Well guys to start the night off I climbed into the stand at 4:30 and there were 10-15 turkeys just 45 yards off in the trees. And they hung around for about 20 minutes before wondering off. Then about 15 minutes later I had a squirrel run down out of the tree and climb the leg of my feeder and start spinning it to throw fresh corn on the ground for him and his friends. Then here come 15 more turkey from the north and they walked all the way in to 7 yards and then to my feeder, then they mingeled around and left. Then about 45 minutes later here comes a buck to the feeder, and at 28 yards I shot him and he ran to the other side of the creek and stood around and the ran off. So I give him a little time and then climb out of the stand and look for blood. There was blood where I shot him and then all the way to the creek and on the other side there was 3 big blood puddles about 3 to 6 inch in diameter and then after the third one there was no more blood in the woods. I walked that place out for 2 hours and never found my arrow, blood, or my deer.

Well sorry to hear that, but where was your shot placement?

Did you find your arrow? Do you think you got the boiler room or maybe somewhere else? Did he hunker down after the shot or run at break neck speed? You may have pushed him farther suggesting your shot placement may have been off a little. He probably dead just waiting to be found. Good luck

Run for the hills, the Napalm is coming!

What does it mean when they take off running at "break neck speed"? Is that a sign of a good hit?

What state do you live in? Some state's have volinteer's that are licenced to use dog's in deer recovery.

How long is Sounds like you might have bumped him by the way you are describing puddles of blood...

P.S. It sounds like a muscle hit. Probably kicked the dang arrow into the next county. You can be sure the arrow wasn't in him while he was standing across the creek. It's somewhere near the shot.

You have to know where you hit a deer and if it was a good hit. I wait an hour on a double lung hit unless I hear or see them fall.

It USUALLY indicates that a heart/lung shot has been made. Lung shot deer have a tendency to run a straighter course maybe turning to the left or right. The heart only shot deer runs erratically. I paraphrased. Trailing Whitetails by John Trout Jr.

I have found this to be true.