Ok, so here is a scenario to discuss. I had a doe come by me last Saturday. She was up on a ridge and almost at eye level with me on the stand. I was about 12 yards off the trail. She comes down the trail and her front half is a behind a tree. Perfect time for me to get ready to shoot. I already had my bow off the hook and in hand but haven't drawn back yet. She was standing still and I was watching her back legs waiting for movement so I could draw back and be ready to aim and fire.
She proceeds past the tree and this is where I normally give a stop call and get them to stop so i can aim at my desired location. Except, right at that second I felt if I let out a call to stop her she would have looked right at me and bolted. I didn't want to risk it and never stopped her. I aimed and let the arrow fly while she was moving. Clean pass thru. She never knew what hit her.
She goes about another ten yards and lays down behind a tree. I am almost celebrating at this point, but peeking around the tree to see exactly what she is doing. Her eyes are still open, so I am not entirely sure she is near death or what. I didn't know at that point I didn't catch the vitals.
She goes about another ten yards and hunches over a couple times and lays down again. Eyes still open. That's when I realize I must have gut shot her. So I wait it out another couple hours and by this time she has walked out of sight albeit looking really hurt.
I go back to my truck which is about a 3/4 mile hike. Change out of my hunting clothes and go back. Of course she is nowhere to be found and very little blood to go by.
My partner and I scan the area, nothing. I'm wondering if I should have gotten after her sooner and pushed her? Also, I wonder if a better broadhead (better meaning causing a bigger hole) would have altered the situation more in my favor?