7MMXBOLT

Truthfully....Hitting her in the vitals was your best option no matter what broadhead your using. You most likely hit her high in the liver or a gut shot and should give her the night to expire. A deer that takes more than 1/2 hr to pass is a deer not hit in the vitals. A wounded deer can live a long time if pushed and if the wound has clotted, may never bleed again making it tough for the inexperienced tracker. The more she gets pushed the less likely you will find her. I'm going to let you in on a little secret... a deer does not close it's eye's when it die's so that's not a sure sign it is dead. Out of all the deer I have ever taken not one had their eye's closed.

Give her time and good luck.
Find a water hole...she'll probably go there from dehydration.

Bible_Man

Bigger hole would have made no difference whatsoever. If she wasn't hit in the vitals, it's gonna be a lengthy process, no matter what hit her. If there was a shot available, you should have put another arrow in her.

chazspot

Sounds logical. The reason I think it might have been helpful to not totally do the waiting game is, after reading the thread "What to do after the shot" it mentions it can be helpful to sometimes push them. I would have definitely put another arrow in her if I could have, but she was too far. Also, years ago I gut shot a deer and got down within an hour and pushed her. She ended up over exerting herself and provided me another shot, which of course put her away quickly.

Thanks. I should have been more clear in my post. I meant to say she was holding her head up and looking around.

7MMXBOLT

Sorry if I came across as being rude! But ya, pushing a deer that is wounded in never a good idea because of the simple fact you have no idea just how servier the wound really is. The best thing to do is let her be, she will lay down as soon as she is comfortable that the threat is gone. You can almost be certain that she will head to water at some point because of her injury if she can make it there. Nearly every wounded deer that I have had the previlage of tracking made it to water and have even found them floating in it. They will actually get in the water to cool themselves and end up dying while there.

halfbakedi420

Furgitter should chime in? No? Never a good idea to shoot arrows at moving deer.

chazspot

I agree. This is my primary take away from this hunt.

JasonR686

Most broadheads will be need to be tuned. Make sure the pick the right arrow, broadhead, spine, and broadhead weight for your bow. There are many calculators out that will help you, or a shop. Good luck!