Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Ok so this has happend to me twice this year. I shot a deer from my treestand, im 15 feet up, 20 yards away, and my arrow keeps deflecting in the deer. The last deer i shot it was quarting away, i took out the bottom lung, and hit the spine. Can anyone tell me how i can solve this. Maybe a heavier arrow?/

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

I'm totally confused. Which one is the bottom lung. LOL I think maybe it's more a shot selection thing than a deflection thing. If you hit the spine it's not good as far as placement. No way should you be hitting the spine on a quartering away. It's an acceptable shot, but I bet since he's within 20 yards you had a better opportunity or would get one before he got too far away. 15 feet up from 20 yards away is almost a flat ground level shot.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

What broadhead were you using?

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

What i meant to say the bottom of the one lung, and i was using wasp hammer 3-blade fixed 100g. Well see my arrow was stuck in the spine, and my arrow entered perfect for a quartering away shot, but my arrow was pointing upward when i pulled it out of the deer.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Could be a tuning issue, your arrow is "square" to the target when it arrives, ie...fish tailing? Don't know, seems odd although I've seen stranger things happen. Deer move quickly at the shot, could be numerous things. Check your arrow flight and see what happens on the next deer....good luck.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Could it be the deer landing on the arrow when it falls?

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Im gonna try a heavier arrow.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Shoot througha piece of paper and look at your hole and see how its ripped.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

I shoot Wasp SST Hammers, 85 gr on a 29" 2413 about 440 gr. I do not have deflections like that. Check your tuning like others have suggested.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

I don't think the arrow has any thing to do with it. Take a good look at your broadhead and are if your getting really bad arrow fight. I have shot 350 to 400 grain arrow for ever and never had a problem like this. The only time I seen something like this is once a tried a new mechanical broadhead. I shot 3 deer that year with no problems, but when I shot a bull elk at 40 yard it deflected the arrow and I quit using them. The arrow blew through him and stuck in the ground, but went in the second rib in broad side and came out in front of his back leg. This year I shot two deer and the 85 grain thunderheads and a 414 grain Axis arrows passed through. They went straight through and stuck in the ground just like I didn't hit anything.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Certainly don't want to second guess you, mobow, but if the deer is jumping and landing on the arrow (causing it to shift) why is the arrow not deeper (or a pass through) at 20 yards? Sounds like a penetration problem UNLESS the arrow is hitting the spine on the initial shot. My guess is the spine is stopping the penetraion which means you have another issue.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Right. I'm thinking maybe the arrow is only penetrating half way, then when the deer falls it pushes the arrow up into the spine...

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Its not a tuning problem guys, actually itsa common, its no different than an arrow hitting a limb.
Sometimes the arrow goes stright through, sometimes it deflects off of a rib or other bone. I shot one onetime that was a perfect broadside and the entrance hole was right in the pocket behind the shoulder where it should be, yet the exit hole was almost at the end of the ribs on the other side and I have never hunted with a untuned bow or arrow.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

Certain BH's do deflect more then others do!

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

I shot a deer last year from 33 yards and 20 feet up. Hit him perfect in the low 12 spot. The exit hole was out his spine. I was using a Axis 340 and a slick trick. Actually looked like I fliped the deer over. He ended up on his back with all 4 feet in the air. Didn't go but a few yards.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

My last two years both my deer have been taken with internally deflected shots. Both deflected at entry off ribs. I was fortunate to recover both. I likewise use wasps but am thinking about switching to a slightly more rugged head with a better chisel point tip. (I am NOT blaming the BH for what happened, however they seem to have somewhat weaker, more bendableferrules than other heads).

I have a theory inspired by some here on HNI. I will be trying a slightly heavier arrow and insert to increase my FOC which is now around 10%. I am not sold on anything yet but we will see. Something is making my arrow deflect I believe. By process of elimination it can only be 1) the BH's blades and especially tip dulling or 2) low FOC and/or light arrow. I dont know of anything else that can cause deflections other than chance.

RE: Arrow deflecting in deer.
 

I know that these (Bullet Point) chisel point heads will deflect alot more. Just by looking at the design you can see that happening. I shoot Cut On Contact heads, thats one of the many reasons why I shoot them! To each there own though.