# My boy bagged a doe...a very unusual one in fact.



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Two of my boys and I decided to hit the treestands Saturday night for a couple of hours in hopes that we could get this deer season kick started. We have only been out once before that so we were all getting antsy. My youngest son has been hunting with me up to this point and I have not left him to unattended hunts yet so one of us was going to buddy up with him. His older brother decided he would sit with him and I would get to go solo. Right at about 7:00 I get a text from the older son saying, "Keith shot a doe with an arrow in its head." We that text had me scratching my head. Was the arrow there or did he shoot it there? After a few minutes I got on the phone with them and find out that this doe had actually came in to them with the arrow in its head. She was walking along pretty much like normal along with a yearling in tow. They finally worked their way over to close enough for him to take the shot and he put a pretty decent kill shot on her. He got lungs but a bit forward so it was not a quick kill. She went about 300 yards and was laying back in the briars still alive when we found her later. In fact she still had enough left in her that we were thinking she may come out of the pocket that she was back in and towards us but she was fortunately too weak to actually get all the way up. I don't have the pictures with me to show but the arrow had gone in on the left side between the ear and ear, sort of the temple area. It went through diagonally and came out just in front and under the right eye. The tip of the crossbow bolt was just through the bone on the exit side no more than half an inch or so. It was very difficult to tell whether this was a very recent shot or if she had it for a while. There was no blood around either entry or exit and it really did not appear to be infected. The rest of her appeared to be a very healthy doe. Really odd and definitely an example of how tough these deer can be.

I still have no clue where this hunter was aiming. Was it a miss of the vitals that far? If so, that is nearly a 2 foot miss. I really hope he did not attempt to head shoot her but I guess I have heard enough stories over the years to never doubt the stupidity that is displayed at times.

This was Keith's first bowkill so he was obviously very excited. I boned it out that night and ended up with over 45 pounds of meat based on my house scales. We have scales that I weighed her before starting and she was just a little over 120# but given the amount of meat I am wondering if she may have been a little bigger than that.


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

That is cool your boy got his first bow kill! And I am with you, I sure hope someone didn't try to take a head shot, but you know how some people are, and it wouldn't surprise me.


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## MuskieManOhio (Jun 29, 2008)

Tell your boy congrats! Durring the West Virginia rifle season I shot a spike put an excellant shot on it. I walked up to the deer and thought it had a stick in its horns it was a compund arrow and it was stuck right in the back of the head. I wonder what sometimes people are thinking but it could have just been a bad shot also.


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## fordman (Sep 23, 2010)

Was this near woodbury and was it a horton arrow with orange and white fletching? I had a doe looking over her shoulder duck when I shot and that may be possible to head shoot her I guess. I know I never found her or blood. It happened opening night.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Deer are quick, and if she was alert when the other hunter shot, she could have easily ducked and turned putting her head in the way of the bolt. Crazy how tough they are though. Atleast your boy got her before infection.

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## wiki21 (Nov 4, 2010)

First off congrats on your sons deer glad he put her out before she suffered too much as above stated. Im not trying to steal the thread and I know this is a little off topic but I have never recovered a deer still alive. Just wondering what your supposed to do? Knock another arrow from a distance? Ive seen this done on a spine shot from the stand on TV but just curious im fairly new to bow hunting and have been lucky enough to have fairly well placed shots (both does) but I know its only a matter of time that I track too early or any of the other crazy things happen. I would just like to be prepared to do the right thing dont have many experienced hunters to ask. Thanks for the info.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Thanks for the congratulations from all. And just to answer a couple of questions. I am lamost an hour from Woodbury so Fordman I am sure this is not the same deer. And to answer Wiki's question, I have recovered several deer while still alive and my preference is not to put another arrow or bullet in them if possible. If they are not a threat to attack or kick you it is possible to finish them by bleeding them out although I have known several guys over the years that were not able to do this. I try to cut the neck in a manner that will sever the jugular and make it quick. I feel like this is as quick as anything short of a bullet to the head which I would rather not deal with. If the deer is showing plenty of life and is a threat to get up or kick you then the only viable option short of backing off is to put another arrow or bullet in it. We had left the bows behind at my property line since I was recovering from a neighbor's place that I only have asked to be able to recover deer from and not hunt.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

thank you for posting this i have seen a few deer killed quickly in this manner and considered a head shot with a bow at close range and have wisely not done it. this post removes all of the doubt in my mind


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## kmose (Jul 11, 2012)

The first buck I ever got had a whole crossbow bolt all the way in it, laying parallel to it's spine. It ruined about half my chops. The entry wound on top of his back was partially healed, I saw it when he ran under me and thought I'd made a terrible shot. I hadn't, I'd put 2 12 ga slugs in it's chest (this was before I started bow hunting). It still raniabout 100 yards. Yes, they are tough!


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