(Annual) Recovery, What to do After the Shot (Anatomy Link added)

[shorty_2_short_09]

Great posts! I shot a Doe in the "Black hole" between the spine and the lungs, and I saw the deer a few weeks later, she had a black spot there, and I kept seeing her, she fully recovered, and I tried to shoot her again, but she never presented the opertunity.....I was very angry, she was the first deer I connected with with my bow, at 10 years old, I was very mad to see her get away, yet glad to see she didnt die.

[kegei]

However,I recently read an article in N.A.H. written by Bill Winke. In the article hequotes Dr. Grant Woods,where he mentions the void, or no man's land between the lungs and the spine. According to Dr. Woods "If the deer doesn't pick up an infection, they'll recover fully if hit in this gap" He states that "it can be 2 inches tall toward the back of the lungs and narrower toward the front".The article also contains a caption with a deer model and a stick pin placed where this area is located. I know that this subject is often debated but I'm gonna have to side with Dr. Woods on this one.

[/quote]


Thank you. One thing I think all of us have to remember is to keep an open mind and never think we know too much. No offense but some tracker experts come off as very arrogant (sorry, not trying too offend some of you).

Two hugely important points: Never travel too far past last blood- more often than not it seems to wreck the trail and other evidence you will need. Walk on your hands and knees if you need to.

Point two: This is an easy one, but nonetheless important. When you lose blood, check in long grassy areas, over logs, next to tight trees along the trail, overhanging brush, or any other area a speck of blood may be likely to have dropped or rubbed offnear last blood. I have followed specks the size of a pin point for many yards.

[Bsausage]

Very nice. Just printed it out. Thank you.

[Rob/PA Bowyer]

Not that this is accurate every time, but the buck I shot this year, I presumably spined him. He immediately went down. Immediately I remember reading of deer that went down like this only to get up and go, or get their legs under them so I turned, grabbed another arrow and sent it through the heart. I actually drew again and heard the gurgle...I let down.

If you can get another arrow in your animal, do so....That's the kind of blood trail/recovery I like...

[PA Bow/Flinter]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the advise you've posted. I was able to recover a doe I hit after a less than perfect shot with some of the tips you posted.

THANKS!

PS..the full story is on here at: http://www.huntingnet.com//forum/tm.aspx?m=1765384

[jonhall9]

Just a testament and recent example to how useful this thread can be and the good advice it offers. I arrowed a button buck Sunday night (Sunday hunting legal in TN where I am currently). It was about a 18-19 yard shot, quartering towards, but not too severely. I knew I hit it, but it was right at dark and I had forgotten my flashlight. I couldn't see anything when I got down from my stand. I went back to town, grabbed two friends, got a bunch of lights, and came back. When we got to the spot, we found no blood, no hair, and just the arrow with the tiniest smear of guts on it that I could smell. Even though I had gone to the trouble of getting people to bring along and help track and so forth, I knew right then we had to leave and wait until morning. When it became light next morning, I climbed in my stand again and directed my friend via walkie talkie to where I had last seen the deer (walking wobbly by the way.) We began searching and located the deer in a matter of minutes in a thicket just perhaps 10 yards from where I had last seen it. Now here is the amazing part- this deer was still alive. A full 13 hours after the shot, it was still very much alive, although immobile. If I had trailed it the night before, I never would have found it. As a side note, i actually hit the deer right where I would want to, but somehow the arrow skimmed outside the ribs before nicking the abdominal category, causing a gut hit instead of lung. But anyways, just a note and very real, very recent example of the good ideas in this post.

Jon

[peakrut]

Oh man if I would of read this it would of saved me some good headaches. I was able to recover my
deer but with this I would of waited much more. Thank You So Much! I am passing it on to our hunting camp
this year when we have our before deer hunt meeting for gun season.

[hldeerhunter]

Great post! If I may I would like to share a few tips that I have learned over the years. I hope this isn't too redundant.

1. Shot placement is everything. Aim small and miss small. However, just because you saw your fletch go hehind the should doesn't mean it really did. When an arrow hits a rib it could deflect. Unless you have a very good eye you may not notice it. I have had situations where I saw the arrow bury "right behind the shoulder" only to find out that I actually hit four or five inches back of where I thought I hit. Follow the arrow the best you can, but don't put all your stock in knowing where you hit.

2. Watch how the deer ran off. If the deer drops his head and runs like lightening you have made a great hit 99 out of 100 times. Also watch for the mule kick. When the deer jumps up and kicks both back legs he is not going to go far. If the deer runs off slow or hunches up, you have hit the guts. A gut shot deer will generally run for 20-50 yards, stop, and walk off with it's head down and back hunched. A shoulder shot will have the deer running and bounding with the arrow sticking out of him. Most hunters know when they hit the shoulder. Also, don't be discouraged if the deer runs off bounding with it's tail up. I have had many heart/lung shot deer run with their tail up. If the arrow goes through and the deer takes off bounding, you have made a good hit.

3. Watch which way the deer ran. Make a mental note of the last spot you saw the deer pass. This will help you get a line of flight.

4. If you made a pass through check your arrow. Brighter blood lightly covering the arrow indicates a heart/lung shot. Also look for bubbles in the blood that would indicate a lung shot. If the arrow is "painted" with thick red blood you have hit the liver. Do not track this deer for a minimun of 5-6 hours. If possible wait 12 hours. My dad made this mistake last week and never found the deer. If your arrow is green or brown you have hit guts. Do not track till the next day. Wait at least 12 hours.
If you can't find your arrow it is most likely still in the deer. Unless you are 100% certain that you hit right behind the shoulder and saw the arrow sticking out both sides, when it ran off, do not track the deer for 12 hours. I have known people to hit deer from the shoulder down to the hind end and not have the arrow pass through. If you are not 100% sure that it was a killing shot do not track. If it is dead it's not going anywhere and if it isn't the wait will allow it to die.

5. Far too many people are too quick to give up the blood trail and do a body search for a deer when the blood dries up. For example, several years ago a friend of mine hit an 8-pt buck and we tracked it for several hundred yards. I figured it was a shoulder shot and wanted to wait, but I was out voted. We tracked the deer for a long time and eventually the blood dried up. After 15 minutes of looking for additional blood the other members of the group decided to spread out and just start looking, hoping to stumble across the deer. I had a good idea which way the deer ran and decided to get down on my hands and knees and continue looking for blood. I inspected every inch of ground for another 30 yards till I found a drop of blood the size of a pin head. We tracked the deer another 200 yards, me on my hands and knees the whole time, before I finally conviced everyone to give up the search for the night. Remember, when the obvious blood sign dries up get down and look for the not so obvious.

6. Learn to track by using broken branches, turned up leaves, and tracks. Last year I hit a deer in the heart and found it by following tracks and disturbed leaves. For some reason this deer only bled a few eraser sized drops of blood in the 120 yards it ran. I found this deer by getting on my hands and knees and looking for tracks and kicked up leaves. It took about an hour to cover the distance, but it was well worth it in the end.

In summation, aim small and miss small. Watch where the arrow hit and watch how and where the deer ran. If you made a pass through inspect the arrow. Unless you have heat/lung blood on it wait for 12 hours or the next day if you can. When you track take your time. Go slow and observe (every tracking experience is a lesson...remember the scenerio and the outcome. Use your past experiences to help guide your future ones.) If you run out of obvious sign, look for the not so obvious. If you follow these tips I believe you will recover a lot more deer. Good luck to you all and I hope that my post will help some of you.

[peakrut]

Rob/pa asked me to share my little story and maybe help:
I shot one about 25 yards away and when he took i seen the shot was
a little far back. I thought about it for about half hour and decided that it went in on angle towards the lungs. After waiting about hour n half we check where I shot and found the arrow and was completly covered in blood. So with the way the deer reacted like a slow trot and finding the arrow we were in business. We got on the trail right away and found plenty of blood. We went about 200 Yards and ended up where I last seen him. Slowed things down a bit in case we jump him. We still had great blood and headed threw a bunch of thick stuff and came to the fence line. So far this has probably taken us a good hour and 45 minutes to this point actually. We had blood right up to the fence and then 1 spot on the otherside and it just stopped. So we searched the green field on the other side and could not find any more blood. Checked the other woods and nothing. So now im back at the fence line facing the opposite way and I notice to the left of where it crossed the fence there is blood on the fence. See the trail split and cross the fence in 2 places. So my brother who is on the other side I ask him is there any blood to the right of where we came up to the fenceline? He says yeah heading north before the fence. Follows it for about 20 yards and bingo the deer had bedded down.
So im stumped for a bit and cant figure out why blood on the other side of the fence. Well he either came up to the fenceline then decided to bed and we jumped him or he jumped the fence changed his mind and jumped back over. Well at this point after the bed we couldnt find anymore blood.
Its about noonish (Shot was at about 07:30) and my bro had to leave. So I had a buddy showing up but wouldnt make it till 3 so I tried to take a nap in the truck lol. He gets there and we search high n low until about 7 pm and nothing. We only are hunting about 35 acres. So I call my brother at work and says he is going to hunt this property till 09:30 then we can resume the search. Well the next day by 08:30 am he couldnt take it and called me and we started again. We searched and searched and nothing.
About 11:40ish am I finally started to have closure and felt sick. (14 pointer) I had never lost one before and had to live with it. Well right about that time my brothers friend calls and says if you hit him in the liver (He seen my arrow my bro brought to work and thought liver shot) they like to get into a creek to cool the wound and they get fever like humans.
Saidfollow the creek wherever you are allowed and you might find him.
My bro with knee high boots on jumps in. So i am in the cut corn field and after about 15 minutes i hear HOLY S**T. Like a dummy im like what?
YOUR BUCK, im like mike dont mess with me and he say no its your buck.
You know how we felt after that.
Things I learned: If in doubt wait, I had the shot back and even though I thought it was towards the lungs it was indeed a liver shot and the arrow entered back and went straight down out the tummy.
2nd When I followed the blood to the last place I seen him I should of stopped since it was over 200 yards.
3rd Never ever give up and check everypiece of that property. See we never checked that northeast corner because it was so far away from the last spot. And like they say that buck did indeed try to circle. He ended up on the same side of the creek as I shot him.
4th Love your family even though I gave up my bro didnt!
Thanks for my long story but hey I learned maybe you can.

Tony