I recently shot a doe in archery season. She presented me with 3 shots so I took all 3. The first two were not great but the th

[ltk260]

I recently shot a doe in archery season. She presented me with 3 shots so I took all 3. The first two were not great but the third was a lung shot. We spooked the deer while trailing the blood. We never recovered it. Will this spook the other deer in the area or can I still hunt this stand?

[pjsabella]

depending on how much noise you made while tracking it, it shouldn't scare them too badly. I just wouldn't hunt it again for a few days though just to let things settle. I've shot deer in rifle season, had them run like crazy and crash with lots of noise. I then climbed down my stand drug them under my stand, and an hour latter shot a deer standing in the same spot. Just give the spot some rest and you should be ok

[fezzant]

It will not spook out the other deer, but if you made three hits and still could not find her, including a lung shot as you say, you need to improve your tracking skills (and possibly your aim) before heading out again. You should also probably wait longer between the shot and the track to give it a chance to bleed out. You owe the deer that much.

[themadflyfisher]

I agree with fezzant. If you made a lung shot you should've found the deer. I don't know about you but if I shoot an animal I do everything in my power to recover that animal. Bad shots happen but if you made three consecutively I'd say you need more practice. Most people don't practice from an elevated stand but it can make all the difference. I climb a tree in my yard with my climber and shoot a various distances and you'd be surprised the difference it makes.

[pjsabella]

The question I also have is...the first two shots were "not great" as in you missed entirely or barely hit it or shot it in the guts? If you missed and the second shot was a "lung" shot, are you absolutely sure you hit the lung. I once hit a deer that I thought was a lung shot but it actually hit high under the backbone...it didn't kill the deer.

[blake425]

Wait a couple days to hunt the spot again and you should be fine.

[mike0714]

I feel the best thing to do is to take a season off to better you bow shooting and break out the bang stick to harvest a deer. If the shots where close sub 30 yards then you really need way more practice. if they where longer limit your shot distances and don't feel that you can make the shot but know! as a bow hunter it is your job to be able to make every shot you take. I know this may sound mean or cold hearted but it is the truth and your responsibility as an ethical bow hunter is to make ethical shots.