I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

I hit a solid 8 pointer. Bad news, it was a poor hit. Worse news, It was only a 10 yard shot.

Appears I have performed my first gut shot. The shot was at last light, and I retrieved my arrow, but could not find blood on the ground with the small (single led bulb...a mini-mini flashlight!).

After the shot,I realized it was a gut shot and wanted to leave him be. This is where I hit a dilema. I'm mentoring a younger 17 yr old hunter, who's in his first year of serious bowhunting. He has no hunting family and friends. So, I'm taking up the role of mentor to him.

Since the shot was literally last light, I couldn't wait too long til I had to get down. I had to go get the kid, as I told him I would do (He was 400 yards away in a different block of woods). The deer hung around about 40 yards from me, but I couldn't see it. So, after only about 5 minutes it was complete darkness. I had no choice but to come down to go get the kid before he got worried.

As I got down,the buckhad to have heard, or seen me as all I could hear was him leaving the woodlot, and running smack into a 25 acre UNCUT corn field. That's what really has me worried.[:@]Little blood sign in a full uncut cornfield that has 6 inches of standing water in it = me being very worried.

I looked at the arrow at home to try to get a better idea of what the damage was. Initially, the shot in my mind as I replayed it was so poor I convinced myself I only hit it with one blade of my braodhead. Only one vane has enough blood to look casually and see it. On inspection at home, I now know the arrow did fully go through the buck. Very little blood though. It has the faintest hint of the famed gut smell. I have more white than brown hairs on the arrow. None of the blades are broken, meaning it didn't meet bone. I'm trying to determine if I've got anystomach/gut content on the shaft, but I can't convince myself either way. It clearly has what looks to be dried fat residue on the shaft on the last half. The front half of the arrow has little blood, and little anything on it. The broadhead impacted 2-3 inches in the soft dirt, cleaning any signs up there. The buck did mule kick. But since I could see it was a poor shot so fast, I was in shock, and didn't check to see if his tail was raised/lowered, and I didn't pay attention very wellto the path he took away from me.

So essentially, I feel like I'm up the creek without a paddle.

I'm sick I made a poor shot. I have to deal all night with this. If I don't find him, I'll be unhappy because I know that deer is in pain, and only God knows what will happen to it. Even if I do find him, I'll still be unhappy that I made such a terrible shot. In hindsight, I believe I dropped my left arm as I released the arrow. Such a rookie mistake for me.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Don't get down on yourself...its just one of those things that happens sometimes. If you bowhunt long enough your bound to make a bad hit or two. You're doing the right thing by leaving him overnight. Good luck finding him.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

My guess is that you may have burned it under his belly. If he hung up at 40 yards he may have guts herniating. Fatal for sure and he wont likely go far before laying back down. I would say that if you cant find ant blood or other sign, a tedious grid search of the standing corn ought to find him. Don't beat yourself up over it. It happens to all of us if we've been bowhunting long enough.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Any idea what the fat-like residue is from? There's no chunks of it, it simply looks like liquid fat that's dried a cloudy white.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

That'd likely be the subcutaneus (under the skin) layer of fat. The fact that it seems to be on one side of the arrow is what leads me to believe you may have simply split his belly open.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

The mule kick could also mean a low hit.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

That was my interpretation. I believe it was surely a low hit.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

If the hit is low enough that he has herniated guts coming out, hecouldbe real sick but may not be dead in the morning. I dont know NY law but if Sunday hunting is legal, take your bow and move slowly. He might be barely able to get up. Be ready to give him another dose!

A word of encouragement, One of my best bucks was just such a hit. An unseen branch (last light) deflected my shot. I was only 40 yards from the edge of a steep hill that he went over. I had heard the classic "crash" so I peeked over the hill in time to see him cross a road at the bottom of the hill. We found him stone dead but warm the next morning about 40 yards past where he crossed the road.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

It happens - get some sleep - you will need it in the morning.

Good chance it only went into the corn far enough to feel safe and bedded. Start close with a grid and he should be there,

Good luck
Steve

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Thanks for all the help, and encouragement everyone!

The thing about that corn field...as I was getting down, he hit that field like a linebacker hitting practice pads. He was not interested in being careful or quiet. Sounded like he broke stalks left and right.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Man if I didn't have meetings all day I'd come up and help you look.

He won't be far,and might be still alive. My friend hit one just like that we found him around ten the next morning got up and ran before we could get another arrow in him, went about 75 yards more and died.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Thanks for the offer. I'm in this one alone, being it's a Monday. I'm going to wait til 9am to hit the woods. I want to let the other deer move about first. If I can't find this buck, I'll be calling Deer Search.

Pics of arrow on first post.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

keep us posted. I hope you find him

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Don't get too down on yourself. Best of luck retrieving him. A word of encouragement.......... We found a similar hit as yours on my buddies doe last night. We ended up following a gut trail instead of a blood trail.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Under the skin, but before the abdominal wall, is a sticky layer of fat. If you gut a deer you will see what I am talking about. I believe that you just barely nicked the belly of the deer and sliced the skin at this point. A deer cut there will not bleed hardly at all, and if you in fact did not compromise the abdominal wall, will actually heal up quickly and survive. If you had passed through the abdomen, your arrow would be coated in stomach contents and stink unmistakeably like a gut shot. I believe the deer will probably never be found, as he is running around like normal. I hope this is the case as it is a better alternative to a gut shot, where you might find the deer, after it has rotted already.
I don't see enough evidence of a gut shot on your arrow. I have seen gut shots and the arrow is coated almost to dripping, with green goo and plant fibers. By all means keep searching, but let it go otherwise. You have surely punished yourself enough already.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

After seeing your arrow, I think theres a chance that hes not hurt bad. Two things still cause me concern that you may have caught enough of the abdominal wall to be fatal. The stink on the arrow and the fact that he stopped 40 yards out. Let us know how it goes!

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Don't beat yourself up over this. I know it's frustrating. I had a similar experience last season with a small 5 point. I took a quick shot right before dark, not exactly the best angle. I shot at it with my muzzleloader and couldn't see which way he ran because of the low light and the cloud from my muzzleloader. I found blood and hair but then realized that it was from a doe I had shot earlier that day in the same area. We looked for about 45 minutes that night and decided to try again the next morning. I didn't get a lot of sleep that night! About 6 of us looked for him thae next day. After about an hour and a half of not finding a single sign of hair or blood my friends had given up. I circled back around one more time to look. Every couple steps I did a sweep back and forth looking for him. For some reason I looked over my shoulder and I spotted white belly hair, I finally found him! He was about 150 yards from where I took the shot. I was lucky to find him because there was little if any blood or hair to track.
Anyway keep looking. I've helped friends 3 or 4 times track deer that we never could find. Don't be afraid to call deer search. Guys I've talked to in my area said they are very helpful.
My hats off to you for taking a young hunter under your wing to introduce him to bowhunting. I think that's great! This can be a little learrning experience for him.
Good luck. I hope you find him. I'd like to see a picture of that 8 point soon.

Mike

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

The stink part worries me too, Bob.
I'm wondering if he is smelling guts or just deer skin smell.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Good Luck! Let us know!

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

This is what I'm basing my previous opinion on, and past experience.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

After searching for four hours, the deer was not recovered. The impact site only had white hairs, no blood. I went to the corn field, and could not find his point of entry.

A neighbor and my step father came out and they immediately found the path. They found blood, and we then tracked the deer through the corn field with 2-3 drops every 5-10 feet. Bright red blood, still not dry.

We worked it for 400 yards with the deer constantly moving. Once we reached the hedgerow of that field it took a turn, and we did find where the buck stopped, an easy 500-600 yards away from the shot location. It did not lay down, as the blood had droplet indications. This spot had enough blood that two or three of these in a row would have made me feel much better. However, after that...nothing. No trailing off of the blood, just abrupt stoppage.

We were able to track the bucks steps (his hoof print was almost a full5 inch track), but no blood after that. We lost his track about 700 yards from the impact spot.

Now, the large blood spot was an easy two to three full vials of blood, covered the area of a coffee can. Dark red blood, with bright red blood on the edges. We spent over two hours at this spot attempting to find more sign, but to no avail. The wound had to have closed up at the point where he stood for a while.

The blood was coming from an exit wound, as this buck stayed within one row of corn, and all of the sign was on what would be the deer's right side.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Phade, so whats the plan now. You going to look any further, call deer search, or think its a wasted cause? I'm not there to see exactly what the sign is, but 4hrs doesn't seem that long to me. I've certainly tracked deer alot longer, and usually looked over 2 days for a wounded deer. Some recovered some not. I'm not judging you in anyway, so don't take me wrong there.1 suggestion is did you make sure at the spot you lost last blood he didn't backtrack. Every deer in the southern tier we've had to track thus far over the last 8yrs has ALWAYS done a major backtrack path at least 1x. It usually stumped us for several hrs until found blood again. Sometimes not for least 100yds. I don't know why, but they always seem to turn back. I have yet to see a hit deer that hasn't backtracked in the direction it came from. Just a idea for ya. Most of us have been in your shoes, so we know what your going through man, hang tough don't let it get you down.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

We looked around for back track signs. This single blood spot was at the joint of another hedgerow in the field. We were able to positively track him for 100 more yards after that spot, with no blood droplets at all. That, coupled with the fact that the deer obviously never laid down once in over 700 yards from the shot site pointed to the likelihood he is going to make it through. He hung up at the edgein the woods, but we're convinced he never laid down... so I'msure he will not expire.

It also is pretty apparent he joined up with two other deer at some point halfway through the corn field. They were both smaller tracks.

Only a two or three drops of blood right at the edge of the woods. The corn aided in us being able to track him with only a drop or two for so long. Once he got to the end of the field, he walked the hedgerow, where we found the last blood sign.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

I would get a few guys for help or even just yourself and do either a circle seacrch or grid search of the area. Make small circles and gradually god biggeer till you out a hundred yards or so. I been there where you are, tough to give up, hell one time I found someone else's wounded buck. Gut shot he would head to water.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

With three of us, we used the circle search method. There's water everywhere. Most of the field has standing water in it, until you get to the last ten rows on every side.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

dark red? could it be liver shot at all? I shot a doe last year that bleed good for 50 yards, stopped and would have died there. I gave her a half hour and jumped her. There was a puddle of blood and then nothing for 250 yards. Started grid searching the area and found her on my last ditch effort.....

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Remember, blood will turn dark after being in the air for several hours. I would let it go today and grid search tomorrow, starting at the spot where the buck was originally shot. I can't tell you how many times I've heard of deer coming back to the spot where they were shot, and dying there.
I still think there is a good possibility that the deer will recover, based on the fact that it is not bedding because of it's wounds.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

That is what has me convinced it will survive. I couldn't imagine that deer moving 700 yards from impact without ever bedding down, and still be fatally wounded.

I lost the track almost parallel to the woodlot on the opposite side of the field. I tried to find if it made the turn to head back to it's bedding area. The buck had been bedded roughly 100 yards from the stand.

I started at the impact site this morning, and jumped a doe 20 yards from the same stand. When it rains, it pours. I'd be much less nauseated if I missed clean.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

phade go back to hunting you might just get another shot at this deer but becareful as I'm sure he got a little smarter

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

When a hunter makes a bad shot, there is no punishment greater than the one he imposes on himself. Forgive yourself,but learn from it.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

What is Deer Search?

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Deer search is a group of volunteers (I believe) that have dogs that are trained in tracking and recovering wounded deer. I went to a wildlife show a couple of years ago and learned about it. I think they are the only people in New York that are allowed to use dogs in trying to recover wounded deer. A friend of mine called one of their members and they came out and recovered a deer for him but the coyotes had already found it. He tried to give the guy some money for helping and the guy declined. I've heard other good stories about this group. They seem to be more than willing to help a hunter out.

Mike

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Phade,

I agree with youand Livbucks and a few others here. The fact that he didnt bed once and the sign you described and the pics of the arrow make me much more confident that he will survive.

A few things to remember.... there are three kinds of bowhunters: Those that have had a similar experience, those that will and a few liars who might claim it never happened. Whats more important than the bad shot is how you handled the situation afterward. You were diligent above and beyond in your efforts to either recover the deer or ascertain that he will likely live on. Thats all we can expect of you and all you should expect of yourself

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Phade, I guess by sounds with what little blood you had you did all you could, and he'll probably survive. Must'vebeen a real low hit, and not struck anything vital. Although I have seen vital shots, and the deer never laid down. But there was more sign than what you had.
Last fall my brother hit a nice buck, high. He nicked at least 1 lung. We tracked him from 9am well into the dark. Only breaking 1x for a quick sandwich. He backtracked on us 1x, and had us stumped for 3hrs looking for any spots. I finally found a set of running tracks, going back the way he'd came from, and figured had to be him. Almost 100yds away I found a pinhead size spot of blood. After that we found blood clots he musta been blowing out his nose. We tracked into the night, and lost last blood. He was close to 1 mile from where my brother hit him. I went back the next morning alone, my brother had to go to work. I found only a couple more spots, and led me to posted land. I didn't dare go any further not knowing the owners, and learned they weren't from that area so I couldn't even get permission to continue. The next wknd my brother found the owners, and told him they'd found a dead buck the wknd before, and the coyotes had gotten it. The same morning I'd been looking alone. They said he could go look to see if was in same direction his had gone, and sure enough 100yards into their land from that posted line was his deer. But somebody else had cut off the rack alreadly. He saw the hit spot, and it was high just like he thought. That deer never laid down 1x or slowed up for squat. But he also bleed more too. Sometimes I guess ya just never know what these darn deer are capable of. Just amazing what they can do, and recover from.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

I knew the shot was low right away. I had a few single brown hairs on my arrow, but at the impact site, only white hairs with absolutely zero blood on them. I had to have literally passed or partially passedthrough the belly just below the stomach, without touching it. That was my intial observation when I hit the deer, and I was hopeing I hit is good (or poorly depending how you look at it)enough that I did in fact herniate it. At least it would have been fatal, instead of hurting this guy.

I'm leaving the area be until Friday, and I'm going to return to the same stand and do an afternoon hunt. Not so much as to get another shot at him there, but I have a solid view of his typical exit point from his bedding spot in this woodlot. It'll at least tell me if he was willing to return, or if I should be on the lookout for birds circling, etc.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Deer can do things that are unbelieveable.My father when he was alive and I think the last time he went deerhunting,shot a doe that was standing broadside with the her left side facing him.He made a bad shot and hit her low. The bullet with though andhit her r/front leg. She went down and took off before he could get another shot in her.There was onlyabout 30 minutes of light so he came back to the house and got meand we went back with a laitern to where he shot her.Luckly there was snow on the ground and she was leaving a good blood trail.We track her til 11;30 at night without her laying down.They say a deer will run down hill when hit,well someone forgot to tell this deer.She was going up hill and down and everyway possible.We went back the next morning,were we stop tracking her.And started all over again following tracks.To make a story short.we finally got caught up her.She had made almost a complete 5 milecircle.I made a shot on her about 200 yds across a field she was going across.All said and done she was about a half mile from where she was shot the first time.
3 years ago I shot a small 6 point with a bow.Track him for 2 days and lost his blood trail.Later on during rifle season I shot the same buck and his wound fromthe arrow was almost completely healed.I had made a low shoton him. The arrow went though just below his lungs andheart.They were the ones we recovered.Last year I lost a nice 8 and looked for him for 3 days.Seen him about a month after the season ended.Walking with aslight limp but alive.Seen him about 3 weeks ago witha bigger rack and still a slight limp.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

Yes that is amazing, and looking back on it, I bet it is a great memory being such a good one with you and the old man on his last hunt. Sorry to hear he is gone.

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

http://www.deersearch.org/index.htm

NEAT!!!

RE: I'm so sick I could puke. It's one of "those" nights!
 

I know exactly what your talking about. On Oct.30 I hit a 160 class 10 pt. dead in the shoulder. I got 4in. of penetration. I got all of my arrow back, he broke the head off at the threads. My arrow is mushroomed like I shot into a brick. I was hunting in SE Iowa. I couldn't get myself out of bed the following morning to go out hunting. I've been bowhunting for about 24yrs. and it still happens every once in awhile! Its part of it!