The_1_That_Got_Away

Ok guys, my first post here, though I've been lurking and reading for quite some time.

Here's what happened:

Buck came in, I'm 20 feet up. Stopped broadside at 5 yards...almost directly underneath me. I aim for the exit hole like I'm supposed to, trying to hit heart at a steep angle. I'm not sure what happened: if he crouched or I slapped my ASAT leafy with the string, but the hit was steep angle into the shoulder blade. He ran about 50 yards, looked around and moved slowly in a half circle. This is at 2:00 yesterday 11/12.

Waited 2 hours and started to track (I know, please don't flame me). There was rain in the forecast and this is a very marshy area with standing water, so blood was going to be difficult to follow.
Found nickel and dime sized drops for about 75 yards.

We found the arrow, only about 6 inches of penetration. We found a spot where he stopped and stood, blood about the size of two palms. We continued to follow until we jumped him bedded. Looked at the bed where he had laid for at least an hour, blood about the size of the palm of my hand.

This would have been my first buck, and I'm just sick about wounding him. It feels like I got punched in the stomach.I'm going to go search some more after work today, but my question is this: Do you think he will live?

deerslayer270

most likely.....if he only bled that little bit and all you did was injure him but hit nothing vital....if it dosnt get infected he will most likely recover

PastorHunter

If, as you say, you found that little blood after him being bedded, I would think he will live, provided it doesn't get too infected, as was already stated.
I am suprised that you would only get 6 inches of penetration at such a close shot.
How do you know that for sure?

I shot a small buck Sat. at 22 steps. I busted THROUGH one rib on the entry side and between the ribs on the exit side. Six inches penetration doesn't seem right.

deerslayer270

i guess it depends on what broadheads and whats draw weight he is shooting...that deer i shot that got away that arrow didnt go any deeper than 6-8''

BobCo19-65

At that range at that steep of an angle, if you didn't hit heart, you will have only gotten one lung at best. You had to shoot through a lot of bone to even get toitthough, so it doesn't surprize be that you didn't get good penetration. You won't get much blood from this hit because there was not an exit wound and the entrance was high.

Will the deer live? Who knows. They have been known to live on one lung. Tracking time wasn't a bad thing on this hit, so don't beat yourelf over it.

If you have not read the book "tracking wounded deer" by Trout, make sure you do.

Will you take this shot again?

Bulzeye

Bob, I think this is the book you are talking about (actually "Finding Wounded Deer"), and I can't speak highly enough about it. I feel every deer hunter should read it, regardless of weapon or method.

http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Wounded-Deer-John-Trout/dp/0970749309

deerslayer270

is that the book? if so im ordering it tonite.....i just want to confirm THAT is the book....

Bulzeye

By the way, really steep angle shots are not good for bowhunters.
The spine and shoulder protect too much of the vitals. There isn't an arrow made that will consistenty defeat a deer's shoulder, and a solid hit to the spine will stop even a heavy arrow dead in it's tracks.

Next time either catch him broadside or quartering away as he is leaving.

Sorry to hear about the so far unrecovered deer. I hope you nailed a lung good enough that he'll drop soon enough to be found.

Bulzeye

Absolutely Deerslayer. That is THE book. The author has participated in over 450 deer recovery efforts, has seen every imaginable wound, and has kept meticulous records on hair evidence, blood trails, distances, and many other details that can help a hunter determine where he hit the animal, and how to proceed with the trailing.

The_1_That_Got_Away

Thanks a lot for the opinions guys. I'm getting off early today to do some more tracking. It rained all morning so blood is a non-issue, but I'm going to do some grid searches with the landowner and his dogs.

Someone asked: Will I take this shot again? I don't think so. Although it is a shot that I practice, I just don't think it's a high-percentage shot. I should have made it, but in the heat of the moment...you know.

I'm a 3rd year bowhunter, and passed a shot on a nice buck earlier this year as he trotted/ walked across me broadside. I just didn't want to take a shot that I wasn't sure I could make.

I now realize why people pass on marginal shots. Wounding an animal feels 10 times worse than not getting a shot or making a clean miss (both of which have happened to me).