Bummed! :(

[Stringman]

Do not read this if you are already depressed!!

Went out last night and sat for a couple hours. I saw a group of 4 run across the open field beside me and cross the fence to the south of my stand. After awhile a decent 6point started to walk my direction and so I grunted a little at him. He was interested but hung up at 30 yds and wouldn't come closer. I waited him out and when he started to walk away I grunted real hard to try and change his mind.


Well, he refused to turn around, but I had apparently got the attention of the little fork that was also part of be group.


 I turned around and saw him walking right to my stand and clicked a quick pic before adjusting to make the shot. I waited to let him walk past me to get a good quarter away shot and so that my arrow wouldn't be in his vision when I shot.


After he cleared the tree I let it fly and couldn't have picked a better place to hit him. The only problem was my arrow only penetrated a couple inches. After waiting awhile I got down and found my arrow and never a drop of blood.

I was having the same problem last year and I have spent the entire off season making sure my kit was right. I shoot a 50# bow with 550 grn arrows tuned perfectly for this bow. I mean they fly like darts! I put ALOT of focus on my stone points and make sure they are extremely sharp with almost a 3-1 Length to width ratio. Point transition is nearly perfect and the impact did not spit the cane shaft. My feathers are cut down the barest amount and don't effect flight or cause any noise.

WHAT MORE CAN I DO?!?!

I am really starting to doubt myself. This makes 5 deer I have hit consecutively with almost no penetration. However, before this run I killed 2 with stone points, so I know they work. Can anyone offer a suggestion?

Scott

[boughnut]

well not sure about the penetration some time when a deer is shot with a bow if they are in the process of taking off to run or turn right when the arrow hits it will change the arrow directions dramatically reducing its speed and energy.  As far as that 6 pt not coming in to your grunt next time try a snort and wez call works like a charm lot better than a grunt a grunt is a pretty normal un intemidating call a snort and wez means they angry and ready to fight or so I think either way every time I snort and wez at a but they come in runing hair raised and head down looking for a fight.

[Stringman]

Yeah I here ya about the snort/wheeze. This buck appeared to be young enough I was afraid I would run him off.

But really, that's not what concerns me. Am I shooting to light of a bow? Is my arrow speed/ kinetic energy not high enough? Shots too long? What am I doing that is hindering arrow penetration?

I am an experienced hunter, and I fear if I was giving myself advise I would be inclined to to say "don't let it get ya down, these things happen," or " it's just a run of bad luck." None of which do I accept in my case. Something is wrong for this to be happening so consistently.

I came from the ranks of the compound hunters. I have never hunted with a modern recurve, so I don't know what kind I arrow speed they get, but I know that I NEVER had these problems shooting with wheels. Should I be limiting my shots to 10yrds and under?

Scott

[boughnut]

well just by the looks of your bow it should be plenty fast with that arrow weight at 50 pounds but if you have the ability from home a range near by see if you can shoot that sucker through a chrony and see what you get should be atleast 145fps or higher at that arrow and bow weight.  if you are getting that you should be good but really I think you want 155 to 160 fps with that design.  I hunt with a 46 pound bow and some times even a 42 pound and have always gotten good penetration with arrows weighing in around 550 grains point and all.  I am sorry for your missfortun dont give it up yet I think your bow should do the trick but really I have even seen arrows from compound bows stop in there tracks when a deer is wheeling out of there from the noise of the bow. what happens when they are turning or ducking when arrow hits its if violently jerks the arrow into another directing stoping its forward momentum and only usually allowing a few inches of penitration.  has happend to me with the same bow I hunt with now sometimes I get pass throughs and two times now I have only gotten a few inches of penetration one of thouse times the there was only blood covering the broad head and no blood on the shaft.  if you hit them high at a down ward angle some times you wont find any blood for quiet a distance I have shot deer like that and never found a drop but found the deer after 4 hours of searching.  sometimes the arrow will make it to the other side and bounce right back making you think you did not get any penetration.  but I think you need to see how fast that sucker is shooting my 46 pound bow is in the mid 160's and punches straight through both sides most of the time.  if you are getting anywhere near that you are in good shape with that bow.

[JackCrafty]

Fire your arrows through a chronograph.  It's only way to be sure.  You should be getting around 150 feet per second if everything is well built.

[Will H]

Man I hate that for ya... It's happened to me more times than I'd like to admit with stone and with steel heads. For me the problem was short drawing. You gotta think that 50# bow at 27" aint much at 24"... Not sure if that's what's happening but at least for me that's what I struggle with. Sounds like you got the right setup and I know your heads are leathal. So just don't let it get you down brotha.

[gstoneberg]

O no!  That bow I built you let you down.   I am depressed.

George

[H Rhodes]

I doubt it's your points - they are exellent.  How far away was your shot?

[Stringman]

George I refuse to believe the bow is the problem. Your bow shoots like mine does and mine was clocked at high 150's. your bow might even be shooting faster than mine (although I would hate to admit that  )

There has been this little niggleling thought in my head about short drawing the bow. I was struggling with that over the summer, but took steps to work thru it. Will might have hit the nail on the head. That would certainly explain a lot.... Normally though, I would not have drilled the spot I was focused on had I drawn short. The distance was a respectable 18 yrds so it was on the edge of my comfort zone.

[turtle]

Do you ever practice from your tree stand? I ask because sometimes from a tree stand shooting downward you can reach your anchor point,  and still be short drawing because your angling your bow arm down. It takes practice to learn how to bend and twist at the waist to be able to keep your form on steep angles.

[gstoneberg]

Hmmm, I find the opposite to be true. Standing straight and lowering the bow arm causes me to overdraw the bow. In fact, I've pulled the arrow off the string by pulling the back of the broadhead into my bow hand.

Scott, years ago I struggled with short drawing. I kept releasing when the back of my thumb touched the spot on my cheek where I anchor.  I have shot much more deliberately ever since. I sure hope it isn't that bow.

George

[iowabow]

Ok here is my guess based on your story and what I can gain from the pictures. This is based on him walking in from the right. I think you twisted to the right to make the shot just as he cleared the tree. If this was the case then you could have short drawed without knowing it. Just a thought hard to say without being there.

[criveraville]

O no!  That bow I built you let you down.   I am depressed.

George

Those yellow belly skins that I gave George and he put on your bow went week in us   

I don't know Scott.. That's a bum deal..

If its me I go and get the 7 MAG.. 

If I had a 7 MAG 

Cipriano

[TRACY]

You aren't catching the lower limb on anything are you? I feel your pain. Respectable and reasonable shot distance for the setup your using. Heads vertical or horizontal? Never mattered for me, but just trying to throw some variables out there for you. Keep at it and you'll get!


Tracy

[armymedic.2]

Pope mentioned greasing
 the shafts for improved penny i believe