First off, I am not looking to start up a firestorm, I am looking to see if this is a common occurance or if I encountered a couple unique situations.
Background, using a bowtech Allegiance, pulling about 71 pounds, shooting a 365gr arrow (about 290fps) with a rage 3 blade broadhead.
I shot two deer this year, both photos taken from the stand. Both shot from the same stand, maybe 15'-0" in the air. Both deer were walking, did not stop either of them, neither of the deer knew I was there, or at least they were not skittish or on the alert.
The first was a doe on 11/13. It was about a 14 yard shot, quartering away, she was walking and I did not compensate enough for the movement, took her a little back, caught the front of the stomach, then liver and a bit of the spleen. Pass through. She ran back the way she came about 15-20 yards, stopped, turned into the brush, stopped after 5 yards, stood there for a couple minutes, staggered once, went about 5 more yards, then layed down about 25 yards from the stand (see picture below)
There was a bit of blood at the impact point, and a little bit of blood at each place she stopped. But there was not a noticeable blood trail. I was observing her through the binocs and the wound had very little to no blood coming out of it. I can see a liver shot not producing a lot of blood, but the amount that I had was surprising nonetheless.
The second deer I harvested was a buck on 12/6. He came in broadside at about 20-25 yards.
Double lunged him, pass through again. He ran about 10 yards, then walked about 30 more yards before laying down, took about 15 minutes to expire. When I got down out of the tree to find my arrow, there was even less blood around compared to the doe. It had snowed the night before, a very light fluffy fine snow. 25 minutes after the shot, the blood had been lightly rolled/snowed over. If I had not have had snow I doubt very much if I would have found any blood, it was a couple specks here, couple more over there. This continued up to the buck, basically no blood trail, in the snow.
Now, I am extremely happy with the fact there was no tracking involved with either of these deer. However if there would have been tracking, I am a bit concerned with the lack of a substantial trail with lethal shots.
Has anyone else encountered this? Is this common for the 3 blade Rage broadhead? or did I just happen to encounter a couple unique situations and chalk it up as a freak event?