Arrowed Deer

[Engideer]

This is not necessarily a western hunting conversation, but on my last trail cam pull I got a picture of a deer with an arrow sticking out of his back. It appears to be an old wound, I don't see any obvious blood on the animal. He also is running around with a bachelor group of bucks like he normally would this time of year. Just thought I would see if anyone else has ever encountered this.

 

[Work2hunt]

I got a similar picture of a small buck last year with a crossbow bolt in it. Almost 3 weeks later I saw him come by me while I was in stand. He had a pretty good scab on the shoulder and was limping, but otherwise was eating and seemed fine.

 

[Work2hunt]

Here is the picture....hopefully.

 

[Old Hunter]

Sort of pisses me off. The hunters shot wasn't even close.

Sorry, but i'm always on the side of the animal. If you can't make a good shot. (gun or bow) Don't take it.

It looks like a tree stand hunter with no clue.

 

[Engideer]

It was definitely a walking away shot. I agree that you don't ever take a shot at such a risky target. Every bowhunter will have a story of something bad that happened on a shot, but if you take such marginal shots you aren't being respectful of the animal.

 

[Old Hunter]

I'm glad you agree. I usually get some flak for a post like I made above.

 

[87TT]

I killed a small buck in the Sierra a few years ago that had been shot in the hind quarter. He stll had a piece of the arrow in him. The back leg was broken and all festered up. He still had velvet in his antlers and was skin and bones. It was the last few minutes that I had to hunt before heading home so I shot him without even looking hard at him. I'm glad I put him out of his misery as he wouldn'rt have made it through the winter. I still have the arrow and look at it from time to time now that I've taken up bowhunting. Reminds me to practice, practice and more practice. I owe it to the deer.

 

[hardstalk]

Both pics are pretty crazy! That bolt almost seems like it bounced off the ground. Im surprised that spine shot deer didnt drop in its tracks. Neither image excites me. But it does motivate me to put a few more boxes of ammo thru my rifle this season.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Wow man I wonder how many animals this happens to each year.

 

[razorbackhunter]

It's not even deer season yet, goes to show poaching goes on year round.

 

[Engideer]

It is tough to see, especially when you can tell that someone took a shot that clearly wasn't a high percentage shot. I am a bowhunter that shoots all year, but there are some shots that you just don't take, no matter how good you think you are. I really think the deer in the top picture has had that arrow in him for months, just judging from his behavior.

 

[Engideer]

I'm glad you agree. I usually get some flak for a post like I made above.

Haha, no flak from me. I enjoy hunting whether it is in a tree in Kansas or a stalk in Colorado, but no matter where you hunt, I couldn't agree more that you don't take a shot that isn't a clean ethical kill. Gun hunters and bow hunters alike owe it to the game they hunt.