I have been there and it sucks, but only thing I see is the 25 min you stayed in the tree. I have made it a rule at least 2 hours if I did not see deer go down. I did the same thing 10 years ago, sometimes where we think the deer runs and where he ends up are the opposite. I hit a deer in 1 lung and liver it went straight south. I waited 25 min then walk north. When I returned I followed the blood trail led right by where I walked out. The deer did a loop on me, I fond where he layed about 80 yds from where I shot him. Then I fond zip, only 1 drop of blood 40 yds away, I had spooked him leaving the stand. Only by shear luck I fond him the next day, I walk the river and fond him on the bank.

If a deer is hurt the tend to run to deep cover or water, I would take a look there.

Sounds like you hit the shoulder blade and did not get good penetration. Quartering away shots should be placed further back than what it appears you shot (i am only assuming here not sure exactly where you hit it).If you did not see it pass through, id say the deer shook it out rather than a pass through. Just another suggestion to add to those already mentioned.Your deer might have lived through the night. Sorry you didnt get it recovered.Strange things happen. I had a broad side pass through on a hog once that we couldnt find. It really sucks. Keep your head up.

A overhead shot @ 11 yds, quartering, if you had clipped the heart you should have found the deer. A one lung hit the deer will travel and could very well survive.
Any kind of hair/smell at all on the arrow?
It sure sound like you have tried your best, I still wouldn't give up at this point. The deer could be lying under your nose.
I kid you not, I searched for a deer one morning, in every possible direction, then mapped circles, the other larger than the one before. I thumbled the bush, at least I thoughtI did.
After 6-1/2 hours I still could not find that deer--but my arrow signs told me the deer was hit, strong smell of the gut and blood-- then no blood.
I sighed and sighed, rubber my forehead, removed my cap about 1000 times, sat on the ground and looked for something 'white'--the snow hadn't come in a yet--easier to see than looking from something brown.
A long story short--I decided it was time to quit and started heading back out--would you believe, I caught a glimpse of a 'white thing', turned in that direction immediately and Lo & behold, it was the deer--it had wedged itself under a spruce and was almost invisible--except for the tail, curved up, that's how I found thatdeer. Of course I had another huge sigh--this time of relief!! I found it just it time--as the weather wasn't that cold, another few hours I would have lost the meat.
I hope if you don't find your deer you see him on you camera sometime soon.
These things will happen bud--don't take it out on yourself. This would not stop you fromholding your head for sometime to come--butsome time or another during your lifetime as a hunter, you MUST & WILL experience this anger!! We're only human--( and you'll probably get a few remarks cioming your way from the SUPER-Humans)--not to worry too much, life goes on--score this as aloss, look ahead, chin up--this will make you appreciate the animal even more, moreso when you nail another andthrow him in the pick-up. Cheer up--or at least TRY!!!

Blood trails like the one you described mean one thing... you hit muscle and that is it. I would bet you hit him high and it went above the spine, through the muscles and fat (why you don't have much blood on your fletching or arrow) and out the other side. That buck should heal fine. Sounds like you tried your hardest to get a quick kill and recover him, and that is all you can do. If anyone thinks bad of you for missing, they don't hunt very much. Buck up (get it?), the rut isn't even here yet so you might get a bigger one later. We've all been there too so at least you have company.

Waiting I have fond will do two things, if he is hit hard enough he will expire. If not he will not bolt off, but walk back to his bedding area. This will allow you to track the deer to his bedding area and you may jump him and see he is fine.

Sorry to hear that SBG, I know the feeling and it stinks. I tend to agree with the posts so far as to where the arrow probably struck the deer.In this particular case the lack of blood is a good thing, like Rob stated that would seem to indicate nothing vital being hit (probably just flesh and muscle)and the deer will likely recover from his close encounter relatively quickly. Don't be surprisedif you don't see him for a while asyou probably just made him a little smarter. I know it's a rough feeling but don't be to hard on yourself, it sounds as though you did everything you could to locate the deer and then some.Good luck with the rest of your season.

I know how you feel. Last year I hit a doe a little too far back. I waited 8 hours and went in. I found her about 30 from the last spot I saw her. It was a high lung shot. She never bled one ounce of blood. It was light pinkish blood.

The first deer I ever hit was hit in the same spot. A little far back and high right under the back bone. I never found that deer but was happy to see it a week later. Some how it survived being hit with a clean pass through.

Keep looking and good luck. I hope you get him.

Jeff Been there done thatand if i continue bowhunting it will most likely happen again.[&:]and thats the truth about bowhunting.
We do our best for it not to happen But when it does?
what make the difference is how we handle it.
You did everything you could have you gave ita 100%recovery try.
Thats all anyone could have done.
From what you have sead about the hit (imo) I would think this deer will be ok.

GHemry: You are knowledgeable (read further). I thought this deer was hit perfectly. I mean that. I got down.....because I thought the deer was down. I snuck down.....and checked the arrow. It had spots of blood on the fletchings. It had a little bit of blood on the shaft. No hair. Nothing else. I just assued the arrow had to pass through.....although I'm thinking, now, it "could" have hit the area behind the shoulder with the point.....and "spit" blood onto the shaft and fletchings. I'm just not sure of how it all occurred, right now.

GHemry......when following the blood trail.....he was circling back. There's a chance he may have heard me come down.....but I WAS very quiet. His blood trail ran out about 60-70 yds from my stand.....(dense woods)......and I snuck out going directly in the opposite direction of where he "appeared" to be heading (circling back). I went back along that trail and looked to see if he'd backtracked and took another route. No luck. It began to rain here, last night......and it hasn't stopped. No blood trail out there, now. I walked the creek on both sides....both last night and today. No deer.

Let me give some advice here, though........

If you're going to hunt in the evenings.....do the ethical thing and have PLENTY of light power for tracking. This hurt us, last night. I know that. I had lots of lights.....but not lots of really powerful lighting. The big boys don't last long. I WILL be buying more of them. Also....the TP idea is awesome. Do it.

Jeff

Coleman lanterns are the very best for blood trailing.Before you use one you must cut a coffee can to fit inside the globe to shield the side toward you.You can carry extra mantles in your pack.
I carry mine in a case that they come in .Before the season I fill it with gas and tie on new mantles with out lighting them.Them after I shoot a buck I can go back to the truck and get it out pump it up and light the new mantles and I am ready to go.