Do we (bowhunters) wound less or more deer these days?

[BJE80]

So we have all these fast bows. Carbon risers. Drop away rests. 6 pin sights. Fancy broadheads. Dog Trackers. Etc. Etc. Etc.


Do we wound and ultimately lose more or less deer % wise these days vs the old slow bows where BH's were cheap and just simply sharp?

 

[BJE80]

My guess is that more are wounded now...but that would be due mainly to the fact that many folks are bowhunting now than back in the day

Perhaps you missed my % wise?

Of course more are wounded now summed. But are we wounding more deer per kill these days?

 

[Reagan]

I would say for me it has been about the same most of my bowhunting years. Yes I did miss the first 6 shots I took with a bow at a deer when was a kid. But once I killed one, I have continued to kill most but occasionally wound some. I do believe most wounds have been non lethal but I can think of two does that I know died and I suspect there have been a couple of bucks that died but I never found.

Sometimes the big predators in Africa wound their prey and don't make a kill. Sh!t will happen.

 

[bueller]

More for two reasons.

#1- because of tv and because the equipment is better people have a unrealistic believe that they can hit and kill a live deer at 55 yards each and every shot

#2- people just don't give a ****. this goes for life in general nowadays, not just hunting. they don't respect the animal enough to not take the questionable shot.

 

[PRK]

I still hunt with traditional bow and wood arrows so my shots are all close range. If there is a higher % of wounded animals I think it's from longer ranges. If everybody kept their shots under 20 yds it wouldn't be an issue. IMO.

 

[tooln]

For me personally I have been bow hunting for 9 years now. I have never wounded a deer, every shot has been a kill shot & every one recovered. I have let many go by that have been out of my comfort zone for taking the shot.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

For me personally I have been bow hunting for 9 years now. I have never wounded a deer, every shot has been a kill shot & every one recovered. I have let many go by that have been out of my comfort zone for taking the shot.

Thats quite an accomplishment! I haven't wounded a deer in quite a few yrs. prolly 7 yrs or so. I think I have learned how to slow myself down an focus not just go into auto piolit an fling an arrow. Kind of like hitting a base ball. Gotta focus on nothing else. Aim small miss small!
I think equipment is all around better these days intern I think hunters are more successful wounding less deer.

 

[non-pro-archer]

I have wounded only 2 of all deer I have shot in my 10 years of hunting. The first was a doe my first year bow hunting, pretty sure I shot above the spine. The 2nd was a buck 2 years ago this week that I hit the shoulder at 38 yards and got almost zero penetration, I found the arrow 30 yards from the shot with the broad head and 3 inches of arrow missing. I keep the arrow displayed as a reminder of that deer, it really motivates me to shoot more in the off season and since then I have been more prepared than ever