Hit bear twice with bow recovery? NY
 

I hit a back bear with my bow tonight at 5:45 in western ny. The first 25 yard shot was a little far back but good for height. It was slightly quartering away. Got about 10-12" penatration. No smell to the blood on the arrow. Ok blood trail for the fist 10 yard then found arrow and backed out. The bear snapped and growled when hit.Then ran about 10 yards then curled up (poss pulling out arrow?) for 5 seconds then walked for 25 yards stopping twice for a few seconds. Then i shot it again in about the same spot on the body as the first at about 30 yards broadside. The bear did not snap and growl when hit the second time. It sounded like it ran a few yards down to a small creek and did not hear anymore noise. It was raining before i shot so the leaves were not crunchy. I left the stand at 6:20 and checked my first shot on the way out . Any idea on what i may have hit? Little info on the web for bear tracking. Would the arrow smell if i hit the liver. Would you get any blood if you hit the guts? Will this bear be dead in the morning?

Does anyone care to take a guess? Need a little help. Has anyone shot a bear before?

If your bear died and was within hearing distance, you would have heard a moan or as some call it a death rattle. Possibly gets some friends with rifles and look in the morning. One stay preferably on the trail and another off to the side. If your state allows, use a dog as well. Often a wounded animal will head: 1) down hill or take a trail of least resistance, 2) head for water. Bears may also lay down and face the trail they just travelled. Take care and be careful. Good luck.

What has happened is possibly a very dangerous situation has been created. The estimate of 10-12in. of penetration places the broad head at about the lung area. Depending on how far back the arrow entered. Like littlearrow stated get a couple buddies with guns to go with and find that bear.

My guess is that you probably hit, as worse, the liver. A bear's vital are pretty much the front half of the body. So depending on where you hit you probably did get one lung. And by waiting overnight that bear is more than likey dead. I'mnotg an expert but I have shot several bear and IMO they are not as hard to kill as deer. But a poorly hit bear can travel a long way before stopping. But in any event, you didn't push it so it probably didnt go too far and laid down. Next time use a heavier bow or a cut on contact broadhead for more penetration.

I had a similar situation about a month ago with a bear in Virginia. Shot him a little far back, trailed him for about a mile and lost all signs of blood in a thicket. Spent most of the night looking for him, and the following day. My only guess is that I just hit meat and no vitals. Needless to say I was sick that I didn't find him.

Dead bear. Take a gun just in case.

Its illegal to carry a gun while bow hunting in NY. sucks but its true.

So he carries a bow and a nonhunting friend carries a gun for "protection" ? The idea of a dog is a good one too. I suspect he is taking pictures as we speak.

It is also illegal to ACCOMPANY a bowhunter if you are carrying a firearm in our wise state of NY... Probably the best "legal" follow up weapon you could take would be a good axe...