Bambi whacking thread 2020-2021

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  • Silverlax

    Active Member
    Nov 13, 2014
    518
    Eastern Shore
    Went out this morning and the place I hunt was 80% underwater. The rain last couple of days did it in. Mosquitos were pretty rough so I did not stay long.
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    Wish everyone good luck...with the price of beef getting higher and higher, I expect the kill ratio to go up this year.

    BTW...I didn't even know archery is open yet LOL
     

    Inigoes

    Head'n for the hills
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 21, 2008
    49,353
    SoMD / West PA
    Went out this morning and the place I hunt was 80% underwater. The rain last couple of days did it in. Mosquitos were pretty rough so I did not stay long.

    I feel your pain.

    I noticed the 50 lb salt block that was replaced a few weeks ago, has been melted by all of the rain we have been getting. :sad20:
     

    kstone803

    Official Meat Getter
    Feb 25, 2009
    3,923
    Ltown in the SMC
    Saw 14 turkeys at 15 yards, 3 big gobblers and the only deer I saw all day was this guy on the side of the driveway on my way out of the property. Drove right by him on the way in but it was dark. I figure he'd been there two days or so tops. Called DNR to see if they were interested in checking for CWD and was told no thanks. So I drug it into the woods. This is about a mile from any roads but I guess it could have been from an impact. He just looks sickly and skinny. My guess is he was only about 2.5 years old. Shame, appears he had great genetics.
     

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    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,449
    Went out this morning and the place I hunt was 80% underwater. The rain last couple of days did it in. Mosquitos were pretty rough so I did not stay long.

    The mosquitoes were terrible. I wore a net suit over a long sleeve shirt, and still got hit a few times. It's like it was a new breed! The Thermacell and the 40% deet I used barely helped.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    What's the rub on here with killing fawns? I killed one last year because I wanted a small one to try butchering a deer myself without being too overwhelmed. It was perfect. I would kill another fawn in a heartbeat.

    For me, not again. First deer I shot last year. It was tasty. Maybe if I was butchering it myself and it WAS a little one. Afternoon of the Saturday after the opener (opener was Friday). I got back 9.5# of meat from the butcher and they normally do a great job (didn't seem like anything was missing. Just itty bitty roasts, steaks and straps).

    Sure it was tasty. But I paid $70 for butchering. Same $70 I paid for the next two does which each gave me 30# of still nice venison. Same $70 I paid for the 5 point that netted me 53 (56?)# of fine venison. I'd have to have killed 3 fawns to have gotten the same 30# as the bigger does (and they were both probably just yearlings).

    No issues with hunting, but I'd rather both get my moneys worth and kill fewer living things to accomplish the same thing. Don't need herd control, so no need to drop everything.

    Plus didn't help I discovered Fawns scream and mewl when shot. Yeah that shook me to the bone for a bit (mostly because it was unexpected).

    I wouldn't not shoot a fawn, but I am mostly aiming for the biggest deer in the herd.
     

    remrug

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2009
    1,761
    manchester md
    Years ago a guy I once knew shot one just like that.He thought his wife would get mad,so he gave it to me.I cut it up and ate some tender vittles for a bit.

    To be honest tho....it was pretty bland
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    Came up empty in round 1. 16yds and the arrow went right under her. I am very, very, very confident it was a clean miss. Zero blood. Arrow didn't deflect. Whole herd ran off. After some searching and much cussing, I pulled out my archery bag and said F it and put a mechanical broadhead in to it. It was low and left by about 6 inches at 18yds.

    WTF.

    A few more shots and they were mostly still low and left.

    As I was finishing up and tweaking the scope, I could see the deer back in the woods starting to come back in to my corn. Closed up the blind and waited. Took half an hour because momma and her baby came in right after a spike and Momma kept chasing off the spike and the two big does that came in tail end Charlie (the smaller doe and button buck from earlier never came back, but they seemed to be traveling partners, just like Momma and the doe were and the two does and the spike (I've been seeing all 7 of them out there at the same time, but they don't seem to be herded together except when eating). Took 20 minutes before one of the big does presented a good shot.

    Quartering away a bit. Arrow zipped in, deflected off and buried itself at the edge of the meadow. Deer didn't look like she'd been hit other than the arrow visibly deflecting from its flight path several feet after passing "by" the doe. Went out, and nice blood trail starting at the edge of the woods where she entered the stilt grass and the arrow was coated in some nice dark blood. Waited 20 minutes, took the boys out and found her 100yds or so away in the woods. Nice blood trail. Arrow entered a couple inches back from where I swore I was aiming still and went "up". Though I think the "up" was as much because she was leaning over eating and quartering away. Nicked the gut barely, sliced the liver and weight straight through the Aorta. Somehow did not apparently clip or hit either lung. Somehow. Went out the opposite shoulder. Only hit ribs, no leg/shoulder bones involved.

    Anyway, I'd been sweet talked in to quartering away shots being better for archery rather than broadside (every other archery shot I've taken) to avoid hitting the leg or shoulder and exposing the vitals better. I think I am going to go back to broadside shots. Been worried about it. But even my older and slower crossbow both leg hits, also hit ribs and both managed to poke through the opposite side exiting the hide, though not a complete pass through (both deer smashed the arrows limp-running away before they expired). New crossbow is going WAY faster (380fps vs 330fps).

    I think I did figure out the accuracy issues. Looked closer at my NAP Shockwave instructions. "The SHOCKWAVE is designed to open with very little pressure yet stay closed in flight up to 310 feet per second. "

    Their performance I've been impressed with, but I think my new crossbow is shoving them too fast and causing them to open sometimes in flight. I'll probably start a separate thread, but I'll be looking for new arrow heads. Mechanical? Fixed? Recommendations? I hate to move away from the NAP Shockwaves as I've never had them fail to open and they've got a good cutting diameter and penetrate deep. But it sounds like I either need to save them for my older, slower crossbow, or for a vertical bow.

    At the butcher now. Probably 90-100lbs live weight, pre-dressed. About 70lbs or so dressed. Maybe a bit bigger.
     

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    BigCountry14

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    1,668
    Hoping to get out this evening. Going to attempt butchering myself this year, much to the wife's dismay, lol.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
     

    remrug

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2009
    1,761
    manchester md
    Came up empty in round 1. 16yds and the arrow went right under her. I am very, very, very confident it was a clean miss. Zero blood. Arrow didn't deflect. Whole herd ran off. After some searching and much cussing, I pulled out my archery bag and said F it and put a mechanical broadhead in to it. It was low and left by about 6 inches at 18yds.

    WTF.

    A few more shots and they were mostly still low and left.

    As I was finishing up and tweaking the scope, I could see the deer back in the woods starting to come back in to my corn. Closed up the blind and waited. Took half an hour because momma and her baby came in right after a spike and Momma kept chasing off the spike and the two big does that came in tail end Charlie (the smaller doe and button buck from earlier never came back, but they seemed to be traveling partners, just like Momma and the doe were and the two does and the spike (I've been seeing all 7 of them out there at the same time, but they don't seem to be herded together except when eating). Took 20 minutes before one of the big does presented a good shot.

    Quartering away a bit. Arrow zipped in, deflected off and buried itself at the edge of the meadow. Deer didn't look like she'd been hit other than the arrow visibly deflecting from its flight path several feet after passing "by" the doe. Went out, and nice blood trail starting at the edge of the woods where she entered the stilt grass and the arrow was coated in some nice dark blood. Waited 20 minutes, took the boys out and found her 100yds or so away in the woods. Nice blood trail. Arrow entered a couple inches back from where I swore I was aiming still and went "up". Though I think the "up" was as much because she was leaning over eating and quartering away. Nicked the gut barely, sliced the liver and weight straight through the Aorta. Somehow did not apparently clip or hit either lung. Somehow. Went out the opposite shoulder. Only hit ribs, no leg/shoulder bones involved.

    Anyway, I'd been sweet talked in to quartering away shots being better for archery rather than broadside (every other archery shot I've taken) to avoid hitting the leg or shoulder and exposing the vitals better. I think I am going to go back to broadside shots. Been worried about it. But even my older and slower crossbow both leg hits, also hit ribs and both managed to poke through the opposite side exiting the hide, though not a complete pass through (both deer smashed the arrows limp-running away before they expired). New crossbow is going WAY faster (380fps vs 330fps).

    I think I did figure out the accuracy issues. Looked closer at my NAP Shockwave instructions. "The SHOCKWAVE is designed to open with very little pressure yet stay closed in flight up to 310 feet per second. "

    Their performance I've been impressed with, but I think my new crossbow is shoving them too fast and causing them to open sometimes in flight. I'll probably start a separate thread, but I'll be looking for new arrow heads. Mechanical? Fixed? Recommendations? I hate to move away from the NAP Shockwaves as I've never had them fail to open and they've got a good cutting diameter and penetrate deep. But it sounds like I either need to save them for my older, slower crossbow, or for a vertical bow.

    At the butcher now. Probably 90-100lbs live weight, pre-dressed. About 70lbs or so dressed. Maybe a bit bigger.

    If you hit the deer that far back,and hit the aorta,that deer was at a sharp angle when the bolt hit(either the deer was standing that way or moved at the shot) or the bolt deflected to the right.Either way,I would take a quartering away shot over a broadside shot any day.I have never lost a deer where the broad head went in and forward.There are a lot of good things to cut into liver,lungs,heart ,major arteries and veins to make a quick death.

    Not sure with the broad heads,I never shot a deer with an expandable
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    If you can visualize where the exit will be you can sometimes pick a spot a little farther back on the side the impact will occur.
    Stop and look at some cattle or another four legged critter(s) that are standing around to get an idea how far back you need to be.
    Sort of like when they demonstrate with the rods when they determine where the shot originated from.
     

    BigCountry14

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    1,668
    Killing fawns - C'mon fellas, do you wanna' just give the Bambi-huggers ammo? That is an embarrassment to all fair chase hunters!
    Its legal, so I won't knock anyone doing it. To each his own. But I'm not about to waste an arrow on something that walks up to me in my yard like its a dog.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
     

    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,449
    Its legal, so I won't knock anyone doing it. To each his own. But I'm not about to waste an arrow on something that walks up to me in my yard like its a dog.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

    Lol. Exactly. I'd rather kill a fawn than to go home empty-handed.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    If you can visualize where the exit will be you can sometimes pick a spot a little farther back on the side the impact will occur.
    Stop and look at some cattle or another four legged critter(s) that are standing around to get an idea how far back you need to be.
    Sort of like when they demonstrate with the rods when they determine where the shot originated from.

    Any further back and it would have been right through the gut, rather than nicking it.

    May have maybe been a bit more quartering away than I had thought? Dunno. Worked fine in the end.

    Oh and I think I figured out my issue on accuracy looking on NAP's website and on my packaging. My old NAP Shockwaves and one of my new packages are regular NAP Shockwave "not to exceed 310fps". Which worked generally fine on my 330fps crossbow (and Xbows are often over stated in performance). Faster one, probably deploying in flight or partially opening in flight (or just sometimes).

    ONE of the packages I have are NAP Shockwave Crossbow heads. Instead of more of a chisel triangle point, they are more of an indented triangle trocar style head. Orings might be a tiny bit thicker diameter too. And on the packaging is says they are rated to 400fps.

    Ahhhhhhh.

    Time to swap out my arrow heads (and probably pickup one more package to have some spares. Then shoot one or two in to my bag to verify).
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    If you hit the deer that far back,and hit the aorta,that deer was at a sharp angle when the bolt hit(either the deer was standing that way or moved at the shot) or the bolt deflected to the right.Either way,I would take a quartering away shot over a broadside shot any day.I have never lost a deer where the broad head went in and forward.There are a lot of good things to cut into liver,lungs,heart ,major arteries and veins to make a quick death.

    Not sure with the broad heads,I never shot a deer with an expandable

    At least with my picture its hard to see, but you are looking at the exit side. Exit wound is under that scruffy, dark looking patch of fur over the right shoulder immediately behind the actual shoulder blade. Entry wound is opposite side about 3, maybe 4 ribs further rearward and about halfway down/lower on the deer between the brisket and that exit wound (maybe 4", if any of that makes sense).

    She was presenting very similar to the near buck in this picture as I took the shot (head down a little more, but angle and leg/body position very, very close to this). Interestingly the arrow went out and deflected to the right (hit the ground about 30yds behind the doe and maybe a half body length behind her. I could see the lighted nock shoot out that direction).
     

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    28Shooter

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 19, 2010
    8,206
    Baltimore, Maryland
    Lol. Exactly. I'd rather kill a fawn than to go home empty-handed.

    Hunting ethics and sportsmanship sure have changed. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Like when I saw a guy at the range teaching his 6 year-old how to shoot a .22 rifle - the target: a B-27 Human Silhouette. Was it legal? Absolutely, but the optics were terrible.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    Red dot is where I thought I was aiming. Green dot is actually where it hit. Blue dot is where the arrow passed out on the other side.

    But as I said, her torso might have been turned just a tiny bit more away. Also both front legs were down with the near side one stretched forward a bit, where as the buck as that near side leg lifted.


    Anyway, quartering, at least to my eye (unless I am not thinking about it right) gives less horizontal room for error. At least before hitting the gut Though also seems like it would increase the vital zone exposure some.
     

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