Lost my first animal ever...heart broken....

[Slider]

It's a Very tough pill to swallow!!! Been there done that!!! You have very large Kahunas for posting. I have also lost an animal. A few years back I shot a nice deer about 42 yards uphill. I thought I made a good shot but didn't see were the arrow hit? And because of the snow I didn't find my arrow.The deer limped off angling up hill. It was in the late hunt in about a foot of snow. So an easy track job I thought? It was on a Sunday and I had to be to work the next day. Not sure of my hit I decided to back out and give him some time. I sat down and ate my lunch and waited about an hour. I gathered up my belongings and hiked up to wear the deer was standing. I slowly followed the blood trail about 800 yards to the top of the ridge and just as I ease over the top I blow out the bedded Buck. He was about 40 yds away and in a blowdown and no shot.(He heard me coming in the crunchy snow.) I eased down to wear he was bedded and there was still good blood to his bed and a pool of blood in his bed? After he got up and took off NO MORE BLOOD!!! Now he was in a maze of Deer foot prints and I tried to track him without pushing him until dark.(he made it into the timber) When I got home that night I called a buddy and we both took off the next day of work and searched daylight till dark for that deer and never seen him again!!! It is just a part of hunting. You will loose an animal it's just a matter of time.

[saylean]

I understand just where huntingcowboy is coming from and totally agree...

I wouldnt hunt a spike elk if I wanted a trophy...it was the loss of the animal itself which sucked (and backstraps!). Anyway, thanks all. I guess that is why it is called hunting and not a grocery shopping, the steaks can walk away sometimes.

Lord knows animals lose their prey now and again...this only adds to the already large amount of respect I have for elk.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I know how you feel...I lost a really nice six point on opening day.  I misjudged the distance and the shot went low, likely into the meat in the brisket.  Looked until dark and came back on horses the next day and looked all day without much luck.  We found maybe 200 yards of lousy blood and my arrow with about 6" of penetration.  I've been out after him for the last four days and I think I finally caught up with him, but haven't got a good enough look to verify that it's the same bull...I hope it is.   I've been keeping an eye out for birds, but haven't seen any gatherings.  Hopfully he's alive.