Snowshoe Acres
A good 3 year old buck
In 2016 our family purchased 134 acres for hunting. We have had some great rifle hunting even though we have not had time to plant food plots. This last week I was out hunting with my crossbow. Tuesday, I shot a nice buck. Rolled it over at 20 yards. After a couple minutes he got up, I watched expecting him to fall over dead, but he walked away into the woods, no trace of blood. I searched for hours and hours, finally determined I must have hit it in the shoulder. Yesterday, same stand, I shot another buck at 10 yards. I was VERY careful to hit him in the power house. He ran 20 yards and stopped on the edge of the field. Blood was flowing from both sides (the arrow was in the ground, went through him). My wife and I searched for 6 hours and never found him, we tracked him to the edge of a brook, that was the last sign. I am quitting bow hunting. This is the 4th time this has happened to me in the past 3 years. I want a humane kill, and that doesn't seem possible with a crossbow. I would love to hear if I am doing something wrong or if others have had this experience.