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-   -   Just shouldered a doe...will she live?? (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bowhunting/303617-just-shouldered-doe-will-she-live.html)

blindluck 09-14-2009 06:27 AM

every bow hunter is gonna encounter this problem before too long...jus give er time and she'll die...you might have one heck of a time findin her though so stick with it...how much penetration did you get?

minnesotadeer 09-14-2009 07:05 AM

What Greg says is very true. I guess it all depends on how well you got a look at where the arrow was and how much was sticking out. In my case, it was right in the middle of the shoulder and between half and three quarters was sticking out. Hence the wise old hunter telling me, give it time because she may or may not make it with a shot like that.

The other thing to consider is though it may be hot out, she may not expire for a very long time yet depending on the hit, so the meat may still be fine, and you may be tracking a live deer that may have a lot of run left in her. It's a tough call, but you're the one in the situation and can determine it best.

I was just trying to offer some perspective, not saying one way or the other is right. Perhaps a compromise is to start looking soon, but keeping the search party to one or two people and moving sloooooowww, like a turtle, watching and looking everywhere as you go. Good luck. Let us know how it works out.

Western MA Hunter 09-14-2009 07:35 AM


Originally Posted by marshall9779 (Post 3440157)
I would just say that since you're not sure about the hit, just give her until mid day or early afternoon and try and pick up the trail with some help if you can.


Yeah... give her some time.. then go in after her...
could be dead in there...

brushbustin 09-14-2009 08:08 AM

Good luck and be sure to update us when you get back from looking for her! Hope you find her.

Red 5 stdby 09-14-2009 08:42 AM

All good posts above. The only additional advice I have is to look near water. If she was running hard and is bleeding internally she may head to water to rehydrate and bed down.

kwilson16 09-14-2009 09:10 AM

What kind of sound did the impact make?
Did you find the arrow? And, was there blood on it? How far up the shaft did the blood go?

Howler 09-14-2009 09:58 AM

Depending on how much penetration you got, she may or may not die. Like Greg said, if it didn't get through the shoulder, then yo won't find her and she won't die from that hit.
But, you stilll gotta look, and hopefully you at least find the arrow and from that, you will have a better idea of what did or didn't happen.

lodiss 09-14-2009 11:41 AM

I shot a nice buck last year. It was a bit forward and went right into the shoulder blade. The arrow stayed in the dear. I watched him run 80 yards and fall over. However, I wanted to see his blood trail just for the practice. Not one ounce of blood! It was all internal.

Give her time for sure though!

Ben / PA 09-14-2009 12:26 PM

With a high hit like that, blood is gonna be scarce. Make sure you grid out the area and look real good before just calling her a survivor. If you got through that shoulder, she's dead.

early in 09-14-2009 12:45 PM


Originally Posted by Red 5 stdby (Post 3440390)
All good posts above. The only additional advice I have is to look near water. If she was running hard and is bleeding internally she may head to water to rehydrate and bed down.

This is the best advice I've head yet, if there is indeed water around. I would start looking at very first light in the morning, not sooner. That deer will likely live into the night. If she dies tonight the meat will be fine in the morning. This is how I would handle this situation.


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