Do you think this shot is fatal?
01-11-2003, 06:26 AM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
Just a thought! Inspect the hair a little closer. Sometimes what appears to be white hair (from belly) is not. Even the brown body hair appears to be white when laying on ground , until you look closer and see what looks like a blackish brown tip.
The pink blood and gore would be enough to keep me optimistic. I hope you find her!
>>>---Doug--->
The pink blood and gore would be enough to keep me optimistic. I hope you find her!
>>>---Doug--->
01-11-2003, 07:21 AM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Heaven IA USA
Posts: 2,597
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
All kinds of crazy things can happen when an arrow hits an animal. If there is a lot of white hair and you have ruled out the neck then it has to come from belly hair. The arrow could have hit the scapula and angled down into the off shoulder area as has been mentioned. If this was the case there should be more than six inches of penetration, unless you didn't hit her as far up as you think.
As far as being fatal it would all depend on the path of the shaft and that is difficult to tell from cyberspace.
I do wish you well and hope you find her. Keep us posted.
As far as being fatal it would all depend on the path of the shaft and that is difficult to tell from cyberspace.
I do wish you well and hope you find her. Keep us posted.
01-11-2003, 07:40 AM
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: sandown nh USA
Posts: 40
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
I had the same thing happen to me , high hit 20 yards away my arrowstuck in the side she turned I could hear it banging off trees it broke off , there was blood all over the arrow up 10 inches, no blood trail, It rained soon after and all night and the next day, I found the deer after 4 days she must of layed down and not moved we must have allmost stepped on her seaching, she was not 80 yards from my stand I found the coyote boned carcass and the rest of my arrow but it was a kill shot so keep checking.when she ran she was low in the front.and not jumping.IT did make me sick that I couldnt find her so I have a new bow with one sight this will help me with my yardage problems
01-11-2003, 08:22 AM
#15
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fredericksburg Virginia USA
Posts: 13,672
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
I am leaning more towards kriskens thesis, I have one question, when you shot was her leg forward or back, if it was back you may have hit her leg/elbow accounting for the loud thwack, and continued on through under her armpit, both places have white hair, and tallow/gristle, or what you are calling white tissue, does the white tissue feel slippery/greasy? The pink tissue as stated is probably lung.
The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog
01-11-2003, 10:19 AM
#16
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sheridan AR USA
Posts: 73
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
Ok I am back from bloodtrailing and taking a break. I am getting frustrated. The initial trail (heading west) has some pink blood and small amounts of lung matter, but this tapers off and the blood turns solid red. The trail continues west for 75 yards through the woods to a grown up firetrail. In the middle of the firetrail is a huge spot of thick red blood where it appears the deer bedded down. This blood is very fresh and the first sign of fresh blood.
Here is where it gets confusing.
From the apparent bedding spot the trail continues northwest into a thicket. However the trail has both dried blood and fresh blood. The trail continues west for about 150 yards through the thicket onto another firetrail. The trail through the thicket is primarily dried blood, very little fresh. The trail then turns northeast and stays on the new firetrail. Again, both fresh and dried blood on this firetrail, with more fresh than dried. The trail continues northeast along this firetrail for 50 yards (and uphill) to the edge of a neighbor's yard and onto their property. Here I am not starting to see fresh blood anymore but very large spots of dried blood. The trail turns east and runs about 50 yards to another field (my neighbor's). This spot is fairly close to where I shot the deer. I need to get their permission before continuing the trail. However, this last part of the trail the blood is all dried and not fresh. Did the deer backtrack itself? I am really not sure what to do.
I would think I should focus on the fresh blood. The last points of fresh blood are the bedding spot, and somewhere on that last firetrail running northeast. I may go back to the bedding spot and see if I can find another trail leading from it.
One explanation may be that the deer after being shot started to make a very large circle, somewhere and sometime near my neighbor's house it turned around and backtracked itself, and bedded down on the first firetrail.
If you have any advise or wisdom, please share. Thank you.
Here is where it gets confusing.
From the apparent bedding spot the trail continues northwest into a thicket. However the trail has both dried blood and fresh blood. The trail continues west for about 150 yards through the thicket onto another firetrail. The trail through the thicket is primarily dried blood, very little fresh. The trail then turns northeast and stays on the new firetrail. Again, both fresh and dried blood on this firetrail, with more fresh than dried. The trail continues northeast along this firetrail for 50 yards (and uphill) to the edge of a neighbor's yard and onto their property. Here I am not starting to see fresh blood anymore but very large spots of dried blood. The trail turns east and runs about 50 yards to another field (my neighbor's). This spot is fairly close to where I shot the deer. I need to get their permission before continuing the trail. However, this last part of the trail the blood is all dried and not fresh. Did the deer backtrack itself? I am really not sure what to do.
I would think I should focus on the fresh blood. The last points of fresh blood are the bedding spot, and somewhere on that last firetrail running northeast. I may go back to the bedding spot and see if I can find another trail leading from it.
One explanation may be that the deer after being shot started to make a very large circle, somewhere and sometime near my neighbor's house it turned around and backtracked itself, and bedded down on the first firetrail.
If you have any advise or wisdom, please share. Thank you.
01-11-2003, 02:12 PM
#18
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sheridan AR USA
Posts: 73
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
Okay, I walked the entire bloodtrail again looking much more closely than before. I found little pieces of bone in some of the blood spots. I found more lung blood and blood with bubbles than I thought, even past the first firetrail. In the bedding spot, I found a red bloody gelatin-like substance; could this be heart tissue? I also found this substance in the thicket west of the bedding spot in some of the blood spots.
I am kind of at a loss for what my next plan should be. I was wrong before, there is no fresh blood on the second firetrail, it is all dried. The only fresh blood exists between the bedding spot and the middle of the thicket. I have walked the thicket on both sides of the blood trail looking for a new trail or the deer. I have made circles around the bedding spot looking for a new trail or the deer. I have checked both ponds near the area, and the creek.
In my opinion this deer has lost a lot of blood and some lung tissue, and possibly heart tissue. There is a 250 yd blood trail, with good blood sign all along it, and some of it has been walked twice by the deer. I also found blood on limbs and small trees about 3' off the ground. The blood is usually on the left side of the tracks.
Should I continue walking the blood trail or try something different? The deer behind my house are very consistent in their movements. They show up in the field where I shot this one at least once a week. If this deer survives, I will see it again for sure. I'm starting to think if this deer dies I'm not going to find it. Too bad all my hunting friends live so far away, I don't have anyone to help me. Thanks everybody for your encouragement and help.
I am kind of at a loss for what my next plan should be. I was wrong before, there is no fresh blood on the second firetrail, it is all dried. The only fresh blood exists between the bedding spot and the middle of the thicket. I have walked the thicket on both sides of the blood trail looking for a new trail or the deer. I have made circles around the bedding spot looking for a new trail or the deer. I have checked both ponds near the area, and the creek.
In my opinion this deer has lost a lot of blood and some lung tissue, and possibly heart tissue. There is a 250 yd blood trail, with good blood sign all along it, and some of it has been walked twice by the deer. I also found blood on limbs and small trees about 3' off the ground. The blood is usually on the left side of the tracks.
Should I continue walking the blood trail or try something different? The deer behind my house are very consistent in their movements. They show up in the field where I shot this one at least once a week. If this deer survives, I will see it again for sure. I'm starting to think if this deer dies I'm not going to find it. Too bad all my hunting friends live so far away, I don't have anyone to help me. Thanks everybody for your encouragement and help.
01-11-2003, 03:06 PM
#19
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Detroit
Posts: 858
RE: Do you think this shot is fatal?
With that much blood loss chances are the deer is down. The Gelatinous matter is the blood trying to clot, but then being pushed out by yet more blood...a good sign.
Deer will bactrack many times ocaissionally, pick the freshest and try to follow that. Do you have anyone near with a beagle or a dog with a good nose? You'll find her, just keep looking. Every time you go out you see more of the picture in my experience. Good luck and keep us posted.
Trushot }}------>
Deer will bactrack many times ocaissionally, pick the freshest and try to follow that. Do you have anyone near with a beagle or a dog with a good nose? You'll find her, just keep looking. Every time you go out you see more of the picture in my experience. Good luck and keep us posted.
Trushot }}------>