How to tell if I hit a deer with a BOW
10-18-2016, 02:43 PM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Nonya damn business
Posts: 141
How to tell if I hit a deer with a BOW
This is my first year bowhunting. I'm a very experienced gun hunter but I haven't had a problem telling if I hit one with that because my shots are close, my guns right on, and 11 of my 13 deer are headshots. Anyways any tips for telling right away if I hit one? Such as sounds the arrow makes, deer reaction?
10-18-2016, 03:18 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
well first off, and this is MY opinion and well, a common rule of hunting
head shots are NOT the norm, due to the possible error , and its a smaller kill zone, yes when they work they work, but its NOT the area MOST HUNTERS target
I HIGHLY suggest you DON"T use that as a place to aim for with a bow, cannot tell you how many deer with arrows sticking out of there heads I have seen over the yrs on local Tv news shows and such, just makes us hunters look BAD!
Next, if you limit your shots to GOOD CLEAR shots at reasonable ranges, 99% of the time if your paying attention as you should, you can see the arrow HIT the deer, its HOW MOST archery hunters tell if they made a good hit or NOT
illuminated Nocks help a LOT if you ask me,
I have killed a LOT of deer with archery , and cannot recall a single time I didn;t see the impact, split second only, but enough to tell me if I hit or NOT
next will be paying VERY good attention to where the deer is standing BEFORE the shot and AT the shot, then you can recover you arrow WAY better/faster and look at it for sigh of a hit/miss,where you hit it(based on color of blood and particles on arrow shaft, guts, meat fat color of hair and so on)
I like white feathers on my arrows too, helps me keep track of them better as they fly!
BUt most guys I think watch the deer and arrow hit it
then recover arrow for sign and track from sight of being HIT to deer
the place MOST guys all aim for (guns too by the way) is behind the front shoulder, its a larger area of vitals and most likely to result in fast ethical kill
heart lugs/liver area!
head shots are NOT the norm, due to the possible error , and its a smaller kill zone, yes when they work they work, but its NOT the area MOST HUNTERS target
I HIGHLY suggest you DON"T use that as a place to aim for with a bow, cannot tell you how many deer with arrows sticking out of there heads I have seen over the yrs on local Tv news shows and such, just makes us hunters look BAD!
Next, if you limit your shots to GOOD CLEAR shots at reasonable ranges, 99% of the time if your paying attention as you should, you can see the arrow HIT the deer, its HOW MOST archery hunters tell if they made a good hit or NOT
illuminated Nocks help a LOT if you ask me,
I have killed a LOT of deer with archery , and cannot recall a single time I didn;t see the impact, split second only, but enough to tell me if I hit or NOT
next will be paying VERY good attention to where the deer is standing BEFORE the shot and AT the shot, then you can recover you arrow WAY better/faster and look at it for sigh of a hit/miss,where you hit it(based on color of blood and particles on arrow shaft, guts, meat fat color of hair and so on)
I like white feathers on my arrows too, helps me keep track of them better as they fly!
BUt most guys I think watch the deer and arrow hit it
then recover arrow for sign and track from sight of being HIT to deer
the place MOST guys all aim for (guns too by the way) is behind the front shoulder, its a larger area of vitals and most likely to result in fast ethical kill
heart lugs/liver area!
10-18-2016, 04:49 PM
#3
Banned
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Nonya damn business
Posts: 141
well first off, and this is MY opinion and well, a common rule of hunting
head shots are NOT the norm, due to the possible error , and its a smaller kill zone, yes when they work they work, but its NOT the area MOST HUNTERS target
I HIGHLY suggest you DON"T use that as a place to aim for with a bow, cannot tell you how many deer with arrows sticking out of there heads I have seen over the yrs on local Tv news shows and such, just makes us hunters look BAD!
Next, if you limit your shots to GOOD CLEAR shots at reasonable ranges, 99% of the time if your paying attention as you should, you can see the arrow HIT the deer, its HOW MOST archery hunters tell if they made a good hit or NOT
illuminated Nocks help a LOT if you ask me,
I have killed a LOT of deer with archery , and cannot recall a single time I didn;t see the impact, split second only, but enough to tell me if I hit or NOT
next will be paying VERY good attention to where the deer is standing BEFORE the shot and AT the shot, then you can recover you arrow WAY better/faster and look at it for sigh of a hit/miss,where you hit it(based on color of blood and particles on arrow shaft, guts, meat fat color of hair and so on)
I like white feathers on my arrows too, helps me keep track of them better as they fly!
BUt most guys I think watch the deer and arrow hit it
then recover arrow for sign and track from sight of being HIT to deer
the place MOST guys all aim for (guns too by the way) is behind the front shoulder, its a larger area of vitals and most likely to result in fast ethical kill
heart lugs/liver area!
head shots are NOT the norm, due to the possible error , and its a smaller kill zone, yes when they work they work, but its NOT the area MOST HUNTERS target
I HIGHLY suggest you DON"T use that as a place to aim for with a bow, cannot tell you how many deer with arrows sticking out of there heads I have seen over the yrs on local Tv news shows and such, just makes us hunters look BAD!
Next, if you limit your shots to GOOD CLEAR shots at reasonable ranges, 99% of the time if your paying attention as you should, you can see the arrow HIT the deer, its HOW MOST archery hunters tell if they made a good hit or NOT
illuminated Nocks help a LOT if you ask me,
I have killed a LOT of deer with archery , and cannot recall a single time I didn;t see the impact, split second only, but enough to tell me if I hit or NOT
next will be paying VERY good attention to where the deer is standing BEFORE the shot and AT the shot, then you can recover you arrow WAY better/faster and look at it for sigh of a hit/miss,where you hit it(based on color of blood and particles on arrow shaft, guts, meat fat color of hair and so on)
I like white feathers on my arrows too, helps me keep track of them better as they fly!
BUt most guys I think watch the deer and arrow hit it
then recover arrow for sign and track from sight of being HIT to deer
the place MOST guys all aim for (guns too by the way) is behind the front shoulder, its a larger area of vitals and most likely to result in fast ethical kill
heart lugs/liver area!
This ain't my first rodeo. I know where to aim. I would never shoot a arrow at a deers head. I just shoot the head because they get within 15-20 yards of my stand standing there eating the food plot and j have a solid rest on my permanent house stand. My gun is spot on and I've never missed a head shot. The 2 deer I didn't get with head shots of my 13, were bucks. I don't shoot the head of a buck. And thanks for the info about the bow stuff btw it's very appreciated and I will look back at this when I'm in doubt!
10-18-2016, 05:31 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
Seems like we have another "expert" on the site.
Lets see, how do you know you hit a deer with an arrow? As has already been noted you can see the arrow hit. Or you can go look for blood or hair. Or you can find a blood covered arrow or part of an arrow. But then this isn't your first rodeo right?
Lets see, how do you know you hit a deer with an arrow? As has already been noted you can see the arrow hit. Or you can go look for blood or hair. Or you can find a blood covered arrow or part of an arrow. But then this isn't your first rodeo right?
10-18-2016, 06:51 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
well we DON"T Know how many rodeo's you hve gone thru
when a guy states he takes head shots,with a gun, I have NO way of knowing if you also take head shots with a bow or not, you didn't say, so, I just pointed out, its NOT the normal way of hunting deer (head shots)
well NOT by most hunters, Poachers and folks thinning the heard for hire tend to use them way more!
reason being Bigger kill area else where to UP the odds of a hunter making a kill!
I also had NO idea what where how you hunt with a rifle
BUt no big deal here, but just clearing that up, we don't know you or?? based on info given is all we can go by!
But again an arrow can almost always be seen hitting where ever on a deer, lighter color fetching helps a lot as does lighted nocks
personally I wish more arrow companys would make shafts in WHITE too, makes id-ing different types of blood on shafts SO much better! trying to read sign on a black, camo or dark covered shaft SUCKS IMO
also make finding a arrow a LOT harder
never had a deer bust me due to having half white or all white shafts/fletching??
just makes life easier on ME LOL
when a guy states he takes head shots,with a gun, I have NO way of knowing if you also take head shots with a bow or not, you didn't say, so, I just pointed out, its NOT the normal way of hunting deer (head shots)
well NOT by most hunters, Poachers and folks thinning the heard for hire tend to use them way more!
reason being Bigger kill area else where to UP the odds of a hunter making a kill!
I also had NO idea what where how you hunt with a rifle
BUt no big deal here, but just clearing that up, we don't know you or?? based on info given is all we can go by!
But again an arrow can almost always be seen hitting where ever on a deer, lighter color fetching helps a lot as does lighted nocks
personally I wish more arrow companys would make shafts in WHITE too, makes id-ing different types of blood on shafts SO much better! trying to read sign on a black, camo or dark covered shaft SUCKS IMO
also make finding a arrow a LOT harder
never had a deer bust me due to having half white or all white shafts/fletching??
just makes life easier on ME LOL
10-18-2016, 07:12 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
There aren't any rules, but generally when you shoot a Deer with a rifle, it drops in a pile.or takes off in the direction it was pointed (traveling).
With a Bow it takes off away from the pain or the direction the Arrow is traveling.
A miss and anything is likely to happen, sometimes they take off in the direction they are pointed, sometimes they swap ends and go back the way they came or sometimes away from the noise.
With a Bow it takes off away from the pain or the direction the Arrow is traveling.
A miss and anything is likely to happen, sometimes they take off in the direction they are pointed, sometimes they swap ends and go back the way they came or sometimes away from the noise.
10-18-2016, 09:03 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Every deer reacts differently. As far as physical reactions to an arrow hit there are some GENERAL signs to look for. Running off with head kinda down and tail tucked generally means a pretty well hit deer. Gut shot deer, from what people have told me anyway, tend to run with their heads held higher and tails white flagging hard. They will also, 75-80% of the time, head for a water source. As others have said, if your eyes are halfway decent and you follow through with your shot you will see your arrow hit more times than not. Even with my high speed rigs I can see my connection because I use good form and follow-through. Blood signs for deer are: Bright red blood on the arrow and ground mean artery or heart hit. Bright pink and foamy looking mean lungs. Dark red, almost brownish to blackish mean liver. White or greenish looking smelly mess on the arrow means you need to practice a LOT more because you just gut hit. Just fatty stuff on the arrow (white fat) means you more than likely hit what we call "no mans land" and wont be finding that deer.
10-19-2016, 03:06 AM
#8
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Vermont
Posts: 22,605
I have killed a few dozen deer over the years with a bow and in addition to seeing the arrow hit I always hear the impact. The sound of a well placed broadhead going through the heart lung area of a deer makes a definite smack as opposed to a miss. In all these years between seeing the arrow and the sounds it make I never had a question of a hit or miss. Like SH said the way the deer reacts after the shot is another hint as to what happened. After a good hit the deer often makes it a head low death gallop rather than a bounding tail up normal flight away from danger.
