People need to qualify before you allow them to cripple or waste your mature bucks. Some outfitters make you prove you can shoot.How many were shot at distance over 25 yds ???>?

I have no clue how many Ive killed...300 or so I imagine...
I can count on one hand the number Ive got blood from and not found, but it happens...I dont like not knowing or finding a carcass later...
To many unknown variables to point anything out, poor marksmanship, miniscule caliber...I dont know...but it does happen...

I would say you guys need some practice. That is not normal.

One was shot at 20 yds head on. Two were 30 broadside. One was 20 quartering toward. Last was 30 quartering toward. None were my shots but I have screwed up too. Makes me sick.

a head on bow shot is a fool. So is a quartering to shot. Those people need to learn when to shoot.

I agree, 100%.

I can't remember ever losing a deer with a rifle, lost a couple with a bow though.

I apologize for starting a stink pile in the aldeer forums - just stating how I felt about an awful situation.

There was hog sign in the area 3 weeks ago but none last weekend. Maybe the addition of a deer will draw the hogs back for a bit.

Dagwood, that is awful and embarrassing as a hunter. Not the fact that you're not finding your bucks but that you've got hunters shooting head-on shots; quartering toward shooter shots. (with bows).

There may be people out there that disagree with me but there are more that do. I'd be pissed if my club allowed a bunch of unethical bow hunters to cripple up many of my club's bucks because they're taking low percentage shots.

Broadside or quartering away are higher odds shot and the type of shot the hunter needs to be patient for.

I am a bow hunter. I have lost deer too and I took a straight-on shot at a deer with my bow when I first started bow hunting and an older, wiser bow hunter scolded my ass for it and explained to me why I should not take those low percentage shots and I got it. I get it now and I don't do it.

Last year I shot an 8 point out of a shooting house around mid morning. I gave him just a little bit gathered my gear and went to find. It had been only 20-30 mins. He had only went about 50 yards. When I found him buzzards were already on him. I have had to run coyotes off, several times, on bow kills that had been shot less than an hour. Speaking about coyotes, I have shot two in two hunts. One white one, late afternoon hunt, that might have weighed 25 pounds and one big dark sucker, mid morning hunt, that would weigh 50 pounds. Carry on. Keep hunting. It happens. Just try to not let it happen very often is all you can do.

Chit Happens....i've shed a many a tears in the woods ....and I hope to shed a bunch more....I'll never give up on Hunting...02