My uncle has bowhunted for the past three years, and had nothing but a whole lot of learning experiences. I repeat a whole lot of learning experiences! He called me friday night and said, I just shot a huge one. A huge buck had come running past him and stopped at 25 yards quartering away. He shot and said the height was good but hit it way way back, in front of the back leg. The deer took off like a rocketship, with the arrow sticking out of the side. He didn't even go look for blood, he waited for dark and went home. He called me and asked what to do. There was a good chance for rain so I told him lets wait 4 hours and then start tracking and decide how for to take it. We started and went 150 yard with very very little blood, maybe a 1/2 dime size every 20 yards....that was it. We determined to give it time until 8 the next morning. I hunted until 9:15 and then went to join him and the search. When I got there he had found two more drops of blood 200 yards apart. He was really bummed! I brought 4 more guys to help. I told him the deer had to be dead if your arrow penetration story was correct, we just have to find him. With the added help we found a blood drop or wiped spot on a brush branch every 25 to 30 yards went another 400 yards, it didn't look good. The next hour we got another hundred yards. A half an hour later 75 yards ahead we found him with no blood between the last spot and where it lay. 800 yards, and that big buck didn't drop more than 1/8 cup of blood, maybe less. Still warm.

My uncle's first bow deer was a 10 point 232 lb. dressed buck. Rough score about 140, a true beauty. I'll post the pics soon.

Its another good lesson on tracking......marginal hits need time....this was a bad shot, but internal bleeding is lethal every time........just don't push the deer.......let it die.......and then find it!


Good Luck!