There is 4" of blood on the broken shaft + 3-4" of penetration from the portion of the broken shaft that is missing. I say dead deer but it will certainly be a difficult trail job. Without an exit hole, blood trails will always be more sparse. If you want her,I believe she is dead.

That has to be a shoulder blade the way you describe. Based on what I see, it probably went through the shoulder blade and snapped off as it was embedded. At 63 lbs you would think you get more penetration.

That deer could be dead. I saw it happen to someone with the same circumstance and penetration. We found the deer a week later with the arrow embedded in the shoulder blade and only 2-3 inches penetration for there was enough to bleed it to death internally. If you can get a decent tracking dog.

Yeah thats not much penetration at all. I can almost guarantee you hit that thick and heavy shoulder bone.Dont know if that coulda poked a vital or not

I'm just sayin' Rory, how much confidence are you going to have in switching to a brand new broadhead mid season, you could run into tuning issues, flight issues, etc that would just get you more frustrated than you are right now. Al though I dod not like expandables, you've seen plenty of kill son here with Rages. You know you can shoot, you were just aoff a little in this case. Chin up!

The one thing that I can't stand about carbon arrows Is the evidence they leave you with after a shot!! If an aluminum arrow hits a good solid bone and stays In the deer It will likely break off flush with the deer with hardly any bend to it. If an aluminum hits bone but Its not that solid of a bone it will bend more and then break off. From what I've seen on carbons they all do the same no matter what so I guess the picture doesn't tell me a damn thing on what I was hoping to find.

I could see this still being a lung hit In the shoulder blade being your using a 3 blade mechanical. You might have a deer down yet Rory. A 100 yard circle Is really nothing. Make a much, much bigger swing then that when you go back. I've seen double lung heart shots go over 100 yards before. I wish I could give you a hand there Rory.

Good luck buddy!!

Rory, hang in there bud, head back out and give it another try, you just might need to clear the ol' head and get a fresh start....Best of luck to you buddy...

I don't believe ANYONE'S arrow can completely penetrate the shoulder knuckle. NOT the shoulder blade, but the knuckle, or "joint".

100% right on if that's where you hit! Usually on a knuckle hit your lucky to get an inch or so of penetration.

SOunds like you connected with some hard shoulder bone! Chin up man get back out there and see if by chance hell show back up. He just may. I hit a great 6 pointer last year and hit him in the leg because my arrow hit a small branch i couldnt see, the next day he was standing in the cornfield infront of my stand.

Rory, this is why they call it hunting, not killing. I would at least look for her for one more day. Check out the places you think she might have gone and bedded in if the blood trail is non-existent. If you can't find her or more blood then she probably lived with that little penetration. This happens to every bowhunter, so i would use it as a learning point and not something to be down about.

Happened to me about 6 years ago. Shot a buck straight underneath the stand and for whatever reason didn't get much penetration and the broadhead broke off in his back and the arrow came out. Never found him but was a learning experience nonetheless.