Shot Placement On Sable

Does it look like a good shot in the video?

  • Yes

    Votes: 3 30.0%
  • No

    Votes: 7 70.0%

  • Total voters
    10

JOHunts

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Definitely a Dream hunt last week in South Africa, got a nice Cape Buffalo, but what not many know is that some dreams are Nightmares.
For longer than a Cape Buffalo, I've wanted a Sable. For this trip I wanted to take him with my Bow. On the second day we found him and I made, what by all analysis, is a good shot. Even sent this video to my arrow/nock company and they looked at it. We followed the blood and lung foam trail for 2 hours till dark. Picked up early the next morning and stayed on it for 5 hours. (the trackers are amazing) Didn't find him.
We then put out game cameras and feed in that area and checked them twice daily and he never showed. By the 6th day we assumed he was dead and would start to give off that distinct odor not common to the area, but nothing.
With 2 days left I put up a reward of $100, gathered the staff and said they and any friends in the community are eligible. Still, nothing by the day of departure. I left the $100 on the wall in hopes that they or a future hunter may find, at least, the horns. The way that trophy fees work is that if you draw blood you pay.
 
Is it just me, or didn't that arrow penetrate very deep? What weight bow and arrow set-up were you using? That animal was quartering away pretty good, the shot may have been too far forward.
 
Is it just me, or didn't that arrow penetrate very deep? What weight bow and arrow set-up were you using? That animal was quartering away pretty good, the shot may have been too far forward.

I agree with you Art. Looks like all shoulder blade!
 
I agree no penetration and to far forward. One lung at best
 
Shot placement not good, arrow penetration not good, top front of right lung. Jumps the string slightly making the placement worse(down and away). I would have waited for broadside shot. Guts are real full of feed as well.

Sable and Roan do not take much killing but good placement is important, if not they can be very tenacious...
 
He turned up on trail cam yesterday and was taken this morning. Waiting on post mortum, but preliminary report is that the arrow did penetrate into the body cavity, but was too high

IMG-20190825-WA0001.jpg
IMG-20190825-WA0002.jpg
SableCam.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'm not a bow expert but a lot of things could have happened firstly penetration is very shallow.
Maybe the arrow head bent or broke and did not enter the lung cavity.
Height to me doesnt seem to be the problem but defineteky too far back unless you had the whole arrow penetrate.

Glad they found it.
 
Can you provide specifications of the equipment you used & how far the shot was?
 
possibly hit bone. what is your bow , poundage, arrow weight and broad head? if anything, it was high and missed vitals.
 
Definitely a Dream hunt last week in South Africa, got a nice Cape Buffalo, but what not many know is that some dreams are Nightmares.
For longer than a Cape Buffalo, I've wanted a Sable. For this trip I wanted to take him with my Bow. On the second day we found him and I made, what by all analysis, is a good shot. Even sent this video to my arrow/nock company and they looked at it. We followed the blood and lung foam trail for 2 hours till dark. Picked up early the next morning and stayed on it for 5 hours. (the trackers are amazing) Didn't find him.
We then put out game cameras and feed in that area and checked them twice daily and he never showed. By the 6th day we assumed he was dead and would start to give off that distinct odor not common to the area, but nothing.
With 2 days left I put up a reward of $100, gathered the staff and said they and any friends in the community are eligible. Still, nothing by the day of departure. I left the $100 on the wall in hopes that they or a future hunter may find, at least, the horns. The way that trophy fees work is that if you draw blood you pay.
What I think needs to be mentioned is that the Camera was not behind the shooter but to his left, so the angle of the shot may appear more acute than what it really was.
 
Sorry OP but you need to post your equipment. Regardless of being to high, low, front or back. That arrow penetrated a couple inches. And based on that pic it's not in bone. Either your bow is wayyyyyy to light. Or you have a really bad arrow to lb draw weight ratio.

I pull a 70lb bow and have a 31" draw which I realize is on the high end of the spectrum in regards to generating speed. But I have put arrows right through much larger animals like Canadian moose. And the arrow passes through and penetrates 8" into the dirt. Something seems weird there. Maybe you began to let off before triggering the release? And didn't get a full draw cycle? I dunno what else could have happened there.
 

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