I'm on committee that gets called out to recover wounded deer in a controlled hunt.Over the years,I've been on too mnay blood trails to remember.Unfortuantely,most of the time when I get called,it's after a deer has been marginally hit and the hunter jumps down and almost immediately chases the deer off.Here's a few things I've learned over the years.A deer hit in the shoulder(not blade)is probably going to live to see another day.Unless the shot angle is severe enough,there isn't any vitals behind it.A shoulder blade hit is very similar.There is no void between the spine and lungs.Chances are,you shot above the spine and the deer will recover.A sharp broadhead,regardless of size will drop a deer within sight in most cases in put through both lungs and there's no need to throw an axe through an animal.I want an exit wound everytime.I'm a firm believer that recovery should be close to 100% for gut shot deer.Gut shot deer die but it often takes 12 hours or more.Last year I helped recover 3 gut shot deer that were still alive the next morning.If you gut shoot a deer.Climb down and walk the opposite direction the deer went.Come back in about 12 hours and chances are,that deer won't be far from where you last saw it.The single biggest reason most deer are lost is because people chase them way to fast.If I don't see or hear a deer go down,I always wait several hours or until the next morning.