A tale of unfortunate events

[Southernlady]

Well my biggest fear has happened when it comes to hunting.
I was in my ground blind which I made using evergreen cuttings. Perfect setup
With my crossbow in hand I seen a super nice buck move down the fence then cut across the field about 30 yards in front of me. I let out a baaaaa and he stopped. I shot and the arrows was stuck. He ran and ran about 200!yards and jumped the fence. The lighted knock was in in the field without the buck. No blood no trail no idea
The blood on the arrow tip was only about two inches and the broad head was mangled. I at this point realized I didn’t make a kill shot I just wounded him!he jumped onto our pissy neighbors property and no way are you allowed over there especially since they are head hunters. I was devastated. So now last night I’ve been hunting every day of rifle so far and then it happens a nice little 5 point stood in front of me for 10 mins it seemed, But in the distance I could see a huge buck in the south corner of the meadow about 450 yards away. Hoping he would make it my way just out of the blue a huge buck, biggest I’ve ever gotten opportunity to shoot stepped in front of me about 30 yards where the 5 point was. I let out a sound he stopped and I shot. I didn’t blink flinch or jerk. I breathed out and pulled the trigger. He leaped turn and ran. I seen the same thing happen again as the buck ran away, He hesitated before he jumped the fence and went over onto the neighbors. I couldn’t believe what just happened. I was crushed. I hurt another deer and may never find him.
I was using a 260 Ruger M77 Mark 2 rife with a leupold rifleman scope that’s dead on at .150 yards but not thinking about that I took a 30 yard shot aimed right at the kill zone. No blood no hair no trail. I’m going to go see if I can see him layin just on the other side of their fence this morning, If I’ve lost another one do to this then I’m probably done hunting for good its

so heart breaking to lose deer this way and for me to think it’s my bad shot that causes it, well I can hardly take it! I know I hit him but not sure exactly where. This happened to me last year as well with same gun! When I target practice I’m quit proud of myself for I hit bullseye often. Is it me, my scope, the gun???? WTH!

 

[retrieverman]

It sounds like “buck fever”, and I’m sure everyone here has had it. Unfortunately, there’s really no cure.

The bow shot sounds like you hit the shoulder blade, and if so, he’ll heal.

 

[EKing]

At about 25 yards, most rifle/scope/ammo combinations are at the same point of impact as your zero. At best, you were right on. At worst, you were an inch low.
The 260 Rem is certainly capable of taking deer, so now you should question your bullet. If you are using a target or match bullet that may be the reason they are only wounded.

 

[Hangfire]

As @retrieverman stated it may just be 'Buck Fever' and if it is you may be pulling the shot at the last instant......you've just got to take a deep breath, focus and work through it.

Maybe it's just me but after taking several deer through the years I've always gotten a case of 'buck fever' every time I shoulder my rifle and align the cross hairs on a deer and it makes no difference if it's a buck or doe......I hope I never lose the feeling.

Knock on wood I've never lost a deer but I have helped a few people look for them (sometimes successfully and sometimes not) and in each case the shooter felt sincerely bad, not for the meat loss but from knowing that they had wounded a animal that may be suffering a slow painful death.

 

[mr ed]

If you know it was a good kill and could possibly see the downed animal you can call the game warden and he will retrieve
it off the pissy neighbors land. but I think you have to actually be able to see it from your side of the fence.

I asked about this at public meeting because where I hunt, the deer on public land hang out near the fence and I can get between them and the fence but was always worried about them jumping the fence and not being able to retrieve

 

[BobbyV]

Well my biggest fear has happened when it comes to hunting.
I was in my ground blind which I made using evergreen cuttings. Perfect setup
With my crossbow in hand I seen a super nice buck move down the fence then cut across the field about 30 yards in front of me. I let out a baaaaa and he stopped. I shot and the arrows was stuck. He ran and ran about 200!yards and jumped the fence. The lighted knock was in in the field without the buck. No blood no trail no idea
The blood on the arrow tip was only about two inches and the broad head was mangled. I at this point realized I didn’t make a kill shot I just wounded him!he jumped onto our pissy neighbors property and no way are you allowed over there especially since they are head hunters. I was devastated. So now last night I’ve been hunting every day of rifle so far and then it happens a nice little 5 point stood in front of me for 10 mins it seemed, But in the distance I could see a huge buck in the south corner of the meadow about 450 yards away. Hoping he would make it my way just out of the blue a huge buck, biggest I’ve ever gotten opportunity to shoot stepped in front of me about 30 yards where the 5 point was. I let out a sound he stopped and I shot. I didn’t blink flinch or jerk. I breathed out and pulled the trigger. He leaped turn and ran. I seen the same thing happen again as the buck ran away, He hesitated before he jumped the fence and went over onto the neighbors. I couldn’t believe what just happened. I was crushed. I hurt another deer and may never find him.
I was using a 260 Ruger M77 Mark 2 rife with a leupold rifleman scope that’s dead on at .150 yards but not thinking about that I took a 30 yard shot aimed right at the kill zone. No blood no hair no trail. I’m going to go see if I can see him layin just on the other side of their fence this morning, If I’ve lost another one do to this then I’m probably done hunting for good itsView attachment 148143 so heart breaking to lose deer this way and for me to think it’s my bad shot that causes it, well I can hardly take it! I know I hit him but not sure exactly where. This happened to me last year as well with same gun! When I target practice I’m quit proud of myself for I hit bullseye often. Is it me, my scope, the gun???? WTH!

Dang . . . I've hit a buck that ended up dying on the side of an old county road just off our property line. Looked and looked for that thing. Never saw anything. Dad found him the next morning with his head gone. Some joker stopped and cut it off . . . I was ticked.

 

[PBramble]

Hate to hear stories like this. However, the pissy neighbor part is why I'd advocate front shoulder shots. Break em both if you have to, but anchor them before they can jump the fence. Use this as a learning lesson, but don't let it deter you.

 

[magna19]

Maybe it's just me but after taking several deer through the years I've always gotten a case of 'buck fever' every time I shoulder my rifle and align the cross hairs on a deer and it makes no difference if it's a buck or doe......I hope I never lose the feeling.

For the Win!!!!!! I hope I never lose that feeling too.

 

[Southernlady]

Well been spending all this time searching with no luck at all. Sucks!

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Like some have said buck fever is real. How close do you hunt to the fence?