So here is my story. This is my first year bow hunting deer, by way which I'm now totally hooked on. I bought a Bowtech Mighty Mite back in the summer and have been preparing for my first "bow deer" ever since.

This past thur. afternoon my buddy and I get in the woods around 2pm. He goes his way and I go mine. I climb my tree which is over looking a swamp with some major trails and sign in it. I am sitting quiet for about and hour and a half when I see this young spike walk through. He is however a bit out or range and behind a bunch of limbs and brush so I don't shoot. About 20 mins. later he comes back through from the opposite direction this time offering a better shot so I decide to grunt at him to stop him draw and shoot. Well he came to attention and by the time I releassed the arrow he was on the move. It was about a 35 yd. miss.

Now I decide to go get my arrow and verify that I actually did miss. When I found my arrow I bring it up to look at it and 20 yds a way a nice 8 pointer is coming in. So I hunker down nock and arrow and come back up ready to shoot. Crap he is gone disappeared in to a thicket but atleast he didn't see me.

Now it is too dark to really hunt anymore so I go home and prepare for tommorow.

I get in the woods a little earlier today because I want to move my stand a little further don into the swamp and set up on the 8 pts. trail. So I'm settled in my stand by 2 pm. again. I'm there for about and hour when I hear something behind me, I peek over my right shoulder and here comes the 8 pt., now my heart is beating out of my chest and the bad thing is he is coming in the opposite direction from where I saw him coming yesterday. Now it gets tricky. I have to stand spin almost 360 degrees to get in posistion for a shot. Well it all came together and I set my 20 yd pin on his vitals and release when he enter a clearing between 2 branches. It's a hit and he takes off running about 20 yds and then slows down to a limp. I thinking yes I got a good hit. Watched where he went off to until out of sight and then waited about 30 min. Climb down and go look for my arrow which I found in about 10 min. 3/4 of it is submerged in marsh but I find hair on the blades and blood on the vanes. This is good I pick up the blood trail after about 20 yds and folow it another 100 at which it totally stops. I walk around for another 1 1/2 hours but can't find anything.

That night I called my buddy and convinced him to come help look in the rain on Sat. we look for 2 more hours a couldn't find anything. So I lost my first "bow deer" and it was a nice buck. I am so distraught. Sorry for the long story but thats what it took to tell it properly. Thanks if you read this.

You may not be able to find this buck but you may be able to learn something that will help with the next one.

Yes there will be another.

What color was the blood on the arrow?
Was the blood on the ground drops or spray?
You stated that there was hair. What color?

Buck was limping when it left, is it possible that he was hit alittle too far forward?

This is just a few questions I would have asked if I would have been tracking. You have prob. already answered these in your mind but if not this is a great place for some input.

" Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a Dad"

I hate reading these stories but will try to add some more advice. Was he walking when you shot?
The other buck you missed was moving at 35 yds=no shot.
Trying to shoot between branches can be very difficult for even the most experienced shooter. Your arrows trajectory and your eyeline are very different. it also can affect your perception of what part of the deer is actually there open for the shot.
when you run out of blood, stop relax take a break. Crawl on hands and knees looking for specks in ALL directions. Good luck next time.

To answer a few of your Q's. The hair was mostly white. So I probably hit him low, yes I know that now. Blood was nice and bright but not frothy really. Blood seemed to be more of a drip than a spray. Neither buck was on the move when the arrow was released the small spike was at full attention when I released porbably had me busted somewhat and was ready to book when I let go. The two branches I shot between were like 2 big sticks sticking up from the ground from fallen trees they were single big limbs and had no smaller limbs coming off them. They were also about 6 feet apart and probably 4 feet in front of the 8 pt. So that wasn't even a factor. The trail went from alot of blood to nothing so it was a bit confusing to me. I know people are ging to say I should of waited longer. I also didn't mention that in this swamp probably 50 percent of it is inaccessible to humans because of it's depth.

He probably back tracked. Start where the trail ended and work it backwards looking for sign of where he back tracked and then left his trail. I have seen this several times when good blood trails just ended. They really didn't end the deer just back tracked on his own trail(natural instinct) and then left the trail again. Did you listen closely and if so did you here him crash or splashing through the swamp. He might have headed for a high ground hideaway out in the swamp. Those are my two best guesses. Good Luck!

Protect your hunting rights, "Spay or neuter a liberal."

I usually reserve comment on situations like this primarly because I feel there are alot more guys out there with a bit more experience than myself. But I shot a buck a couple weeks ago that when I shot I thought it was pretty shot placement. As it turned out the shot was in fact a bit low and back. The arrow took out his liver and stomach and at first there was a decent blood trail that after 100 to 150 yds petered to virtually nothing. I tracked that night for a couple hours then backed off untill the next morning, I found him no farther than 75 yards from where I last seen him the night before. The point I'm trying to make is that, if you think it was a low shot, possibly the stomach was hit which could be the cause of the lost blood trail (stomach matter plugging the exit or entry wound). If you got a pass thru on the shot with blood up to the fletching you've got a dead deer somewhere more than likely. GOOD LUCK

I have been there and done that.

I hated to have to admit it, but mine was simply poor shot placement.

A well-placed shot will kill the animal every time.

SW Iowa Hunter is right on the money. There will be another. I guess the important thing is to learn from the experience.

One thing that you reported that I am not clear about:

"but I find hair on the blades and blood on the vanes."

Was there blood covering the entire shaft also? That blood and the color is of course, also part of the equation. If the arrow hit a leg bone, and the deer pulled it out, he may have momentarily paused and bled on the vanes. It may not have been a pass through??? Just trying to help figure out what happened...

must have hit it in the front quarters.. thats what mine did ... thought i had a good hit but i found no blood at all

VC1111 to answer your two questions the blood was bright red and the reason that the blades had hair but only the vanes had blood is that the arrow was found 3/4 of the way submerged in water. I am hunting in a swamp so some places have relatively deep water and other places have none. The shot was a definite pass through, he didn't pull it out. I haven't had a chance to make it out since sat. , wed. is my next I would like to find him even though I know he is no longer good. Just want to see how the hit was and what he might of scored.

Tough to say exactly what you hit without the deer in hand. I wish I could say I got every one I shot at... but it hasn't happened. However, I have shot a few dozen and it gets easier. Seems like a messed up deer and a broken heart is something most of us go thru. Take it as a lesson and plan for better results the next time. Practice... practice ..... practice. It's late in the season. I think if you evaluate your practice sessions.... they haven't been happening like they were in August and early Sept. For tune of body and mind and bow... throw a few arrows every other day. It'll make the shot better in the woods. Take a couple breaths and pause just another split second before you squeeze that release if you're using one. "Is this the sight picture I want"? That should be your last thought before the arrow goes off. Twenty yards with todays equipment is just about "Slam Dunk" country. The only thing that makes it not so is hunter preparation, practice and the "Lime Jello" moments caused by buck fever. You've had yours... time to dedicate yourself not to do it again. Wish you luck.