I watch several things when I release the arrow. Where I think it hits, the reaction of the animal to the shot, and how it leaves the scene.

My doe this year . . . I knew that I hit high and the animal jumped, kicked, and ran hard about 20 yards then slowed to a walk. My partner said he thought I hit in the rump so as soon as she was out of sight we started trailing with the intention of pushing her slowly to keep her bleeding. Sixty yards up the trail we came across the blood trail: on the right side of the trail was a pool of bright pink blood with bubbles (the first indication of a high lung hit) but on the left side of her trail was a dark red blood (indicating a liver hit). After a bit of guessing, I concluded that I hit high in her right lung and the arrow exited through her liver. We tracked her to her first bed where she was down for the count but not out. After a few minutes I put an arrow into her heart putting her away fast.

During the field dressing it was obvious that the right lung had been hit and the liver showed how my broadhead and arrow had passed through the liver thus confirming my conclusion. My arrow had passed through high in the right lung, angling slightly and passed thtough the liver and exited through her left side.

Never did go back to find the arrow . . . a mistake I' ll never make again.

I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to determing your hit.

I highly recommend John Trout Jr." s newest book on trailing deer: Finding wounded Deer copyright 2001 Published by Woods N' Water, Inc. and Bookspan; ISBN 0-9707493-0-9. Studying this book is as valuable to this 40 year bowhunter as to a neophyte or anyone that fits in between. BTW - I got mine through Outdoorsmans Edge Book Club.

I am fortunate also to have his first work on the subject " Trailing Whitetails" now out of print. As a reference set the two are a super combination.