Need HELP finding my deer
 

I shot a huge nontipical white tail deer at 35yds, i shot a little high on him becuse he was standing sideways from me in a grass and weed field i seen the arrow hit i seen the fletch sticking out but i couldent find any blood or the deer.I think i hit him about 4 or 5 inches from the spine down...Then he ran into a swamp and thats were i lost sight of him about 50 yards from were i shot him..Is this deer lost,dead,or going to live...I have walked almost everywere i could think he could of went..

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Well, no blood?? ,need more info. Be ready to take some heat from people here. If by your statement you meant you shot high on purpose because of the high grass. Then you messed up my friend. If the vitals are not visible with a clear shot for pete sake dont shoot. I feel for you and that sick feeling you have for not finding it.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

No one here is going to be able to tell you anything that will help you to find your deer. Only you can do that, and from the sounds of things its going to take a complete miracle. You can read the thread at the top of the page so that you may know what to do the next time you hit one. I am hoping you left out some details as far as blood trail etc. and not just walked around thinking where he may go. And I hope cardeer isn't right that you aimed around the vitals instead of passing totally.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

I had about 75% of the lungs showing,I was at full draw when he seen me in the tree and he made that face and his hair stood up,that when i shoot ,he jumped the string and went low to bolt away that how i got the high shot on him.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

stanton21,

How was the deer standing, broadside, quartered to, or away? Sideways doesn't help.
The shot was high, but was it over the spine or under? Where,? Over the lungs? Mid section, or back section of the deer.
Did you go after him? How far? How long did you wait?
What kind of tip where you using?

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Was the shot forward or back on the deer? You indicated that you didn't get a pass through and that the shot was roughly 4-5" below the spine. Do you think you hit the opposite shoulder?

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Hey, I know a guy that would probably shoot him in the head.
P.S. Please don't take that too seriously.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

The deer was standing broadside 35yds looking at me...I shot center in body from head to tail, the field that i hunted the grass and weeds are from knee high to 8 foot..he ran into a swamp that in some places is waste deep in water..that were he headed in right to water ..I am hunting a island of 55 ar. of dry land that is surounded by water and on wed.and sat people duck hunt there...I looked at a picture of a deer insides and i had to of hit the lungs becuse they go all the way up to the spine on the inside..

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

P>S..i shot him at 5pm and it dark,dark at around 6pm.i never went to the last place i seen him until a 730pm so 2 hours later when i started to walk around in the swamp for him up till 1130pm..up to my waste in water he could of died and sank...

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

If you hit the middle of the body head to tail, and 5 in from the top it sounds like you might be lucky for a liver hit. The arrow should come out. Start by following his tracks. If there is no blood that is your best bet.(or only hope). If you have scouted your property well then maybe try looking in funnles, by creeks, or any major trails that the buck might of traveled. Don't give up. Whenever you think you've gone far enough go another 200 yrds. you never know.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

For 3 days i had waders on and been looking and probing the trails in the water in the deep end becuse then it hits a little mode trail around the hole place then it hits a 6 foot ditch that is 10 feet wide the gose up hill into a scanuary were you cant hunt but i looked in there too..i think he sank in the water or ran in the sanuary and i need to look in there more but preety much the place is surounded by woods..

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

I wish you the best of luck finding him.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Just something for next time...When you decide to shoot you need to consider the whole picture. If the deer is 35 yards out (and that is outside my comfort zone when hunting) the arrow will take about twice the flight time to impact as when shooting at 20 yards. If the animal has no idea you are there and is relaxed a 35 yard shot might be ok. If the animal is alerted and knows something is up he is going to jump your string. Now, a deer and move over 1/2 of his length in an instant and that double lung shot turns into a gut or rump shot pretty quickly. It sounds like you should have passed that time and paid the price. We have all screwed up big before so just learn from it and use that knowledge next time.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Your deer should of floated on top of the water for a long time.
This season I have double lunged two does thus far. A heavy 8 point buck came along at 25 yards last week and I felt confident about the shot, straight through shot, and good pink frothy blood for 150 yards. The blood stopped immediately, and still looking for the buck. I think it was a one lung shot and I will find it in the swamp this winter. I spent many hours seaching and finally excepted the fact that it was not a perfect hit.
Unfortunately not all deer are found hunting with gun or bow.

Good learning experience for us all. These animals are incredible!

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Sounds like you Hit the DEAD ZONE below the spine no vitals in that area thats why there was no blood. He will most likely survive if that is where you hit him. If i was you i would have waited.... especially if the buck was looking at you when you shot...... thats the reason you hit high on him.

RE: Need HELP finding my deer
 

Tough break stanton, like all are saying, don't give up or get too down on yourself.
Start over again and try to locate some sign of this deer = tracks, blood , arrow, etc.
You say you think he may have sunk?? But i don't think so either.
Keep tracking .................