The only problem I see with the high hit,above lung/underspine theory is that passing thru the chest cavity, even without hitting lung, is going to cause the lungs to collapse. In this case, I don't see the animal living long. I'm not saying it has never happened, but unlikely.One question....How high in a tree were you, as in, what was the shot angle on the deer.

Never Heard of a vital hit on a deer that didnt bleed! I shot a button head with my muzzleloader (thought it was a doe) a couple years ago. Found hair EVERYWHERE. It was alot. No blood. Couldnt find the deer. Went to the nearest thicket and low and behold my trophy with a vital hit. Ive shot several deer with a gun and had them not bleed a drop until they hit the ground.

Every morning I wake up thinking there will be a million in there when I check my bank account... Haven't been presently surprised yet. Usually there is less than I thought would be there...

Okay dually noted

i didn't mean to click reply on your name steveO...sorry

The hair indicates brisket and arm pit location. The white hair is in the crease just behind the shoulder. The dark tipped hair is located on the lower portion of the brisket directly below the crease. This is consistant with the fat on the shaft. If you had little to no blood it was a superficial hit.

If you hit high enough to clear the inner portion of the rib cage where it connects at the brisket there is a slight possibility that you could possibly have hit the pyloric (sp) artery. This is a slow bleeder. However if you did, it wouldn't be consistant with the fat that you say is on the shaft.

By only looking at the photo's you've supplied, I'd say it was a superficial hit. The deer will survive.

I highly doubt it's anything vital. My first bow kill happened like that when i was 13. I shot her on the run at like 5 yards. Turns out I hit her in the hind quarter. I found her after the broadhead sliced up her belly and she started losing guts. She went about 600 yards, I woulda never found her if it wasn't for my dad.

brisket shot,i would guess you shot low

I'm not going to read all the replies, but it sounds like you were either high or low. If you skin it across the back behind the shoulder you'll get tallow and hair. If you skin it across the brisket or the belly line behind the shoulder, you'll get tallow and hair. Plain old fat like that inside a deer wouldn't stick to the arrow like the tough tallow of the brisket, backbone etc will. I'd say the deer dropped or you were off on range estimation.... or... you just made a really bad shot.[8D][8D] Been there done that.

[quoteIf you skin it across the back behind the shoulder you'll get tallow and hair. If you skin it across the brisket or the belly line behind the shoulder, you'll get tallow and hair.][/quote]

I agree.

And from the hair that I see, it wasn't the belly.