Unfortunately, I visited No Man's Land for the second time in my bow hunting career this weekend. No Man's Land being the small area above the lungs, above the main artery running down the back and above the spine. Basically the shoulder bone and muscle.

Here is the story.

Saturday morning was great with Temps in the low 40's, and light North winds, I figured deer would be moving. Around 7:00, I had two young ones come crashing through the woods, they split my stand, each heading in different directions, I knew something was up. About a minute later a doe and young buck come running through the timber as well, the buck, a 3-pointer, is hot on her trail, grunting.. urrp urrp urrrrrppppp.(Early in the season I know but true, he must have been feeling frisky)

He chases her past my stand at 10 yards, through a thicket and back again past my stand at 20 yards, I bleat and stop them, both offering good shots, I pass on the buck, he was way too small and I elect to do my part with herd management and to gain some fine tablefare by taking the doe. I draw my bow and she quarters to me, bad shot so I continue to hold, finally I let up my bow, she turns and I bleat again, this time she stops, offering me a perfect broadside shot at 25 yards. I draw my bow, put the pin on her vitals and release. Thwack! I hit her, she may have dropped at the shot, as I quickly realized the shot was high and a little forward. She turned and headed into a thicket and ran full speed through the timber, not limping. I only got about 8 inches of penetration. I believe the muzzy busted through the front shoulder through the muscle and lodged into far shoulder. she ran away steady. I gave her 2 hours, found some decent blood, most of it was bright red, muscle blood, it was sporadic and I never found the arrow. I've had bad penetration before, but usually find the arrow broke off after the deercrashed past some trees, not the case this time. I lost the light blood trail after about 75 yards when she crossed a creek. I spent 3 hours looking for her or more sign but didn't find a thing.

I hope she survived, I've talked to hunters and processors who have found old healed over broadheads in shoulders of deer they have taken, but I'm aware thatif infectedormore blood was lost, she could have expired.

I feel bad andI'm mad at myself, I practice, practice and practicewith my bow, I'm a good shot at 25 yards and in. Just missing by 2 inches can turn an otherwise successful hunt upside down.

Any thoughts?