feeling bad

[shooter03]

Hey went out on the weekend to try for a goat, found a nice bunch and i followed them for a fair while, just when i was about to give up hiding in some scrub i noticed they had turned around and were walking back my way. I was pretty excited as this would have been my first animal taken down,anyway with my heart pumping i waited till they got within 10 meters i drew back aimed and let it fly at a nice billy. i heard the thwack as it hit and they all ran i stayed still and waited for 5 mins expecting to find my billy not far from me. well here's where it turns bad and i feel like absolute **** for it, i walked for a while and not findind my billy but plenty of blood trails i saw the group again pulled out my bino's and to my horrer my billy was still among them with a arrow sticking out of him and blood all over his side, i waited for 30 mins and he was still upright so i knew i missed the vitals and he was gonna bleed out if i didn't get another shot into him. I tried my hardest to get close enough for another shot with no luck they were out in the open and i had absolutly no cover and to make matters worse it was just about dark out. i followed the group for as long as possible with no luck and in the end losing them. i had no choice but to call it quits for the night and it's taken me a few days to come to terms with the fact that i harmed an animal and it most likely died a slow and painful death, I've even thought that this might just not be for me and was thinking of selling my bow and giving up hunting. I feel bloody horrible and i want to know if anyone has been in a simaler situation. i just dont know what to think i keep thinking about some poor billy walking around with a arrow sticking out of him, does anyone know how long it takes for one to bleed to death??? i feel like i have to say sorry i messed the shot but to who?? am i just being silly or what. i wasn't going to post this because i dont want to be ridiculed but i had to let it out. anyway any respone would help i feel like **** and i'm still thinking about selling my bow so i just need to hear from my fellow hunters.:(

[acthunter]

No your not being silly mate if you didnt have these feelings then you shouldnt be hunting at all.
Dont sell your bow mate that would be silly.
It happens to EVERYONE no exeptions.
just try to keep your chin up man and im sure the experience will make you a better hunter in the future.

cheers Dave.

[Dale Furze]

Done it! That's all I need to say, and as the nature of the game has it, it will no doubt happen to me again. Yes you feel remorse, and all the other emotions but be comforted somewhat in the fact that it has happened to many more people than those that will actually tell you.

It is something that you deal with within yourself.

Dale.

[baconbuster007]

Have had it happen mate........on my first scrubba it took me about two hours to follow up the bull that i put a bad shot on, hitting him high in the shoulder after a miss judged shot (the reason i bought a range finder). As long as you tried your hardest to follow the animal up and put the kill shot in there is little more that you can do other than practise more and learn from your mistakes. them feelings come naturally and if you didn't get them then i'm not quite sure i'd be yarning to a human being rite now. But don't let it get you down to the point of selling your bow mate:o

[Ben Kleinig]

Yep, although it rots your socks, it pays to consider the thoughts of Fred Bear on this matter, something along the lines of:

"Any death that my arrows can inflict on an animal is a hundred times better than that which Mother Nature inflicts."

I don't use this thought as a cop-out, but just to keep things, the reality of life and death in the wild, in perspective. If ever you encounter natural death out there, you'll soon see that most of the time it takes much longer than that inflicted by the worst possible arrow placement.

Natural death involves running out of teeth, gradual starvation over many months, disease, and often being eaten alive by scavengers or predators when too weak to rise again.

Keep the bow, and keep doing your part to keep Australia beautiful!

[rudy]

Yeh mate, i've been there and done that. It does tend to churn in your guts a bit. Maybe you could go back out and try and find him, you never know, he might still be walking around. I've seen and heard of animals recovering after a hunter has thought they put in a good shot, only to go back out there and find the same animal walking around with the rest of the mob.

[hunt or be hunted]

I know the feeling, and yes it is horrible! but you do get over it and one of the best cures is to get back out there and get a nice quick, clean one arrow kill on another goat.







Dan.

[warra]

Keep ya head up mate and i can say it has happened to me many times that's hunting and experience will only make you better so don't sell your bow keep with it you did your best and better luck next time

[shooter03]

just wanted to say thanks to everyone, i feel better after reading the reply's, thank again.

[!Xuma]

it's taken me a few days to come to terms with the fact that i harmed an animal and it most likely died a slow and painful death, I've even thought that this might just not be for me and was thinking of selling my bow and giving up hunting. I feel bloody horrible and i want to know if anyone has been in a simaler situation. i just dont know what to think i keep thinking about some poor billy walking around with a arrow sticking out of him, does anyone know how long it takes for one to bleed to death??? i feel like i have to say sorry i messed the shot but to who?? am i just being silly or what. i wasn't going to post this because i dont want to be ridiculed but i had to let it out. anyway any respone would help i feel like **** and i'm still thinking about selling my bow so i just need to hear from my fellow hunters.:(

Your heart is in the right place - meaning that you'll be more aware of what can go wrong next time. You can always do more to prevent a similar situation. The following is not for you, but for all of us. If a green bush walker or anyone else find a live animal with an arrow running around, then, as bow hunters, we have an ugly situation on our hands.

I've been in a situation recently where I shot a deer and couldn't find it - I was with someone else and he wanted to go - I couldn't return to the property. The decision was simple - if I can't track an animal or if I can't return the next day, then I just don't take the shot. Therefore, my philosophy is simple - if I can't track/search of a day, then I won't take the shot.

The emphasis is on practice and practice - we must all be as accurate as we can be. We must shoot with the right gear and be willing to improve all the time. The search/tracking part is part of hunting - the shot is the easy part.

The 'cause no harm' philosophy of Buddhism is one I am very familiar with. I was a practicing Buddhist for a few years - completely vegetarian and I refrained from all forms of killing, especially hunting. I am planning on writing about this issue.

These feelings that you experienced makes you human. The Eland is very important to the Bushmen of Africa - this animal cries real tears if it dies slowly. Out of respect the African Bushmen approach the eland backward, then kicking sand in its face to cover the tears. I'll write about this as well.

It is important that we tackle these issues and base our hunting on a sound philosophy. These issues have been dealt with for thousands of years - it just got 'lost' during our rushed modern lives. The knowledge and experience are all there - we must just grab it and make the most of it.

Keep your gear, keep on hunting, even if you don't take shot. I do this regularly with a light bow and rubber blunts - maximising my stalking skills without the killing factor. The day will come when you'll have the confidence and the skill to do what you need to do.

[Mozza]

As people have said, it happens to us all. The best thing you can do is to practice and practice, then the next time your shot will be spot on and the animal will go down quickly.

[shooter03]

a big thank-you to everyone, i mean it has helped me alot i was feeling like the worst person ion the world and everyone advise a wise words are just a real big help. Back to the drawing board with practice ,practice and some more practice.