What did I hit
12-13-2009, 07:16 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 5
What did I hit
Long story...but a question and a testimonial to Tracking Dogs. A couple of weeks ago I had a great 20 yd shot at a nice 10 pt. took the shot, hit, but the arrow did not pass through. The shot was slightly quartering away and because the arrow did not pass through I know very well where it hit. Slightly back, but that should be good on the entrance of a quartering away shot, the only thing I really did not like is that it was a little high. Given that the arrow did not pass through, decided to wait about 90 minutes before I get down to look for blood. Get down, no blood, call my brother we look for about 30 min., still no blood. We are about two hours from the shot, so we decide to do a grid search. We go about 1.5 hrs, and at that point I remember some posts I have seen about tracking dogs. So, call the wife and a quick google search later I am speaking to a guy with a Bavarian Mountain Hound who is coming out in 90 minutes to help us search...so we pull out and wait on the dog.
The dog arrives, and we go back to the spot where I took the shot. He IMMEDIATELY is on the scent and we are off and running. We find a few spots of blood along the way so we know he is on the right track. Long and painful story short we tracked this deer for about 2-3 miles up hills, across fences, across streams but no luck. We finally called it about 9 hours after the shot. Very little blood the whole time and we never found the arrow, which almost certainly means it stayed in the deer, as I know we were following the exact path of the deer with the dogs help.
So the points:
1) I still cannot figure out where I could have hit the deer to not get a pass through. The entrance hit was a bit high, but obviously not spine, and a touch back, but I needed to shoot a bit back due to the quartering away angle. I had convinced myself that I hit the exit side shoulder and that stopped the arrow. That would have been a great shot and we would have been eating back strap Monday night. If I misjudged how far back the arrow went and it was gut shot, there is no way that arrow stops, 20 yds with a 70 lb pull Reezen, the arrow exits. So what did I hit? Any ideas, would be appreciated, it is a week later and it is still driving me insane, it just absolutely hurts to know I hit something but did not recover it.
2) Those tracking dogs work,and if you know you hit something, but cannot find the trail USE THEM. I was absolutely amazed with this dogs ability, he went everywhere and was all business for about 4 hours. For a total cost of $100 to come out (and this was about a 75 minute drive for dog and handler) and another $100 if they find the deer. That dog earned all $200 and he got it (was not his fault we did not find the deer, that was all me). I cannot possibly over state how impressed I was with this animal, he had a ton of heart and was all business. The handler was a great guy who worked his tail off to help me try to find this deer as well, just totally amazed with the experience.
Appreciate any feedback on where that arrow hit to not pass through, it is a week later and it is still driving me nuts to know that I did not recover the animal.
The dog arrives, and we go back to the spot where I took the shot. He IMMEDIATELY is on the scent and we are off and running. We find a few spots of blood along the way so we know he is on the right track. Long and painful story short we tracked this deer for about 2-3 miles up hills, across fences, across streams but no luck. We finally called it about 9 hours after the shot. Very little blood the whole time and we never found the arrow, which almost certainly means it stayed in the deer, as I know we were following the exact path of the deer with the dogs help.
So the points:
1) I still cannot figure out where I could have hit the deer to not get a pass through. The entrance hit was a bit high, but obviously not spine, and a touch back, but I needed to shoot a bit back due to the quartering away angle. I had convinced myself that I hit the exit side shoulder and that stopped the arrow. That would have been a great shot and we would have been eating back strap Monday night. If I misjudged how far back the arrow went and it was gut shot, there is no way that arrow stops, 20 yds with a 70 lb pull Reezen, the arrow exits. So what did I hit? Any ideas, would be appreciated, it is a week later and it is still driving me insane, it just absolutely hurts to know I hit something but did not recover it.
2) Those tracking dogs work,and if you know you hit something, but cannot find the trail USE THEM. I was absolutely amazed with this dogs ability, he went everywhere and was all business for about 4 hours. For a total cost of $100 to come out (and this was about a 75 minute drive for dog and handler) and another $100 if they find the deer. That dog earned all $200 and he got it (was not his fault we did not find the deer, that was all me). I cannot possibly over state how impressed I was with this animal, he had a ton of heart and was all business. The handler was a great guy who worked his tail off to help me try to find this deer as well, just totally amazed with the experience.
Appreciate any feedback on where that arrow hit to not pass through, it is a week later and it is still driving me nuts to know that I did not recover the animal.
12-13-2009, 04:25 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Moravia NY USA
Posts: 2,164
Most likely hit the bones attached to the top of the spine - which is much lower then most think and very easy to do from a treestand.
Please don't take this wrong, but you don't know very well exactly where you hit.
If it really was where you thought, no deer goes miles and is unrecovered with a dog.
Excellent chance this deer is alive and you may see him again.
Please don't take this wrong, but you don't know very well exactly where you hit.
If it really was where you thought, no deer goes miles and is unrecovered with a dog.
Excellent chance this deer is alive and you may see him again.
12-14-2009, 03:10 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Deer Country
Posts: 2,244
I am going to disagree with you on this, my guess is you hit high and further up and hit the off shoulder, if you hit back (liver) area you should have blowen through that deer. What heads are you using?
12-14-2009, 05:54 PM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 5
Steve, you may be correct, I was definitely higher than I wanted to be, and could have been higher than I realized in the heat of the moment. Have never heard of the bones coming off the spine stopping an arrow...but that is why I am asking, I clearly have something to learn.
Solo - shooting 100gr Slick Tricks. If I hit shoulder it would have been on exit (which would have been dead deer), the arrow was definitely back, and the sound was more a thud as opposed to the loud crack I would expect if I hit shoulder on entry.
Appreciate the feedback.
Steve you may have it, I have never heard of the bones off the spine stopping an arrow, but I definitely hit something I have never heard of before.
Solo - shooting 100gr Slick Tricks. If I hit shoulder it would have been on exit (which would have been dead deer), the arrow was definitely back, and the sound was more a thud as opposed to the loud crack I would expect if I hit shoulder on entry.
Appreciate the feedback.
Steve you may have it, I have never heard of the bones off the spine stopping an arrow, but I definitely hit something I have never heard of before.
12-14-2009, 07:16 PM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Burleson Texas
Posts: 12,560
I did the same thing on a monster buck this year hunting in Oklahoma. I was a far shot 45 yards and the buck dropped in his tracks. He stayed down three minutes and then walked in the woods. I lost is blood trail, used dogs and never found him. I'm sure I hit him high. I didn't get a pass through the arrow broke when he dropped but blood was dripping on both sides. I just hope I pierced him and he didn't die.
I'm real confident of my shooting, but I think I misjudged the distance a little.
I should have sent another arrow, but I after seeing him drop instantly I thought I nailed him.
That's bow hunting.
I'm real confident of my shooting, but I think I misjudged the distance a little.
I should have sent another arrow, but I after seeing him drop instantly I thought I nailed him.
That's bow hunting.
