Well, my season will be cut short due to surgery next week. Anyway, I went out this afternoon, and just before quitting time, was able to get a shot on a pretty big doe. Quartering away, 25 yards, saw the hit and it looked good, right where I was aiming. The arrow flew true, and the fletch disappeared where it struck, about center of the rib cage, and 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. The doe ran off with her twin fawns from this spring, a small doe and a button buck. She definitely ran strange, with the rear end loose and wobbly. The three deer ran out of the field, and into the woods, then down into the really thick part of the woods. I heard cracking branches, then a really loud crash. When I went to the hit site, I did not find the arrow, which surprised me. It looked like it went right through. I did not find any blood either. It was starting to get dark, so I went to where I saw the doe leave the field. There also, no blood at all![:@]

I kept looking around more carefully, and I found three places that were wet. I touched the clear-looking liquid and smelled it. It was clearly deer urine. I could see where there were fresh deer tracks in the woods, so I followed them for a while until it started to get too thick to walk easily. Still no blood, only one more splat of urine. With light failing, and only a flashlight to go by and again NO BLOOD, I decided to wait until morning to try to get on the trail again. If the deer fell where I heard the loud crash, then I feel like I have the location within 20-30 yard radius. The crash occurred maybe 75 - 80 yards from the hit site. I just didn' t want to blunder in and bump the deer if she was not dead as I think she is. Also it is confusing as to what happened to the arrow. I definitely saw the fletch disappear into the ribs of the deer. I am using short arrows (27" ) this year, but that is still a lot of arrow to be contained inside the body of a deer. The only thing I can think of is that the broadhead might have lodged in the off-side shoulder or the breastbone.
If it did exit, there should have been a lot of blood with the hit where it was.[:' (]

First light tomorrow, I will be back at it. Just wondering what any of you think might have happened. Thanks.

I have found that looking for the crash site first is trouble. Go to the hit site and FIND the blood. If your shot is as you think there will be blood. Look at the taller grasses or brush too. The deer I took two weeks ago left a light trail at first but as I followed it got really heavy and easy to follow. Blood on cactus and grass at impact heigth might be more obvious on a slow leaker, I' d think even lighter if the arrow is in the entry hole still. My point in this reply is its easier to trail than it is to look everywhere.

I hope all ends up well for you Joe. Sounds like you' re confident the shot was a good one. I was thinking that perhaps the bleeding is internal and that would explain the lack of a trail. It' s hard to say at this point though. As for the urine maybe you scared the piss out of her.

How long did you wait before you went to the crash sight.

It is unusual when a wounded deer doesn' t break away radically from other deer it is with [even its own offspring]. You have probably hit the nail on the head when you said that the arrow may be lodged in the opposite shoulder and unless you pushed her she shouldn' t be that far away but your main hit could be liver [and maybe one lung] . . . and that calls for a four hour wait before tracking.

Many well hit deer that I have shot don' t lay [or don' t lay much] of a blood trail for around 20 yards or so. Use the old fall back, go to the spot you think the hit happened then start a semi-circular search pattern in the direction the deer ran getting larger as you get farther from the hit site. The last tip I have is get down on your hands and knees . . . you' d be surprised at how much more you might see.

Thanks for the replys so far guys.

Dick, I did not go to the crash site at all. I didn' t want to do that with the failing light and no blood seen. I did check out the hit site, and really went over it for my arrow and looked for hair. I did not find any yet. That is where I will start in the morning. I do know exactly where she left the field, and the direction she headed from there to the place where I heard the crashing. I will try to follow the tracks I found leading in that direction. I have shot two other deer (1 flintlock, 1 bow) that did not leave any blood for 40-50 yards, with all of the bleeding internal. They only started bleeding through the mouth and nose when the lungs filled up. Hope to find the same happened with this girl.

One of my sons has volunteered to go with me in the morning for another set of eyes.

Good luck tomorrow, let us know how it turns out.

Joe good luck on the deer. I have some doubts about the heat over night. I had a friend shoot one Thursday evening.Found it yestersay in the morning and it was already spoiled.. plus dont forget the yotes.Make sure the meat is still good, for your safety

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Thanks, guys.

I found her this morning. The wife is having me move furniture right now.

I will post details later, and I have a pic if I can figure out how to post it.

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