How good are you in determining the outcome of the shot you just made on a big game animal? I assume that you either say to yourself after the shot "dead deer", "I might have some trouble here" or 'whoops"...or something along those lines though not all responses are "G" rated at the actual time:)

I've been with folks that made a perfect heart shot that eventually turned out to be anything but.

When I say 'dead deer' I'm generally fairly good at my prognosis....maybe as much as 95% or better. The 'might have some trouble here' probably still turns out with a slightly better outcome than I expected and the 'whoops' on occasionally still result in a recovery...but not most of the time. I guess a miss could likely fall in this category as well. Sometimes we miss when we thought we saw the arrow hit the mark.

A lot of variables goes into this...the biggest may be the time of day that the shot occurs.

It's probably a stupid question but I'm just curious how good we are at our evaluations based on every ones own life experiences in the field.

I think this is a good question and one that every hunter should ask themselves.

I'll give you my answer.

I consider myself excellent at my shot evaluation. I'm 51 and have been hunting since I was 12. I know when I make a good shot and when I don't and I know what to do based on that evaluation from waiting to tracking right away.

I hit about 5 inches further back than I wanted on this buck this past season. I knew it immediately, took the right course of action and put him in my freezer.

I agree good question. With the bright fletching I shoot I'm very good at shot evaluation and where I hit the buck. Knowing exactly where I hit the buck tells me what action I need to take. Plus having 55 years of bowhunting experience and killing quite a few deer with a bow helps a lot. Nothing like real world experience.

"Nothing like real world experience."

Well stated Nemo and great pics to back it up as usual.

Tracking alot of deer before and after I started using cur dogs taught me alot.Seeing where the deer was hit after following blood trails some skimpy to no blood I could see so agree with Supernaut EXPERIENCE is it.When I was a kid I'd ride my bike to the guys house to meet to track a deer whatever it to to practice.

Yep, nothing like "real world EXPERIENCE" like I said in my first post.

Cur, Glad you agree with me about experience.

Good question. I am good at it now. It does take a while. I like the bright fletches too. I remember in Africa one of my buddies came back to camp to get someone to help him track an animal that he "hit behind the shoulder". The trackers never found it and they are the best at finding animals. The PH reminded my buddy that the "ass is behind the shoulder too". I will never forget that. LOL

I have a hunch shot evaluation would get a little better if you learn when to shoot and when not to shoot.

screw that up and often your in for a long tracking job.

get it right and pretty often you will see them go down in sight.

I like yellow fletch so I know where the hit is. Also, in my experience, if I do it right, I see the animal go down. I’ve adopted the policy that if I don’t see them go down, I better press pause and evaluate what to do next.

Good thoughts so far.

Hopefully some more bow hunters will contribute.....

I pray before and after the shot " for a quick kill and easy recovery ". He never disappoints but there are times I disappoint myself.

I also shoot yellow feathers for a good visual. I mostly like reading the response of the animal. Mule kick, yep it'd dead on it's feet. Hunched up at the shot, we will need to wait a while. The problem ones seem for me to be the no reaction ones. Did slip right on through or MMMIIISSS? Then the arrow usually tells the tell.

Provided that you read the body angle correctly, it’s really not difficult to get it right with fletchings you can see and animals that don’t turn themselves inside out at the sound of a bowstring. But when I watch a video of a bait-pile whitetail blowing up in front of a compound shooter, I rarely feel confident as to exactly what I’ve seen, even with the illuminated nocks and a slow-motion replay.

I guess compared to a compound, just about ANY stickbow is in slow motion ;)

So — hit or miss — my record on big game with a recurve has been essentially at 100%, because all of the animals were where I expected them to be when the arrow arrived on target. One exception that comes to mind is the deer that I thought I had shot clean over, but I found a shred of meat on one blade out of three….

One of these days, I suppose I’ll have a deer blow up on me and then I may have a different answer for you.

Curlis, I have been tempted to try yellow fletching as I think it would stick out very well but I'm attached to this hot pink.

I also use a reflective wrap on my arrows. It really lights up in the dark when it's hit with a light. Here is a pic of my feathers and wrap, one barred white feather is now stained blood red, that's my favorite color!

Those deer you've shot that didn't have any reaction, what did you do, did you sit tight or go look for your arrow and sign at the shot location?

I'm always curious what other hunters do after a shot. As Nemo stated above, "Nothing like real world experience".

Supernaut,

I always sit tight no matter what. Sometimes that is hard to do. I like your pinkies, I have a buddy in New York that shoots pink fletching. I see yellow well and it is my favorite color so I use it.

Yellow and pink fletching are my favorites. I made six of these yellow fletched banana cedar arrows and killed five bucks with five of them. Shortest shot was 10 yards, longest 32 yards and had no problem seeing the flight of the arrow all the way to the buck. Same with pink fletching. My eyes pick up yellow and pink the best.

MNFN, thanks for the response and congrats on a big bear! Do you think that a 3 blade broadhead would've given you a better blood trail to follow on that first bear? I've never bear hunted with a bow but it is on my bucket list.

Curlis, I always sit tight as well and I agree that it is hard to do! I usually hunt from a portable tree stand and honestly sitting tight is good because I get so pumped up with adrenaline after a shot that I would probably have an accident trying to climb down right away. I'm not ashamed to admit it, I get really excited when I shoot a deer buck or doe and I hope I never lose that feeling! Thanks for your response and I just might have to check out some yellow feathers.

Seeing that first blood at the shot site is a great sight!

Nemo, those yellow banana fletch arrows are not only good looking but very, very deadly for you!

Great pics as usual my friend.

I shot orange fletching for a while and it was OK, but it wasn't as visible for me as yellow and pink.

Nemo,

I would not be able to find those orange ones once the leaves changed color. They do look awesome. They would show up well against that black fur for sure!

Curlis, I hear you. That's why I switched to pink and yellow.

I love white feathers but also like brite yellow n green never had a problem seeing where my arrows hit to determine a good or marginal hit

Supernaught, three blade may be better. I guess I will find out. I went to VPA andRMSG Cutthroat three blades last year. But will probably use done two blades as well depending on the bow.

One thing about white, it shows up nice as it zips through a black bear. I used that on the second bear. The first was barred feathers on forest green- the Old Ditka Supreme that Ron LaClair sold. A little harder to see.

MNFN, great picture of a beautiful, big, near and thanks for sharing it! A picture is worth a thousand words in my opinion.

Did you have a pass through shot? It looks like it judging by the condition of the feathers in your pic but it's hard for me to tell viewing on my phone.

I have been kicking around trying a 3 blade VPA this coming season or a Magnus Stinger in the 4 blade, it's essentially a 2 blade with bleeders like a Bear Razorhead. I shot Ace Standards last year and killed a buck and doe and 2 blade Magnus Stingers the season prior and killed a doe. 3 for 3 on shots and kills so that was good. I guess I'm just curious on the 3 blade or the bleeder configuration.

Here is what an Ace Standard did to a big doe heart last season. Easy tracking job for sure!

That should read Bear not near. I should really proof read better when posting from my phone... dang auto correct.

Supernaut, I hear you on the proof reading. I meant Sitka Supreme not Ditka Supreme. Yes I got complete pass throughs on both bear.

You can kind of see the wound channel here. I think this was the exit hole. It was a few years ago.

I am often shocked at the lack of anatomical awareness from guys I talk to. I believe that too many people have looked at pictures marked completely broadside or shot for the 12 ring without considering the three dimensional internal anatomy of animals. Useful experience in evaluating shots can be gained by gutting deer in good light and doing it like a good biology student performing a dissection. Understanding anatomy AND anatomy terms is important. Does "behind the shoulder" mean close behind the scapula-humerus joint, or does it mean behind the shoulder muscle? I know one really smart guy who lost a deer he shot with a .308 and, I believe, he thought the latter.

Shot evaluation before, during, and after the loose is a HUGE part of bowhunting and something I've worked at and applied myself toward since I started, so I suppose I don't suck at it too bad.

I envision them in 3d when I'm drawing down on them because they're not a flat paper or cardboard target. Once in bow range, I scrutinize and follow their every move as if I had x-ray vision, and aim for the top of the heart IN 3D, if that makes any sense.

My hunting arrows are all white the last 3" or so, which is all I can see as they're going away, and I can see exactly where they pass through. It's like watching a cotton ball go inside them and as it does... a mental snapshot is taken.

I don't put pressure on myself to kill a deer, don't get excited enough to alter my 'fed-predator-judgment', and horn envy doesn't affect me like it does some others. I don't know, these things kinda make it easy to stay calm and objective when shots present themselves. I'm a killer (as Catman would say :), but humble, respectful, and compassionate. It unfolds in a way that it's kinda easy for me to stay calm in the moment and see things the way they really happen.

Anyhow, I've tracked and blood trailed a lot of deer. Since I started, I always told my buddies to call me anytime, ANY time they shot a deer in archery. We rehash the shot scenerio in fine detail and address vital questions in our initial conversations and try to make rational, responsible decisions before we take up the trail, when the shooter may be REALLY excited to run after a nice buck they shot. I've saved them from themselves at times. Why do folks allow their good judgment to be negatively altered by peer pressure, commercialism, horn envy and such?

To each their own.

Almost mystical eh.

Posted this before but I like white or yellow. Pink or green should work too. The two on the left were just for spine testing.

Sorry the two on the right were for spine testing. Just tired I guess..

MNFN, them white fletched arrows look nice. Nice bear also.

I like a bright fletched and crowned arrow for shooting in my yard, 3D shoots, and for hunting them Pennsylvania bucks. I like to watch an arrow in flight. I've been building my own wood and aluminum arrows since 1988.

I use orange fletch 5"x 3, or 4"x 4. Last six to seven inches of my arrow is alternating white and orange @1 1/2 inch bands. Orange or white nock.

White and orange arrows (with rubber blunts) were pretty visible to evaluate the shot as a hit or miss in the woods for bunnies.

Practice is the best thing you can do for your shot evaluation. The harder you work the luckier you get. There's so many different scenarios that play out in reality. Low light , a deers ability to move in a blink of an eye. Practice with your weapon of choice and cautious pursuit after the fact. great pictures Nemo and supernaut!

Jed X2,

"Practice is the best thing you can do for your shot evaluation. The harder you work the luckier you get."

I had a beagle bulldog mix dog. she has since passed. She could find any deer that was dead. some deer are dead but hard to find. They don't all bleed like Jed's above photo. When they don't. she was the best.

Wee OOH what a blood trail JEB!!!!

Jed X3

Excellent pics and a great blood trail.

Just remember that you can practice this on 3Ds, so instead of reading a shot or two per year, you can do hundreds or thousands.

But don’t trust the scoring rings. Instead, visualize the line of the arrow all the way through and imagine the internal anatomy in 3D; see what that tells you about how happy you would be to follow up on that hit at a Quarter To Dark…

3D’s are not the same as hunting IMO

thats for sure- they are not capable of doing weird unique things after the release and at the hit

that sudden movement can throw your guesstament off espically in low light

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