Dying Inside.

[endless]

I went yesterday evening and right at sunset I notice a deer about 150 yards or more away in the open field. Anxious I placed the shot with my Black powder. Not paying attention to anything after the shot i just seen the deer run off. I climbed down my tree and went searching the area. By this time it was already nightfall and dark. I couldn't find any signs of blood trail and where my bullet may hit the ground. I searched about 100 yards around where I thought it might have ran. Nothing. I'm just so afraid I might have hit it, killed it or injured it and that's not me at all. I feel very down and sorry right now. I wanted to go back today to look but didn't no time on my hands today to do anything and it's killing me knowing it might just be laying there hurt or dead. My uncle don't think the bullet would have dropped that much, maybe couple of inches if that. I really don't feel like I jerked my shot at all. I do pray that I did and missed completely right now but being unsure I'm just dying inside knowing I may have killed for nothing. It's a feeling I don't want to feel again.

 

Has anyone felt this way before?

[retiredbosn]

You probably won't feel better until you're able to verify for yourself it was a miss or not.

[Bluebasser86]

That sucks man. I had to go through the gut wrenching experience of losing the biggest archery buck I've ever shot last year. Made a perfect shot (I thought) and found lots of good blood sign with small bubbles, indicating a lung hit. After tracking for about 400 yards the trail just dried up. I marked the last spot I saw blood and came back with a couple friends that night, never found anymore sign after searching for hours. It was a terrible feeling, at least you can hold onto the hope that you may have missed cleanly. 

[clayton86]

Felt that way with my 8pt I got with the bow this year. I watched it run off with my arrow sticking out of its hind quarter about 6". I knew I hit it but bad I couldn't sleep a wink all night called in sick to work first time I have ever done that since I started working when I was 14. I kept replaying the whole thing in my head. I had great blood though 10yds from where he was when I shot considering the placement but it was a river of blood all the way to where we found him.