I am going back in the morning to make one last look for my deer. my two hunting partners are going to join me after a morning hunt. If I don't find it in the morning then I will accept it as a lesson hard learned and will definitely wait a good amount of time before going after any other deer I may harvest.

Sorry bout that, anyway GOOD LUCK!!
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Matt

The only thing I can see is that maybe the deer spun at the last instant or was angling slightly and the arrow went in high in the shoulder angling forward towards the opposite shoulder.There's no way a deer hit through both lungs will run that far.Bright red blood but not pink or bubbly usually means you hit the shoulder muscle and not the lungs.That would explain why he ran so far.Now you said the arrow did'nt exit,where did you find the arrow?How far from where he was shot.If it was a non vital hit and the arrow came out.The deer could have stopped bleeding and went quite aways before laying down again.I once hit a deer on an angling shot in the shoulder and had the same thing happen.Blood just dried up.Never found the deer.

Billy

WHACKEM N STACKEM

I agree with everyone elses posts about what you should do next but if you were wondering why it quit bleeding just like that, then it probably became clogged with a piece of fat or something. sometimes you will notice that the blood will start to thickin and that means it could be starting to clog.

Looked again this morning, 2 hours solo and a couple more with 2 hunting partners. I have come to the conclusion that my first deer ever, not to mention a nice buck with a bow, quit bleeding and may possibly have lived to fight another day. I have talked to a few seasoned hunters who say that since I was on the ground and the deer
was perfectly broadside "no angle on the shot" that somehow the shot hit muscle only and missed the vitals. I sure hope thats the case! I would like to say everyone needs to experience the rush of drawing on a nice buck, waiting for the shot and finally the release. Even if I never see another buck like that it is something I will never forget.