Everybody's lost a deer, if they've been hunting for any length of time… Everybody needs grace, too, for the mistakes they've made (and will make). The only reason any of us know anything is because somebody else was patient and took the time to teach us, or because we've made enough mistakes along the way to figure things out on our own. Hunting should be fun, character-building, and should develop character and deepen friendships.

He made a mistake because he got excited. We have all done it, although some won't admit it. If he continues to make the same mistake then that becomes the problem. As a new hunter you and the others on the lease should encourage him and teach him, not make him feel worse about losing a deer.

And anybody that thinks you can't reuse a broadhead needs to learn how to sharpen a blade. I reuse mine as long as the blades aren't bent but I can sharpen them to razor sharp with a stone.

Reusing them is fine.

Reusing them without sharpening them is not.

Period. End of story. You can argue but you will be wrong.

(Not saying the guy should be crucified for it or the hasty follow-up. But he should be open to learning/correcting his mistakes and you indicate some hesitancy there. This would be my biggest concern.)

[quote=Nogalus Prairie]Reusing them is fine.

Reusing them without sharpening them is not.

Period. End of story. You can argue but you will be wrong. :)"

This is the only correct answer where reusing BH's is concerned, as for the rest if it you're doing the right thing by mentoring him. We didn't all become geniuses overnight.

Thanks everyone for the input. Actually I think I'll let him read the thread to see that it's OK to make mistakes but the importance of learning the lesson is paramount. I was and still am a little concerned about his willingness to learn but I guess if he weren't hard headed I'd have to check his man card.

I agree with always using a broadhead that has been sharpened since last shot. Its pure laziness not to sharpen them. Every time they hit a target they dull significantly. True, they an still be lethal, but the sharper the better. End of story.

If those are lease rules then so be it but other than that why burn a tag? Tags are for harvested animals.

First, I can and do the basic repairs to my truck. I'm not rebuilding the transmission but I'm not replacing my cables and strings what takes a bow press to do either. But it's like anything else the needed field adjustments for unforeseen changes or emergencies should be something an experienced bowhunter should aspire to learn and do. First year probably not. Veteran, probably so. What are you gonna pack up and go home because your D loop breaks? Tie on a new one, check for zero and hunt.

Martin, I couldn't agree more. But, IMO, at least on our place he would burn a buck tag. That's all. No need to make him feel worse than he already does. But, still have to burn a tag on him.

Doc - Really glad you read and more importantly understood my post.Your reply tells me that you are trully his friend which was the most important thing in my mind.Most of these seasoned hunters to easily forget their own mistakes and lessons learned along the road to becomming the great outdoorsmen they now are.Your friend went from the highest high to the lowest low in one evening on the hunt.The main thing now is to make it back to that high and keep the momories comming in.Who knows-one inch higher or to the right and he might have ground checked that deer.There is no substtute for experience and only one way to get it.Yall better look out-this man may become your best hunter on the lease.lol
Good Luck with him

Tags are for deers killed, not harvested.

Lol. Kinda hard to tag a deer that you don't have.

Guy on our lease wounded two bucks that were not found. A doe we should have found that day and did a day later and a killed a third buck. Would I have done that? No but no lease rule governing it. Last year on another lease I did loose one and even though opportunity presented itself I didn't shoot another buck. I "burned" that tag. And that was a lease where I am the only hunter. I believe that unless you have a very high deer density and need to kill deer to get numbers down you are kind of robbing other members of opportunities by shooting, not finding and shooting again. Especially a guest. But each lease is different.

I can understand that when numbers are low but on our place we actually need to kill more deer.

I hope you are talking about shooting them into hogs and not deer? If so I hope you miss every deer you shot at. You sir are the most ethical human being I have seen post about this topic EVER. WHY would you NOT resharpen blades after target use? even slicing them with paper dulls the to some extent. You owe it to yourself for a quick recovery and to the animal for a quick and timely demise. this cannot be done when veins/arteries are punctured instead of sliced. even when you DO hit where you want (Lung Area), the only thing that will happen is you will get in there and tear tissue rather than cut cleanly with a sharp head. the dull head will allow for quicker clotting, thus blood inside the deer coagulating and not coming out of the animal. This leads to little of no blood trails. This leads to lost animal. NOBODY wants that!!

Not Good

I agree bad advice...a dull broadhead will blow through a deer alright but will not cut as many arteries as a sharp one! If you have never lost a deer due to not sharpening ,congrats! Too much time involved in preperation to not have a razor sharp broadhead when that big buck walks by!

You said is passed through what's the big deal with sharpening

the only thing he did wrong was not wait long enough.i'm quite sure that he has learned his lesson.the best thing to do is let it go.i'm sure it will not happen again.lesson learned.

lessons learned the hard way are lessons not soon forgotten