(unless coyotes get it) Will my deer still be good in the morn? The low for tonight is 53I believe. I have never seen a blood trail this good with no dead deer. I shot just a hair low but when I went to recover my arrow I saw blood imediately. I gathered my thoughts and concluded that it had to have been a heart shot. I tracked a short distance and kicked it up, so I withdrew from the woods and waited awhile. I got my two younger brothers and we started on the trail again. My arrow had broken off and I recovered the front half. I assumed we'd find the back half while tracking, I know I shot this deer quartering away, right behind the shoulder but just a little low. While tracking the blood turns to just small drops, then a big puddle. Then GUTS!! The back half of my arrow must be inside the deer poking the guts and its worked its way all the way to the exit hole. We tracked this thing about 130 yds and kicked it up a 2nd time. It crossed a highway and we marked the last blood. Decided to pick up the trail again in the morning. (flashlights dead now) This is no monster deer by any means. Its a yearling doe, (dont judge me) I shot a mature doe 2 weeks ago and this young doe gave me a shot I couldnt pass up. Our area is way overpopulated, and Im shooting as many does as possible to try to control the herd. This thing couldnt have weighed in at more than 70 lbs, and I live in IOWA. Thats a small deer. Anyways, do you think that the meat will be OK at temps of low to mid 50s. I usually dont wait til morning unless it drops to 30's but obviously I had no other choice. Please give me your input.

It'll be close, but you should be ok, especially if you find her quickly. What may also help is the actual time of death. As I'm sure you concluded, there's no way you shot her in the heart......If she makes even a couple more hours tonight that would help. I think she will be fine, just get her cleaned out and cooled off as quick as you can.

How much time between the two times you jumped her?

To answer your question, though.....what's the temp, right now? If it's already 53....I think you'll be fine.

I am never a fan of an immediate track. If I don't see the animal go down, I wait....that's the reason. The doe I shot, Matt heard her go down. I questioned the shot, we backed out, 2 hours...she was there where we heard her crash...but what if...

Now, your deer will be okay however the meat won't be as good as if you recovered her earlier. It's important to get the organs and blood out of a dead animal as quickly as possible. That is regulated by the hit however, liver, 4 hours, guts 8 hours and get them. Yours is probably down now and I'd probably go get her for optimal eating meat, however, it's still edible if you wait to morning but might not quite be as tasty as if you'd recover her yet tonight. I wish you the best of luck regardless of the maturity of the animal. We owe her the same effort as Matt put in on his trophy buck. Good luck, I sincerely hope we read of the good news.

If possible I'd say go out tonight. It never fails that the ones you walk up on aren't dead yet, but the ones you wait hours for were dead 10 seconds after the shot. Also, if possible use a Coleman lantern, it really shows the blood much better than a flashlight. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck.

thanks guys. as for the hit I know that it was right behind the shoulder. but with the angle I may have completely missed the vitals. The shot looked picture perfect but the vitals are much smaller on a fawn than a big mature doe, which Im beginning to think I just hit a good vain or something. Like I said though, after about 100 to 120yds on the trail we starting seeing stomach matter. I was shocked and didnt believe it, so I stuck my finger in it and smelled it. YUP its guts. I did hear it crash and started on the trail within about 25 mins I think. After kicking her up I waited about 1 1/2, the blood was still very good so I thought that 1 1/2 hrs would be more than enough. I would have put in new batterys and looked more but the deer went into some grass and lots of underbrush. I figured it'd be best to wait til morning. Plus we couldnt find anymore blood after the deer crossed the highway, it looked like it literally laid down in the middle of the road. There was a huge puddle and then a couple drops to the other side, then nothing. Thanks again guys, Ill let you know if there was anything left of her tomarrow. We have a pretty good pack of 'yotes that'll be thinned down once trapping season opens Nov 1st.

idn man i shot a doe earler this year and left it over night with 55 degree temps and the meat was no good. The thing that might help is that if she doesent die real quickly then thats the shorter amount of time the meat has to go bad.

How did you know the meat was bad?

Find it orforget it. If ya do the best you can there's no shame. Move on.