Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

I have a question for all of you that might be able to answer it. Today while bow hunting, I was able to shoot a large 5x5 typical buck. I will explain the story first, and then ask my question......

I made what looked like a "good" shot on him right behind the shoulder from 30 yards. I waited about 30 mins and went to find my arrow, whenI found it, it was covered with hair and meat, but no blood. My friend and I tried to track the deer for several hours with no luck, not one drop of blood to be found.

I have been told that there is a small void between the top of the lungs and the spine that is all mussell, and will not bleed. Is this true, couldI have hit this "void", and has anyone had this happen to them? I stress again to everyone that the arrow had alot of hair and meat/mussell in the broadhead and the fletching was covered with the meat/mussell as well, so I know that the arrow passed through the buck, but no blood at all.

Thanks for any help anyone has.

C

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

What color was the hair?

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

Dark Brown

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

That is not true. A lot of hunters though believe that they shot below the spine when in actuality they hit above. The spine sits just below (maybe an inch or two) the hide around the mid-point of the deer, however, it drops down significantly around the shoulders. If hunting from a stand a person could easily mistake this type of hit.

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

From what I read , yea you hit the void spot but don't worry about the deer it will live.
Try to aim a little lower next time.

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

I agree with Bob especially that what we think we see is not what we actually see. I shot a buck on film one year, I swore up and down I saw the arrow go through the shoulder. Had it not been for the camera man over my shoulder who saw my arrow go high because the deer dropped at the shot. Sure enough, playing back the shot, the arrow was on it's mark, the deer dropped and I glanced it off his back, through muscle and hair.

RD, I still don't pass the myth of the "void" area. I'm still convinced that the lungs press up against the bottom of the spine when inflated however when deflated you still can catch the upper lobes. The void area I find is in front or behind the lungs and under the spine.

http://home.mn.rr.com/deerfever/Anatomy.html

http://forums.mathewsinc.com/viewtopic.php?t=21358

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

A high muscle hit would explain the lack of bloodand themeat (muscle). Since muscle wounds don't squirt blood under pressure like wounds to arteries and lungs, a lot of blood can soak into the deer's thick back fur as it seeps out before enough comes out forit too run off and get to the ground where you can see it. It would most likely be first visible on a bloodtrail when it gets wiped off on branches and other vegetation where the deer's sides touched rather than on the ground. A deer can cover a lot of ground before that happens. If you can't tell where the deer went at first, you may never see any signs of bleeding at all.

Rob's anatomy links are some of the best I've found. Notice that the lungs only occupy the bottom 2/3rds of the chest cavity. The whole top 3rd is off limits with a bow, and not even the best choice with a gun. Yeah you can take the deer down with a solid hit to the spineusing arugged broadhead, and the carotid artery runs the whole length of the underside of the spine, but theypresent too small of amargin for errorto warrant intentionally targeting them.

From a treestand, the spine appears even lower in the body than with a broadside shot, and at too steep of an angle the spine will obscure the far lung badly enough that a double-lung is almost impossible. If you hit just one lung, I hope you bring a lunch because it could be a long day.

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

Sounds like you hit that area that you are talking about. He should be fine and maybe youll get a crack at him next year

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

Take a look at this deer which was reportly spined. I'd have to say that this was lower spine though, butit definetely broke the spine.Also look at the muscle surrounding the spine. The front leg forward makes look a little obscure. But you can get the idea:

RE: Need Some Wise Words of Wisdom!
 

Thanks to all who replyed? I shot the deer yesterday morning at 7:30am and spent almost all day looking for him, and then sat in my blind that evening to see if he would come back in...with no luck, went out again this moring before heading to work and walked around to see if maybe there was any new sign. I also checked my trail camera to see if he visted during the night, but no luck. I think I hit him high, my gut reaction after the shot was I shot to high, however my friend who was in the blind with me watching said no it was a great hit...well I think maybe my gut instint was correct. I hope that the hit was not fatal as I have done a large grid type of a search with no luck. I did havea nice picture of him from the night before that I would attach for all to see but am not sure how to do that.

C