missed opportunity 092212

It was foggy and warm when Brent and I parted ways and headed to our respective stand sites. I was going to set up in a multi-trunked tree farther down the cut, but had never approached that area from that direction before. I searched, but could not find it. I was near a good area on a crossing trail to the cut, so I decided to just find a suitable tree here as it was already getting light. As I pulled up my bow, put on my head net, and started to put on my armguard and glove, I saw a doe about 15 yards from me already! I was not ready. As I fought to get on my armguard and glove on, she must have seen some movement. She headed back downwind of me and slowly fed away. Oh well, maybe Brent will see it? I sat for about 15 more minutes when I heard deer approaching. Again, from behind and to the right of me. I could see it was two bucks so I stood and turned to face the tree before they got too close. Turns out, there was a nice group of mature white oaks there! I saw the far buck was a small 6 or fork, but the nearer one had some mass and a big body. It was a mature buck. I managed to get into shooting position as it was feeding on some branches above its head. I saw a good spread on the antlers. It was one I would not regret shooting with the longbow. I had to crouch a little to shoot under a branch, but the buck was about 15 yards from the tree and I saw a few big poplar leaves where obscuring the vitals. I decided to aim at that leaf. I came to full draw, and then released. All heck broke loose and that buck took off like his a$$ was on fire! Tail down and did not stop or slow until he got about 80 yards away and I saw a little white flag as it hesitated for a moment on the crest of a hill, before continuing over. The smaller buck was busy scraping at the leaves with its hoof and did not know what had happened. He had a hard time keeping up. I could not see the arrow and had no clue if I hit the deer, but it sure took off like I did. As I sat waiting, in about 15 minutes another group of small bucks (forks and spikes, two still in velvet) came in along the same trail my buck had lit out on. The one actually came directly under my tree and was eating leaves looking up at me. I had to try to take a picture, but he saw movement and jumped a few yards and blew about 15 times. He eventually left the other two adolescents, who eventually went back to feeding and moved on down the hill. I could have shot at any one of these. I got down to search the site. No hair or blood at the impact site…..but no arrow either?! I finally found the broken half of my arrow about 15 yards father from the hit site. I had fired a blunt into the ground just after the shot, so I knew exactly where the buck was standing. The broken shaft had no hair or blood and was split at the cresting along the grain. I went to where I last saw the buck, but found no blood again. Never did find so much as a pin drop.

So although I cannot figure out what happened exactly, I had to have missed: 1. The shot site had no hair and I was shooting a BIG 4 blade head. 2. The arrow was split along the grain and there was no sign of any blood. 3. I searched the entire area and never found a single hair or drop of blood anywhere between where I shot and where I lost sight. I figure I must have missed, probably high, and my arrow exploded on a rock or tree. I have no idea where the broadhead half went (that bothers me a little), but it was not for lack of searching. I have no idea how the broken half got the total distance of the shot away from where it should have impacted either? Brent and I searched a grid around the area onto the next property but never found a thing. I need to do a better job of aiming next time. That buck is a little smarter now.