what happened to my Billy Goat?

Stories, questions, lies about the one that got away....

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Fanto
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what happened to my Billy Goat?

#1 Post by Fanto » Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:15 pm

Gday all

what a day. went for a walk for goats in the hills this morning and found them in the same ravine they were feeding last autumn.

this timw however, the wind was steady and moderate. i was able to cross the ravine downstream and make my stalk with the wind blowing the unmentionalbe stench directly into my face.

so there i was, barefooted and 20 yards downwind from and a good 10 feet above a solid black and white billy.

I stepped out from behind the tree, already at half draw, hit anchor, saw the tip of the arrow out of the corner of my eye, aimed and let loose. the response came back as a resounding "thump" and the fletchings disappeared into the goat. he jumped, ran into a thicket and i thought it was all over.

but then he walked out with the rest of the mob , up a steep hill and gone!!

after finding my boots i went back to the thicket where he was standing and found no sign of an arrow nor of any blood.

I am shooting really well (for me) at the moment and im sure this arrow flew true and hit thie billy straight up the back of the front leg, and about halfway up the body. if anything it was a little higher and an inch or two back from where i wanted it.

anyway, no sign of blood anywhere, no arrow and no goat! :cry:

why? what happened?
"So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold in the hearts of men" The Witchery of Archery, Maurice Thompson

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ron300wm
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#2 Post by ron300wm » Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:30 pm

I've had that same problem it hits. the spot and no blood. Sum times the blood pools in side the animal
And the wound closed over the arrow. :confused: :confused:

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Fanto
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#3 Post by Fanto » Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:11 pm

ron300wm

it's the only explanation I can think of

I was able to look thoroughly for the arrow and it was in a ravine/ small gully so it could not have gone anywhere and besides I heard a thud not the sound of an arrow crashing through brush

so the explanation you mention is the only one I can think of. perhaps I didn't get the lungs? above or too far back possibly?

I'll go look for him tomorrow
"So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold in the hearts of men" The Witchery of Archery, Maurice Thompson

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ron300wm
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#4 Post by ron300wm » Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:38 pm

They seam to run further. When hit like that. :x

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AndyD
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#5 Post by AndyD » Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:46 pm

Was your broadhead shaving sharp?

Have had small bloodtrails before but never no blood at all.
Common sense; so rare it should be considered a superpower.

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Stickbow Hunter
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#6 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:06 pm

Firstly this thread is about a regrettable situation, one that we as responsible hunters do our very best to avoid. For that reason some posts above were deleted.
Fanto wrote:why? what happened?
Fanto you don't say if the billy was broadside or quartering away but you did say you saw the fletches disappear into the goat? There are a couple of possibilities I can think of. If the billy was quartering away you may have either put the arrow along the outside of the goat or inside the leg and out again without it entering the thoracic cavity (where the heart and lungs are located) and therefore there would be little to no blood and would not be fatal. The second thing is from my experience you do not want to go high at all on a goat as you will go above the lungs.
Fanto wrote:I'll go look for him tomorrow
Good onya mate. If he was fatally hit he will most likely have bedded up in some thicker bush or perhaps in a cave type area since you mentioned you were in a ravine. Have a good search around and I hope you recover him.

Jeff

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Fanto
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#7 Post by Fanto » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:02 am

Jeff

he was broadside. the arrow hit above the front leg , i was aiming 1/2 way up the body but i think it hit a little above this, and I think that the only explanation is that there is a gap between the lungs and spine, and that i found it.
I considered the possibility that i missed high but i heard a definite thump and searched for the arrow which isnt hard to spot due to a bright cap wrap and fletchings.

as far as the goats wellbeing, as i said he didnt slow down at all and there was not a spot of blood. i tracked him for about 1000m, still no blood , so he cant have been hit in the lung. the fletches were buried so the broadhead must have been out the offside, so im sure that the thick thorny bush these goats feed and walk in will pull it out soon enough.

Ill go find the mob and see if he's there

cheers gents
"So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold in the hearts of men" The Witchery of Archery, Maurice Thompson

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Fanto
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#8 Post by Fanto » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:05 am

AndyD wrote:Was your broadhead shaving sharp?

Have had small bloodtrails before but never no blood at all.
andyd,

i do sharpen and strop them to hair shaving sharp. i didnt check this one yesterday. i had no reason to doubt it , until this happened.

lesson learned none the less - check every broadhead every stalk
"So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold in the hearts of men" The Witchery of Archery, Maurice Thompson

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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#9 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:39 am

Fanto wrote:and I think that the only explanation is that there is a gap between the lungs and spine, and that i found it.
Being broadside I think this is a real possibility and what I was meaning about not going high on a goat. I hope you find him today.

Jeff

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Axe
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#10 Post by Axe » Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:13 am

Fanto wrote:above the front leg
Not the place to be aiming!
Stickbow Hunter wrote:Firstly this thread is about a regrettable situation, one that we as responsible hunters do our very best to avoid. For that reason some posts above were deleted.
I agree, maybe the lot should be rubbed out?
"If not Despicable, what then is Self Glorification?" Omar Khayyam

"natura non contristatur"

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Fanto
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#11 Post by Fanto » Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:32 pm

axe,

what's the ideal shot placement ?

I have no objection to the thread being deleted
"So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold in the hearts of men" The Witchery of Archery, Maurice Thompson

slvrslngr
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Re: what happened to my Billy Goat?

#12 Post by slvrslngr » Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:56 pm

Sounds like you hit that space just under the spine and above the lungs. It's also possible you hit too far back and no fluid made it out, sometimes long hair or fat can block the entry/exit hole/s. If the arrow passed through, it won't be too far from where the billy was standing, try to find it and it should tell you a lot. Otherwise, look for bird activity, like they're feeding on something. It's also possible you missed, he could have ducked the shot or the arrow deflected while on it's way. It sucks, but it happens. Good luck, I hope you find him.

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