The dark side of handgun hunting

Well, since gun season opened here in MS, I've been trying to break-in my new FA 97 45 colt. It seems whenever you have a new toy, the critters (in this cas: deer) don't see the importance of "break'n it in".
Without going into a lengthy detail leading up to the topic; let's just say, if it coulda went wrong that morning, it did (before I got in the stand). After get'n in to my stand (for the second time) I was trying to get settled when two mature doe came strolling down one of the trails I was perched over. I had barely enough time to remove my backpack and sit down, when they showed. When I first spotted 'em, (couldn't hear 'em for 15mph winds) they were about 50 yards straight in front of me and moving quickly, diagnoling to my right. At this time, I'm scramb'n to get my hearing protection deployed, my revolver skin't, cover removed from JPoint and cock'n the hammer for a shot.
I haven't mentioned, yet, the stand does not have a shoot'n rail (part of the long story as to why I'm in it). By the time I made all the above, pre-execution, happen; the lead and largest doe was 45 yards to my right side. Even with the wind, she heard draw the hammer back (I must say, I did it hastely). At this time, I've got the gun about half extended, so I have to wait till she looks away to get the dot on her (she's stare'n a hole through me). She then starts down the trail again, I get the red dot on her, stop her and then......
This is where I broke my own self imposed rule (never shoot off-hand at a critter, further than 20 yards).
....at the blast from the 5.5" tube, she jumped straight up, mule kicked and ran 50 yards and stopped.......thinking "heart shot", waiting for her to fall; I prematurely celebrated by texting a few friends (SChunter being one). Then I noticed her walking away slowly, twitching her tail....yep, the classic gut shot routine. (I know exactly what I did, in the heat of the moment, I shanked the trigger pull!)
Now I've been, handgun only, hunting for 21 years now; and by abiding by my self imposed rules, up to this point, I've never made a bad shot on a deer (and I've killed quite a few). I know the old saying, "if you hunt long enough, it's gonna happen", but if I hadn't broke my rule; it wouldn't have happened yesterday. It was the haste of get'n ready, anxiousness of break'n in the FA97 and the overall excitement of the hunt.
Well, knowing it was a "less than desirable shot" I wasn't get'n down to inspect for 3 hrs. Knowing that it takes a gut shot deer (archery experience) about 6-8 hours to die; after the wait, I trailed slow and deliberate. About four hours after the shot, my son joined in on the trailing (he loves it). We made it to a ditch where we found lots of blood where she had layed down. Two minutes before this I had made the statement, "we probably need to slip out, go eat lunch and come back before the rain gets here"; but did we, noooooo....
After seeing the evidence, I decided to ease along the ditch to see if she was in it. Moving very slow and cautiously, I eased my way up the ditch, checking ever so often with my binos, when......I was standing two feet from the edge of the ditch, peeking over in it, I seen the tip of an ear! At this time I got my sons attention, and motioned him to get around behind me, so I could finish her off. As I ease my head forward, to see how she was laying; I noticed the ditch bank was undercut and she was under it, facing me. There was not enough exposed for a shot. Right about then, she must have noticed the bill of my cap; and evidently did not like the looks of it......she came up, quick as lighting and I did one of them "halemary shots", that did not connect.
Well now I've blown it; I knew better! Now...we back out and go eat! After we eat and give her a little more time, we head back for round 2. Only this time, about 15 minutes into the track'n; it starts to pour down raining. Now if there was any blood, it's gone! After searching for three more hour, in the rain, we decided to call it quits.
It makes me sick to loose a deer, but I know that's the dark side of hunt'n; sooner or later it's gonna happen. Just got to sadle-up and ride again.

As much as I do not like loosing a critter either, sometimes you end up feeding the vermin and varmints.

Sooner or later it happens to us all--Just use it as a learing trip and move on-- can't dewll on one bad shot when you have had 50+ good ones

Exactly. I couldn't agree more. It is true that it happens to everyone that does it enough. Don't beat yourself up over this.

Kim, if this is the first time this has happened to you, you are very lucky. A hit on a deer like this can happen NO matter how methodical you are with your shot. It happens. I know it makes you sick, but you gotta let it go. You are one of the most prepared handgun hunters I know and I know you'll slow the process down next time. Shoot, even the Outlaw Josey Whales is allowed to make a bad shot once and a while. LOL

That's the sickening part of it! Knowing I'm making some coyotes fat and happy with my backstraps!

Thank you for sharing your story. It can happen to the best of us and usually at one point it will.

Anybody that's hunted for any length of time whether its with handgun, bow, or rifle experiences this at some time. Yes it sucks and you want to kick yourself in the butt over it. The important thing is to not make the same mistakes.

KRal, last year I hit an 8pt buck just a hair too low at 30 yards with my crossbow. I looked for that animal for hours. I found good blood and then none. I even called three of my buddys who helped look for the animal. We never did find the buck, and I felt all but sick for a couple of weeks. I finally realized that this is something that may happen to any of us when we assume the role of a hunter. None of us want to see this happen, but it may eventually happen to the most careful and prepared hunter in the woods. I know how you feel, as do many others, but we have to understand that this is a cycle that we all may be a part of at some point.

Best of Luck
Erik

Brother,

Hate that happened to you - I was wondering where the celebratory pics where...

Sometimes our eagerness to break-in the new gun, get the monkey off our back for the season, etc causes us to rush what should be an easy shot - I just plain missed a gimme on a nice boar last weekend with the excitement of "breaking in" the Linebaugh. Boar fever? Maybe so.

And I distinctly remember the feeling as the blood trailed off after nearly 450 yards of trailing a nice pig on hands and knees just over a month ago - like Bug said, it's inevitable it'll happen - Murphy will come along and rain on our parade from time to time, just keep your chin up and stay after 'em.

Good on you for writing this story. We all need to be reminded to stick to our rules. You reminding us here on the page might prevent us from being reminded in the field.

Keep your chin up, you had a slip up, and gave it your best to salvage. Only thing left to do was write it all out, and maybe help others from the same slip.

It is a sad reality of being human and hunting.
Hang in there, don't beat yourself up anymore than you have.
Take your time and get back in the game.
Appreciate your honesty

That sucks, but as its been said if you hunt long enough it will happen to every one of us. I've lost two deer, both to a neighbor who will not let me recover on his property.

I hate to say it, but he's not a neighbor; just an adjoining land owner. That's pretty sorry....

I don't know about your state but here In OR the landowner will be charged with "Waste of a Big Game Animal" which is a Class A Misdemeanor and carries a heavy fine.

There are two types of hunters, those that have lost animals and those that will. Kim I don't know if you remember my bear story a couple weeks ago or not but that was the same thing. It was an easy shot if I had not rushed things but we all get excited at one point or another. If we didn't get excited what would the point of hunting be? You might as well go buy meat from the grocery store when you quit getting an adrenaline rush. It's a lesson learned and it's unfortunate but I have no doubt next time that will be in the back of your mind and you'll not make the same mistake twice.

Kim it happens to everyone. Hang in there. You'll get the next one!

The predators will clean up.

Been there done that.. make's you feel like crap, then you beat yourself over the head for doing it, but the varmints will eat good. Thanks for sharing...

just had one the other day, my son winged a buck on our property. no blood at the shot, small amount where it had lied down, but none further and i spent 2 days tracking it over about a mile. no further blood. the worst part is that i was with him, i forgot my gun and there was a window had i carried my 454 that i would've definitely shot this buck and we would have much to rejoice about, but instead, i neglected to bring my sidearm and as a result my son is upset at himself. that said, he's only 13 and has a new love of practice.

Been there myself also.
makes a person sick no matter the animal, but its even worse if its a nice one. I lost what would have been my biggest buck. made very similar mistakes as you did. it haunts me but I carry on. got too. Its a tough learning curve.

KRal, I feel your pain. This past Saturday a buddy calls me up and asks if I want to shoot the big one. I asked if my son could take the shot. He was grinning ear to ear and said he really wanted my son to shoot it. I put him in the stand and my daughter went to hers and my wife and I to mine( first time in 23 years of marriage that she has ever hunted with me)(big mistake LOL). Heard my son shoot 35 minutes before sunset and 1 min later my daughter shot a doe. I picked up her doe and headed to my son. He radioed to me he hit him hard. I get to his stand and we head out looking for him. I found very little blood and it stopped very quickly. Spent three ours in the dark looking. I was supposed to fly on Sunday but took the day off and spent 6 hours looking the next day. After talking to my son I think he hit him high on the shoulder and grazed him. He is still sick about it. Its a hard thing to swallow but it happenes and will happen again before our hunting days end. I hope it doesn't!

Kim, You did everything by the book. It happens.James

It happens and we move on

It happens,the most important thing is that you learn from this, move on.