Any recovery ideas?
 

Yesterday evening about 6:00pm ny son (14), launched an arrow at his first buck. He called me and you could tell he was trembling. I got to his stand about 20 minutes later and started looking for blood and arrow. He showed me exactly where the deer was when he shot and where he ran after being shot. In all the excitement he did said he did not hear the arrow hit and did not see it in the deer as he ran off. My nieghbor and I looked for 41/2 hours for any sign at all. About 40 yards from the stand we found where the deer had crashed through a bush, there was hair but no blood and no sign of an arrow. We searched 200 yards in all directions, making smaller circles into bigger circles. We searched creek beds and ponds. We found NOTHING, No arrow, No blood, No fletching, nothing but that little amount of hair. When I get off today I am going to go back and look. ANy ideas on what I should do? I really want to recover this deer, not only because it his first deer, but because I dont want to leave a dead animal. Any help would be appreciated.

Tommy

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

I'm not sure of the type of terrain, but did you look under leaves, and through all tall grass to find the arrow. My first reaction is that he missed. If he was using aluminum, you may want to try to use a metal detector. If he was using more then a two bladed head, there should have been some hair at the point of impact. Did you look for a possible deflection, the arrow could be fairly far away.

Other then that I don't believe that the hit went through much muscle, or organs. There should have been some blood somewhere. I'm thinking that if he did hit the deer, he imbedded the arrow into a bone close to the hide with not much muscle to go through. Maybe a front leg, but then again, you should have found a broken arrow at some point.

Wish I could be more help.

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

Without the arrow, you are unfortunately left with alot of questions. Is it possible that he missed and the arrow snaked-up? Or is he sure that he hit it? Where he hit it? Was there alot of hair? White or Brown?

I know some folks have posted on here in the past that you can find people with dogs trained for deer recovery. I wish you the best of luck in finding it.

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

Are you sure he hit the Deer? You said he didnt know if he hit it or not.. Maybe the arrow deflected and went sailing.

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

I have hit and / or helped track deerhit every spot possible. In every case, there has always been some blood, hair or bone to confirm at least a flesh wound at or directly near the point of impact. Not to mention the sound when an arrow hits the deer hard...Kathwacckkk! 4 1/2 hours with no sign of a hit... I'll bet he missed. I have missed deer and tracked them for a while to only find some hair down the trail where the deer rubbed a tree, fence, etc... Without blood, I am confident the deer will survive and your son may even get another shot at him.
Your son has gained experience in tracking and shooting along with a great story and time with his father.:) My best stories are misses. Tell him to keep his chin up. I missed 11 times before I first connected and I also missed a 12 point this year.

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

DUring and after the search last night, he became increasingly disappointed. We talked about hunting expieriences and how you learn. I asked him several times if he learned anything and of cousre he said that he had. LIke trying to dtay calm and listening for the sound of the arrow. I told him that is how you make a better hunter and become abetter person is by learning through your expieriences. Although, that did not deter his disappointment at the time. LOL

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

Yup, hunting is always a learning experience. There will other deer out there for him I'm sure.

RE: Any recovery ideas?
 

Just an update. When I got about 3:00pm I went back out there and looked for a couple of more hours and found nothing. I guess that is a good sign. I told my boy that the deer would proboably be back.. Thanks for your encouragemtnt to him.

Tommy