Question out of curiosity
12-10-2009, 05:19 PM
#31
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 747
An arrow will come to a complete stop on a deer shoulder or richoche out away from vitals. You did the right thing. I'd go over the land next time you get a chance just to see if you can find the arrow. But in my experience and opinion if you feel you did a reasonable search and exhausted all evidence of trail then you did all you were bound to do. You backed out and let the deer have room to die and went back the next morning. You did a thorough tracking job. You lost a deer. That sums it up and nothing about that line of statements are wrong. Hell I hit a buck in the shoulder with a 150 grn hornady 30-06 load Sunday and it still made it 60 yards before it dropped. You hit yours with a broad head. lol It probably pulled it out with its teeth and ate it for breakfast while sitting on the top of the hill watching you crawl through the woods on your hands and knees. Sorry just kidding. But seriously I've been there too. It's not a good feeling but it happens. In my opinion any bowhunter that says they havent ever lost a deer is either lying or they haven't been bowhunting for very long. I wish you nothing but the best and I hope you find your arrow.
12-11-2009, 09:03 PM
#33
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Dry Fork
Posts: 51
I don't think he was bashing you man. Actually sounds like he was backing you up but, at the same time saying damn, 13 hours, are you sure?! Take it easy man, Halfbaked seems to be a pretty good fellow around here.
12-12-2009, 05:49 AM
#34
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,563
Pushing a poorly hit deer is the best way to insure it will not be recovered.
It was a wet rainy day and that only added to the missery of trying to locate it. I left it for an hour and a half as it was early in the morning that the shot was made. I also notices the white hair on the ground as well as a fatty substance on my arrow. Both which indicated a low shot or perhaps a gut shot. So I went home and let it lay for a while and got out my rain gear. It was a pain to track as it went up a ridge rather than heading towards a small stream as I would suspect. I was taught early in hunting that a wounded deer will walk with it's toes spread for balance and that played a big part in the recovery of it. I circled around for about 4 hours before I came acrossed it. While making my circles I noticed where a deer walked with it's toes spread up onto a ridge and sure enough when I got there it had gotten up and went down towards a cedar swamp. I knew right then with all the time that had elasped that I needed to go in behind it. It had laid down shortly after getting in the swamp. Upon seeing me it got back up only to recieve another shot this time connecting directly to both lungs and that was pretty much the end of it.
Upon the original shot it was hit only in the flank just under the belly area. The skin was still holding together and the penetration was roughly one inch going straight threw. So is it possible to recover with your shot? Based on my own experience I would say yes.. If not pressured in any way and given time to lay and bleed out I see no reason as to why not..
12-12-2009, 07:12 AM
#36
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: delmar/federalsburg, md
Posts: 102
the arrow isnt always an indication of a hit! i shoot a 9pt this yr hit him perfect. exited rite in his armpit. the arrow or broadhead had hardly any blood just a few hairs on the fletches. he ran 120yd and expired. i shot an old big bodied buck last yr while stalking. hit him in the shoulder and saw the arrow sticking out and it broke off when he took off. i compared it to my other arrows and it looked like i had 4inches of penetration but its hard to tell really. an arrow can and will back out as a deer turns to run. i searched off and on the whole wk. not much blood at all. shoulder hits happen. ive found myself aiming a tab bit further back and im pulling a lil over 70lbs.
