, and she shot very well
second update right at legal last light the same deer showed up looking healthy and obviously no worse the wise

Good for her and I'm not surprised he is healthy.
Thanks for the update!

Good news, great relief for her I’m sure.

Great to hear, thanks for update

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Originally Posted by DanE

Just a little update
like a trooper she grabbed he bow and put in almost an hour of solid practice, and she shot very well
second update right at legal last light the same deer showed up looking healthy and obviously no worse the wise

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How did you know it was the same deer? We have had a similar situation at our camp with a bear and haven't ever been able to determine what happened to it.