Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer Bow Talk Sunday afternoon's hunt

You may have read my story of hitting 2 trees and not the 2 deer I shot at during 2 different hunts. Well, my luck persists. The total just went to 4.

Yesterday afternoon I made a short stalk through a grown over field and some woods. As I slipped through the woods along a field road I heard a deer moving my way in the crunchy leaves. I got ready and a lone doe walked to within 25 yards of me. She stood there flicking her tail and ears in heavy cover...and finally moved 2 steps and offered what I thought was a fairly decent broadside shot. Only a few inches of her chest was clear for my arrow. I placed the 20 yard pin on her chest and pulled the Hurricane release trigger. The Flatliner tipped with a 3 blade Muzzy 125 gr. whooshed along and hit a small arrow wood tree with a very loud POP ! The doe shook her head and trotted off still trying to decide what had happened. She appeared more curious than afraid. I found my arrow buried nearly edge deep in the tree.

I marked the arrow buried in the tree and moved about 50 yards when I heard another deer coming my way. It was another doe. She fast-walked in without noticing me. She stopped at 20 yards and stood broadside behind 2 dogwood trees. I placed the 20 yard pin on her lower chest and squeezed the release trigger. Another loud POP sounded ! My Muzzy had struck another 3" diameter arrow wood (some call them Huckleberry bushes) tree. I didn't even see the (closer) tree as I was focused on the deer and my small shooting lane. The doe deer never knew what happened and walked off shaking her head and flopping her big ears.

I found both arrows. They buried so deep in the trees that I only had to push them over and removed the arrows undamaged.

Please tell me my luck will change ? That's 4 deer: 3 does and a buck that I've shot at and hit only trees.

Your luck will magically change if you stop shooting at deer when they are in a bunch of thick stuff. If there is a tree in front of the deer's vitals, don't take the shot.

pick a hair to aim at not the chest, and follow through..

Aim small!

Keep at it...It'll work out for you.

LOL. Keep it up Mission! Love to read your stories!

Bow hunting isn't like gun hunting. You can get away with a little brush when shooting a high powered rifle, but a toothpick sized twig can deflect an arrow enough to cause a miss. If I were you I would make dadgum sure, from now on, that NOTHING is between you and the deer.

You are probably torquing your bow without even realizing it, causing the arrow to hit somewhere other than where you were aiming. Once you settle in keep your eyes on that target until you hear the impact of the arrow.

One thing is for sure, you gotta keep trying if you want it to get better.

I forgot one thing. If you were hunting from the ground your quiver was probably on your bow. Have you practiced shooting your bow with the quiver on? I PROMISE you it shoots different. At 20 yards mine is off 6" to the left. Take it off and I shoot dead zero. That has been the case with all three bows I have owned.

Great advice!
If you haven't shot your broadheads at a target, you definitely want to do that before shooting at a deer. More often than not they will not group with your field tips with out tunning your bow.

I love your stories brother. This one sounds like the Nascar guys doing interviews with all the sponsors being mentioned in a short amount of time LOL. Keep it up brother. you will get it. I have been bow hunting for about 6 years and only killed a small 6 and a doe with mine. and missed A BUNCH!!!

All were good replies and I thank you all for them.

I'll definitely keep up the bow hunting as it's the most fun you'll ever have hunting, while hitting trees and missing the dang deer ! (As long as a $10 arrow isn't lost or damaged I really have fun !) lol)

I will aim small...at a single hair and not the overall chest.

I will have more patience and wait until the deer moves to a better (less brushy) spot...if I can stand it. lol

bloodtrail...thanks for the tip. I've practiced on my Buckmasters target with broadheads every day for weeks. My broadheads and field tips group entirely different...and you are most correct ! reports of braodheads shooting the same as field tips...I haven't found to be true with Muzzy 3 blade 125 gr. and 4 blade 100 gr. bh's. I haven't tried the mechs. or expandables though.

I also shoot always with the quiver attached, Matt, as I'm strictly relegated to ground hunting/stalking. (due to my physical disability, degenerative disc disease/spinal stenosis and weakened leg muscles.)

I've also become pretty good at tuning my bow. Setting the limbs at the same poundage, keeping everything tight, waxing the string/cable, adjusting the Whisker Biscuit to center shot, keeping the pins set precisely and knowing each pin's yardage limits, etc. I can judge distances really well. I group 1/2" at 20 yards (and the Muzzies have cut off vanes on other arrows left and right ! lol), 3" at 25-30, and 2" at 30-50 yards. That makes no sense to me, fellows.

The possible torque...I'm not sure about ?? I may be torquing my bow without knowing it. How can I tell, and/or prevent it ??

I consistently anchor at the same point and practice my form.

I'm concerned about possibly torquing my bow...as the very helpful Pro Shop man at Walter Craig/Montgomery mentioned me doing it when I bought my bow. He showed me proper technique but I have now forgotten what he taught me.

Can anyone please help me to diagnose and prevent torque...or anything else that may help ??

I'm hunting the deer for food to off-set the high cost of meat. I enjoy the sport IMMENSELY but I seriously need to put put 2 or 3 deer in the freezer for the family. We're hitting it hard since my disability.

Thank You,

mission

Mission, the easiest way to torque your bow is gripping the handle tightly with a clinched fist. To prevent this just rest the bow handle in between the palm of your hand and your thumb. Point your fingers(all of them) in the direction of your target. Bend your elbow outward. This allows free movement of the bow and you do not jerk the handle upon release of the string. Another cause for torquing the bow is trying to peek around and see where your arrow is going to impact the target. Simply follow through with each shot, until the point of impact. You may not be torquing your bow at all, and I couldn't tell if you were unless I saw you shoot. If you are it is probably due to one of the above reasons.

Thank you, Matt. Your reply describes torque well.

I haven't been pointing my fingers outward as you suggest...and I have been quickly looking to see where the arrow strikes. I will follow the first good advice and stop the last no-no.

Soon as this rain is over and I can get out to my shooting range, I will follow these advisories to a tee. I think you may be on to my problem. Thanks for helping me, Matt.

One more question if you will, please.

Is there a big difference in .029 and a .019 pin sizes in some peoples' accuracy ? (I'm mentally recalling the 2 main pin sizes and may be incorrect about the sizes.) Would you try smaller pin sizes if you were me ??

I know I have the larger size pins on my Tru Glo Extreme sight......029 size. They take up a lot of the target when I'm target shooting. Suggestions welcomed.

Cheers,

mission