Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Here's the situation, shot a doe last night at 4:55. Quartering away, pass through, bright red blood and some white hair at the shot site. Waited an hour went to the hit site with a friend (jroot on this board). Followed a blood trail that was sparse for 20 yds then picked up. Lots of blood, but not a ton like some I've seen. The blood trail was inconsistent, there was lots of blood in places then not much blood at all, then it would pick up again. After about 130 yds or so we heard a deer take off on our right side, bad sign. This was about 2 hours after the shot.

Now the doe had 2 off spring with her so we thought maybe that was one of them and she would be up there. We talked it over and decided if the trail turned right we would back out for the night. we followed the trail about another 20 yds and then it just stopped. We backed out for the night and when I went out this morning I found blood ( a lot of blood) for about another 10 yds from where we stopped and then nothing, not a thing. I did widening circles, nothing. I went down hill towards water thinking I might find her, nothing. I'm not done looking by a long shot but I wanted your opinions on this.

Lay of the land: The trail we were following was along a ridgetop (when I say ridgetop in MD terms it means a small hill, but running in a ridge formation none the less) there is a stream fairly close on the right side (80-100 yds) and another on the left that is farther away (200 + yds.) both down hill. It is very thick every where in there so "checking the thick stuff" is not an option. If you follow the ridge further it crosses a logging road and then more woods. On the right, at the head of the stream, are some houses.

Her path: She ran pretty much straight away the entire time then made a '?' type of pattern at the end. I'm guessing this is where we jumped her and we're not finding blood because she ran a ways. She stayed on the top of the ridge mostly and her last straight line (10 yds) was headed along the ridge. The last 30 yds or so were the top of the '?'. So she could have 1) ran staright 2) completed the '?' and doubled back.

If anyone has any other ideas and/or suggestions I'd appreciate it. I'm planning on doing widening circles (again) when I get back out there and hope I find something. If after that I can't find any blood I guess I'll just start doing grid patterns trying to find her. I want to aviod this though becuase it's so thick. There are places where you can't see 10 yds and you would have to practically be on top of her to see her.

Thanks for the help, sorry the post was so long.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

No concerns about the long post; in fact, I wish more people who had lost a deer would give as much info as you put in here for us to try to help.

Unfortunately, or fortunately -- as it were -- it really sounds as if you're doing everything right, and I can't think of too much else to offer, other than grasping at straws and suggesting you keep walking along the path she was originally taking, straight ahead. And then trying to double back in case she turned like you thought she may have. Lastly, I'd walk the bank of both water sources.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

One more thing guys. The arrow had blood on it and that was kind of clear....ish. There were no bubbles and it didn't stink like a gut shot. I'm almost positive it wasn't a gut shot because of the (no) smell, no chunks of anything and the blood trail we were following was bright redblood.

I'm thinking single lung. Can anyone give an idea of how far a single lung shot can run before expiring? What's the fatality rate with a single lung shot? I realize there is no scientific answer but 'in your opinion'.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I guess you're far enough south of me that there's no snow to help you out. An inch or two like we have left here would help a lot. I think you're going about it in the right way. It sounds like your area is similar to the ones I hunt and---even though there's a ton of it--look all around the brush in the most likely areas where you think she ran. I have found that hard hit deer almost never run uphill and often will go downhill. I would also check all the areas along the streams since they often seek water after being shot.

It seems we're mirroring each other again. The day after you shot your buck, I shot mine. Last night, I shot at a doe at the same time you shot yours. I immediately realized--after the deer departed--that there was a maze of branches blocking my shot that didn't show up against the deer. I assumed I missed due to the deflection. My arrow looked clean in my flashlight beam, but as I was changing the broadhead blades this morning, I discovered hair meaning I'll be looking today too. At least I have snow to help!

Let us know what you find.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Solax, I have heard of a few cases where single-lung shot deer survived, though have never witnessed any personally. I know they can cover a lot of ground, say up to 600 yards or further from reading of others' experiences on this board.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

DaveH, first of all stop trying to be like me and shooting deer at the same time. Just kidding, good luck finding her. No snow down here in St. Mary's Co., I hope we don't get any either so I can see the blood trail.

I followed the stream on the right side from the houses all the way back to my stand and didn't see her or any blood. Also, she was at the highest point around so she either stayed on the same elevation (along the ridge) or walked down hill.

Thanks for the help guys.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

A single lunged deer may not die. Depends. I am not very good at tracking, so I can't really help you out too much. But...

Do you know the area where the arrow hit the deer? Could the arrow have been deflected? What was the deers reaction to the shot? How far did she run before slowing down/stopping, if she even did? You said there were fawns with her. Did she flee the fawns, or did they stay together?

Stay with it. I hope you find her.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I've had single lung hit deer live for as much as 3 hrs, before I tracked them and put another arrow in them. I've also seen several one lung hit deer cover 200+ yds. And I've also bumped a one lung hit deer and never recovered them. A single lung is usually a killing shot, but I've seen examples opposing that thought.

Sounds like you are doing everything right, stick with it and good luck.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Good questions. The arrow was laying on the ground, not stuck in it so deflection is a good possibility. I didn't see exactly where the arrow hit her. She took off on her incoming trail and the fawns were way back there. She ran about 50 yds until I lost her, and who knows how much longer. So her and the fawns ran off in the same direction.

Other points: she was VERY nervous coming in and (you're gonna slaughter me for this one but I'm just trying to get as much info out there as I can) my broad heads weren't very sharp.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Forget about the circles and the grid.

Go to the last blood and find more. It is there. Get down on all fours and look inch by inch for the blood. move out from the last blood about 10 yds then come back to it and do it again.

If you find more blood repeat again.

Only after hours and hours of doing this would I start to look for her.

Good Luck

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

i agree with rackattack , that blood is there find it . use tissue paper to mark your blood trail , after laying down some you can stand back and get the direction the deer went! good luck . and keep your broadheads sharp!

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I hunt out west now but in my earlier days of chasing whitetails in upstate New York, I can remember an instance where I was able to feel the leaves for hoof prints. It led me into the direction in which the deer traveled and low and behold there was more blood. Be sure to stay clear of the path of the deer. One of the biggest mistakes I have seen is a person walking the blood trail and removing the slightest bit of evidence.As for hitting a lung I am not to sure with the reports of clear like blood. It sounds to me more like an artery hit. If it were a gutshot I feel that the deer would be more inclined to lay down because of the sick like feeling. I admire you for putting so much effort in it. At this point that doe is as important as a 10 point buck. Good luck in your search and let us know of the outcome.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Solax--to be EXACTLY like before, I would have had to shoot my deer a day later with the same results. Sadly, that is the case.

Tuesday evening at 4:15pm the largest deer I'd seen all evening came past me and stopped--broadside-- right in my shooting lane. It was no more than 20 yards (a slam dunk for me) and I had a good sight picture and felt 100% confident in the shot. The arrow was a pass-thru like yours, but was laying on the ground sideways where the deer had been standing (the ground is rock hard frozen). The deer ran a semi-circle around me and I thought I saw blood right behind the shoulder about halfway up the body on the exit side. I expected the deer to fall when it stopped on a trail about 30 yards away, but it didn't.

What happened next really shocked me.

It ran UP THE HILL, rejoined the group it was with and ran off out of sight. At that point, I was surprised, but fully expected to find it laying just over the rise. When I got down, not only was there no dead deer, but NO BLOOD!!! Where it had stood on the trail for 30 seconds or so were a few tiny flecks of blood, but none after that---THIS WAS ON SNOW!

I followed where it ran and looked everywhere all over the field, in the gullies, in the fence lines, and so on, but couldn't find any blood. There are literally thousands and thousands of tracks in the field. The deer are in big herds now and I've seen more deer in the last few days than I thought existed. The only thing I did find was someone else's loss. From the looks of it, it was probably killed during MZ season. It was a very wide 6 point. I twisted the head off and brought it home--may use the antlers for rattling. Looks to be about 18-19" wide.

I may try again tomorrow with my wife, but I don't know where to look since there's no blood.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

One more thing. When I retrieved the arrow, the blood was frozen, but appeared to be bright red. There were a few small pieces of meat on the fletching and one fletching was torn off--not at the glue line, but above the base the full length. I have no idea what's going on with this, but it sickens me.[:'(]

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

The broadheads were razorsharp. I just replaced the blades a few hours before going out and re-spin tested them.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Update: Went out yesterday evening for about 3 hours until it was dark. Looked and looked for blood and the only thing I found was a big pool and some 3 inch white hairs right near where the last spot was but not in a line. It was in a '4' pattern, which kinda through me for a loop. She came in from the bottom of the '4' into this small thicket that was obviously a bedding spot. I checked everywhere around there for blood. I went straight away from all 3 points of the '4' and I did circles around the spot out to 60 yds. All on my hands and knees. Never found any blood. There was a hill in the direction she headed so I went and check the thick stuff down there for blood and/or her. Nothing.

I'm lost with this one. I'm willing to put more time in but don't know what to do when I go back out.

I have devised a theory though, see what you guys think. The blood trail was bright red with no bubbles and my arrow had a clear looking type bloodd on it. Like Elkcrazy said I'm wondering if I even hit lung. I'm thinking I may have hit her armpit or leg. In the last spot there was a small, deep hole in a rotten stump. You know how when you step in a rotten stump hole you sink down? Well this hole had blood all around it and down in the hole. I'm thinking her leg was covered with blood and as she stood there for a minute the blood soaked the ground. She must have laid down in that bedding spot just a few feet away because of all of the blood on the ground and the hair. Then we came by (two hours later) and jumped her up. Maybe the blood had clotted from her laying down or maybe it froze since it was so cold (10-15 F). I bet if we had waited longer she would have died right there.

The hairs I found were 3 inches or longer. Does anyone know if that would be from a certain part of the body? I thought it was strange that they were so long.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

The only time I have ever seen alot of hair along with a blood trail is when the deer was hit high up in the leg or through the brisket. And if the hairs were white and long as you said then I would "guess" they came from the brisket. This would indicate a low shot which would make her bleed but probably not even hit any vital organs. I hope if she is hit good that you do find her and wish you luck. I also have to say good job on your effort, most people would have given up after a couple hours.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Thanks bearklr, not much consolation though when you know you've wounded an animal. :( Where exactly is the brisket? Is it below the rib cage? Not sure.

So from the evidence you have heard you think it was a non-lethal shot?

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Your theory might be right. It's possible that you hit close to the arm/leg pit. Though, if you have white hair then that indicates a low shot. You might have hit down around the rib cage. If the arrow doesn't hit vitals, then the deer can certainly live. I have heard of guys hitting deer and having lots of blood, but never recover the deer and that is even without bumping it. They wait until the next day, follow a good blood trail and find a big puddle where it layed down. Then, that's it. No deer and no more blood. It happens and I know how it feels. It really stinks!

TBO

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Solax, The brisket is the area on a deers chest right between the front two legs. There is alot of muscle and fat on the outside of the ribcage here. If you look at it close you can see that the long hairs grow torwards each other and froms a ridge of hair. I circled it on this pic for you. The hairs on the front of the chest are usually brown as seen here but become white as you move under the deer.

P.S. from the sounds of it I can't say it is a "non-lethal" shot because nobody knows what exactly a deer will or won't die from. However, from my experience it sounds like you hit the deer high in the leg but not through the chest cavity which would sever a main vein or artery which would in turn give you bright red blood with no bubbles. (the same type of blood as if you cut yourself pretty bad). I can't tell you if this would kill a deer or not. Some will bleed to death in a few days and some will heal and get on with life. I think the effort you put in is excellent and should be commended but this deer may very well be alive as we sit hear typing. I wish you the best of luck either way.;)

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I would have to think that even if you only caught one lung, it would still have some air bubbles or appear frothy, wouldn't it? I mean, does it require hitting both lungs only to experience this phenomenon?

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I'm with Buckeye... you may have just slipped it in behind the leg low, maybe even to the point it slid along the chest wall and never entered the cavity. It could have come right out low in front of the leg. If you catch that leg and cut some muscle or even possibably break it she'll bleed for a while but will clot up and probably be fine. All she had to do was turn just the smallest amount at the sound of the shot or for you to hit just a bit to far forward.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Its very hard to get "just" brisket on a quartering away shot.

Most of the time a brisket shot is evident from a larde amount of tallow on the arrow (white slimy substance).

White hairs almost always mean one of the holes is low.

Don't let the "she will live thoughts" enter your head.

If it is thick - look carefully at low branches and brush for blood. If it doesn't make it to the ground it will smear on these low branches.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Solax i have had the same kind of hit before even this year! on a six point.trailed this deer forever! IF you bowhunt long enuff somtime thing`s like that will happen! for one reason or another.just practice as much as you can and always check your equipment.I no that dont help now.good luck next time!

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Thanks a lot for the consolation guys.

Rack, I don't think I hit just brisket, I'm pretty sure I hit her in the leg or armpit area. This is based on the hole I found that was full of blood and had blood all around it. That lead me to believe her leg was covered with blood.

Like I said, I'm willing to keep looking, just don't know what/where/how to look. Any suggestions would help.

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Rack, I agree with you. I did say that he probably hit her high in the leg which in turn caused the blood loss. However it's still possible to pass through the leg and slice up into the brisket which is where I suggested the white hair probably came from. I also agree that you should never just say oh well she'll live and give up. I just meant that from the sounds of it, there is a good chance that she could make it. Sorry I couldn't be of any more help, I just wanted to clarify my previous comments. Good luck;)

RE: Need some help finding one!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

solax as i stated before that i had lost one this year. the six point. one thing i did do before i gave up was i begain to walk around thick places very slow and quite. alot of time`s they are hurting enuff to lay down. I jumped mine once before i lost it forgood! but maby you will be lucky and find your`s