Just for the record books...

[iowabow]

The only positive thing to come out of this is  I can focus on what it takes to bring it together.   Also the shaft did not split and the glue did not break and the tendon remained intact.  So everything worked just no deer. 

[iowabow]

I figured re-tooling was the only thing to get back in the "next time" mindset. 

[gstoneberg]

John,

Are you sure you didn't get up and into the shoulder blade?  I guess it's possible a centered rib might stop the arrow but I wouldn't have thought so.  I would have guessed major bone strike to stop the arrow like that...either big leg bone or scapula.  Too bad, you've really a string of bad luck.  I would chalk it up to another Murphy attack and get after it again.  She will almost certainly recover.

By the way, how high up are you?  The higher I go the more I struggle to keep my arrows down.  I have done the same thing, though it was with a steel head.  My shot got up into the spine as the shot was very close and I was high.

George

[iowabow]

Most of the time I am at 12 this one had to be at 14.  I am 100% sure it was in the lung kill zone dead center. She stopped and l could see the hit.  The shoulder was not in the hole I shot through.  Strange things happen on my primitive hunts. I have never been challenged like this before.  Getting a deer was always easy with a gun or modern bow.  I am 0 at 15 yards.  I think the deer gods are against me. I do like all the help it has helped a lot. I could see the arrow 5 inches behind the shoulder and in the middle of the body.  I just don't know what to think about why it worked like that.

[johnston]

John you gotta be doing everything just right to get so many opportunities. And you put an arrow right where you wanted it. Hey, it is just October. This primitive stuff is pretty damn hard after all. That is what makes all of us so special , we go the hard route.

Lane

[iowabow]

I am lucky to have a place that is full of deer but you have to put the stands in just the right place or you will never get a shot with a primitive bow.  This weekend was great tonight I got to see two bucks fight I  was able stalk up to 80 yards.  I got busted for the crazyest reason.  I was stalking one buck when an other buck came in to the picture.  They starting fighting and one buck lost an antler in the fight.  The defeated deer ran and circled down wind and within 10mins I was busted. 

[iowabow]

The deer is on the left side of the picture.   There are two bucks in the picture but I can't see the other one that is on the right.  This was about 80 yards.   

[iowabow]

Here in Iowa we are having a heat wave.  It is 80 degrees and really dry with no mosquito.   So deer hunting is great.  No shirt no mosquito and no cold toes.   Thought I would post a picture from the stand. This is one of my favorite spots. There is a large hill behind me and creek in front and this spot creates a funnel that pinches the deer together as they come through.  So just for the record the last shot was 21 and no deer yet. I am headed back out this morning. 

[gstoneberg]

Good luck John, I'm in a popup ground blind this morning. I'm hoping we both get shots.

George

[iowabow]

I just can't pull it together guys missed three time this morning on 2 two deer one at 6 yards one at 15 and then 20.  The first shot I can't blame on me alltogether see all was going well till I got within 4 inches of full draw that is when things got bad the deer suddenly stopped and sidestepped real fast just I was releasing the arrow and I was committed.  The shock of missing a shot like that completly took me off my game for the next two shots. I can hunt but can't hit.  This is going to come together one of these times.  Well headed to the knapin at oakland mills. Good luck g. Well the count is 24 just for the record.

[gstoneberg]

Sorry to hear that John. I missed a young buck at 15' last night.  It happens to all of us. I think it is a lot easier to shoot a deer at 15yds than it is 15ft. This a little like knapping.  Soon it'll all fall into place. 2 hogs just came through but didn't give me a shot. Still hoping for one of the 5 does hanging around here. Starting to rain now.

George

[Lee Slikkers]

You'll get the next deer that comes in John...look for a big fat deer tick just back of it's shoulder and smash that bug with a piece of Chert!

Are you seeing deer move much in that heat?  It is 80+ here too, has been since Tuesday and will be until next thursday and I wasn't even going to bother sitting out for a hunt with the weather this hot but maybe I am throwing away good days of hunting???

[iowabow]

The hunting has been great.  The deer are moving just like winter and on the same time frame.  Warm weather is great for hunting it just is great this year because no bugs. The knapin was great now time to hit the woods for the afternoon hunt.

[ducosniffer]

Well, how is it going?

[iowabow]

Not good, my bow is 40 lbs and is not getting the penetration that I want so I have been spending the last week working hard to get a new bow knocked out but finding time to tiller it is an issue with so many activities at work and family.  This weekend I shot another doe and she jumped the string and I hit behind the lung and very little penetration and no blood trail.  The arrow left with the deer.  I might as well be using a Nerf bow. I am setting everything up during the hunt as deer are coming in.  I was able stand, pick the hole and wait for the deer to step in and it even stopped as I pulled the sting back I made sure to pick a spot and had a great release. The deer was looking right at me and would have seen everything.