Well, I hit a small doe tonight. I was hunting my small lease in Delaware. 5 deer came out into the field about 50 yds from me with 10 mins of shooting light left. 1 of them came my way. Stopped about 25 yds away, turned broadside and looked towards the other deer. I let her fly. First time I've taken a shot since 12/31/04.

I tried to watch the arrow through the site to the deer but I never saw it hit. I heard a loud thwack, but the deer only jumped, hopped about 10 yds away and stopped. Looked around, started wagging its tail and started walking away. Im thinking "did I hit a cornstalk?" It walked about 20 yds, stopped and stumbled. Then it just walked into the woods, tail wagging and all.

So by the time I get down, its pretty much dark. As I'm climbing down, the 4 other deer that didnt come my way came back out of the woods and walked across the field. My deer wasnt with them. So I started looking for my arrow. My flash light craps out. I have a back up but its that green night vision light. Walking back and forth. Cant find anything. Pull out my F'd up light, start banging it around and it comes on, flickering on and off (there must be a bad wire, its converts to a hat light) but its working enough. Look straight down and my arrow is right between my legs. Its over half buried in the mud. Pull it out. Theres hair in the broadhead but its all muddy so cant tell color. Not a drop of blood, but theres a streak of smelling green/yellow gunk onthe vanes. I'm like Phuck, gut shot. Start looking for blood, easily pick up the trail. Follow it to where she went into the woods. Marked it and backed out for the night. Where she stood after she stumbled, there was alot of blood on the ground.

She walked into the woods and I didnt here her bolt when I got to the woods edge amd she didnt come out with the others. If she went back the way she came after I shot (through the woods) I would have seen her from the stand before I came down. So give it to me straight, whats the chance of finding this deer tomorrow? Im hoping she laid down and i'll find her tomorrow morning. Since she didnt bolt and I didnt push her, I cant see her going far. IF dont find her, Im thinking she'll live. I'm just gonna keep telling myself that.

Did you ever find her?

I bow hunt in Hockessin; bow muzzleloader and firearm in Cecil County, MD.

Good luck to you!

Did you look ?

Didshe humped up when the arrow hit her, did she walk like nothing was wrong with her? She was obviously hitbecause she didn't join up with the othersand the yellow substance on the vanes might have been muscel tissue and muscel will bleed giveing you a false hope. Sounds like she will be sore for a few days but I think she will live for another encounter. Good luck.The weather is really going to be worse tomorrow with heavier rain in the forcast.

duckmaster...u r man i love your post..u gut shot that deer buddy. the deer will be 50 or less yards in
the woods...dead where it beds...its stomach filled with blood... bad shot...but the weather may help
u...never ate a gut shot deer though??

if you hit it ANYWHERE in the "guts" it will not live. period. it will die within 8 hours. that how long it takes sepsis (sp?) to kill the animal.

you did the right thing backing out. should find it easy enough if nothing disturbed her.

good luck
moose

If it is in fact gut shot I would agree with you all. I have my doughts thoughas the deer didn't hunch upor kick like a muleat the hit, a classic sign of a gut shot.

I don't hunt very much with a bow and I don't consider myself much of a bowhunter, but one thing I DON'T do when I bowhunt is hunt too late where I would be tempted to take a shot at last light. It isn't always easy trailing a deer in daylight nevermind trying to find trickles of blood in the dark with a failing flashlight. Yeah, some will tell you that the deer will be edible even if you find it the next day, but that is not exactly the case in every situation. A gut shot deer can take a good while to die and this can surely have an effect on the meat. My suggestion to all bowhunters who don't want get themselves into a similar situation and have a big mess on their hands is to quit hunting about an hour before sundown. You may not see some of the deer that you would if you stick around longer, but you most likely won't have to worry about getting yourself into a situation similar to the one described above. Not getting any shot at a deer is easier to swallow than shooting one and not being able to find it!!

Last light has been very good to the bowhunters I know. Gut shots happen occasionally with archery, it is part of the risk. I follow the "When in doubt, back out" rule. I don't agree with leaving an hour before dark, you lose a lot of opportunities. Make sure your shot angle is good and let her rip.

you should be able to find her the first place she lays down.once she's down and doesn't get pushed she will hopefully be right there. good luck