Last day of the season, last 15 mins. Had 5 deer coming for me. I got set as best I could and drew when the lead deer went behind a tree. My damn face mask pulled infront of my eyes and as I was trying to shift my head to move it she saw me. She was not where I wanted her, but she was in an opening 15 yds away and I had a clear sight so I released. It all happened so fast and I must have moved my head slightly when I released so the mask went back in my eyes. Never actually saw the arrow hit but I heard click of the blades opening. The deer all scattered but only ran about 40 yds away and then just meandered away. I only saw 4 though. Where was the 5th?

I thought I missed. I packed up and went to look to see if I could find my arrow. Never thought I'd find it in the snow. But when I got there I saw just the vanes sticking out of the snow. I pulled it out. The blades closed back up (i shoot steelheads) but I saw hair in the blades and rubber band was 3/4 up the shaft. I started following the trail where they took off and it only took 3 yds before I spotted blood. The trail was clear. I followed it until the edge of the woods. One spot it actually looked like she went down. I got to the edge of the bean field and saw deer scattering. It had only been like 15 mins and it was getting dark. We have permission to go on the west neighbors farm to look for deer, but I have never been over there and didnt want to push her any further, esp in the dark. Its plenty cold and no snow in the forecast. Winds suppose to die down too so blowing snow shouldnt cover the trail.

With all the blood I felt pretty good about it until I got home and inspected the arrow in the light. There's hardly any blood on it. Just some specks on the shaft and the cock vane. Thats it. The blades smell like deer but very little blood. The arrow was coverd with snow, so it might have melted off, but it doesnt make feel all that good. If I was only able to see where the *&!%#@^ arrow hit! God D@mn facemask!

My father is meeting me at 6:30am tomorrow to go track her down. This is going to be a sleepless night. If I lose this doe Im gonna be sick. She was a really nice one. I'll report what happens.

I feel you should be able to pick back up on the blood and tracks pretty easily with the snow, you mentioned there was a spot it looked like she went down, sounds like she might not go to far hopefully, Good luck.

Good luck to you in the morning !I hope you find her and let us know what happen's.

nubo

I agree with nubo. Hope you find it as well [:-]

You all are right about the Mechs opening I think. Explains whey there was only blood on one blade and little on the arrow.

My father and I combed the woods for 4 hours. We trailed her to where she bedded down. When she got up and left, she was no longer bleeding. We followed her tracks through the snow away from the bed. About 30 yds from the bed, it appeared she set down a spell because there was watery blood in a soccer ball size in the flatten snow. It didnt look at all like running blood, but kinda like it just washed off her fur. There wasnt a drop from the bed all the way to east side farm where arent allowed to enter.

Just to be safe, my dad and I searched entire woods. We even went to the side where we were positive she didnt go, just to make sure. I crawled on my hands and knees through the thickest briars I've ever seen. Fell through a frozen ditch up to my elbow. Pissed beyond belief.

Before we left, I paced off the distance of the shot. It turned out to be about 20yds. I thought it was 15yd. Even though I didnt see arrow impact, I probably shot low and one of the blades cut her under belly or clipped the leg. Like I said, the blood was easy to follow to the bed, but as I was crawling through the briars I was noticing that there was no blood on any for the low branches or briars. Only the ground. Thats why im thinking she was cut by the 1 blade. We trailed her a good 400 yds and not a drop after she bedded. Im thinking if I had hit anything vital, she would not have gotten out of the bed. At least thats whats Im telling myself.

I feel sick. This has been the most F'd up season I've ever had. And now, I have 8 months to think about it. I'm pretty sure she'll live, but the thought she wont really upsets me. I've never lost a deer in my life. Missed, yes, lost no. I'll admit it, it almost brought me to tears. I dont know what else I coulda done. I just hope she makes it.

Its going to be a long off season.

It sounds like you may have just nicked her. I shoot mechanicals to, but have never heard the blades expanding. The snow may have opened your blades and pushed the band up the shaft. If she made it through the night she will probably be all right.

I'd give it another try or two just to satisfy that sick, unknowing feeling. Give it the best you've got and then you can rest easy during the long off season. It really sounds like you nicked her and it is very likely she will heal just fine. Sometimes when they bed like that between coagulation of blood and freezing temps their minor wounds will begin to heal quite rapidly. After moving about some and then bedding again you very possibly will find a clear substance with just trace blood mixed. We are similar when we nick ourselves on a sharp knife, once you get the bleeding stopped you will frequently see a clearish substance in the wound. I cannot for the life of me remember the medical term for the substance, but I believe a Dr. might call it serum. It acts as the bodies own anti-biotic agent if I'm not mistaken.

I know how you feel, took a 35 yd shot at a nice 8 this last season. Looked everywhere, but didnt find him. I suppose that the land owners on the other side of the bedding area got him if the shot was at all lethal,they are thick over on the other side. I felt sick for God knows how long. I am pretty sure that the buck made it thought. Good luck and good hunting!