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 so I released. It all happened so fast and I 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 washed 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.

Good luck, Duck. Just look hard and fix your facemask. That's all you can do.

damn man that really sucks i hate to hear that[]..i really wish the best of luck to u finding her.. do u think the arrow just skimmed her or do u think u hit her solid?

I'm still up going over it again and again in my mind. Like I said, I didnt see the arrow impact. I always watch the arrow flight 'through the sight' IE try not to move my head, but i must have moved just a little because my facemask moved over my eye.

SInce I use mechanicals, they shouldnt open unless there was enough impact to move band and open the blades. IMO, this is one advantage over fixed blades. If I skimmed her belly with the Mechs, the blades shouldnt open, causing a clean miss. Fixed blades would cut, causing a superficial (sp) wound. From the blood I saw on the ground and the fact the band was so far up the shaft and there was hair in the blades, I have to assume the broadhead opened completely on impact. Its all speculation at this point.

I dont regret taking the shot. It was well within range, mostly open (few twigs, not much) and I had the pin right on the boilermaker. I just hope I can find her. I hate the thought of a suffering deer out there right now.

Gotta get to bed. Early morning tomorrow for the search. I'll crawl around that woods all day if i have too.

Keep us posted...will keep fingers crossed on this end!!!

Hope you find her.

I don't agree with that. It doesn't take much to open the blades.

Well by the sound of it, you didnt' get a pass through and the arrow pulled out. That I guess is known to happen to mechanicals with less than ideal shots. I hope you find her, but I have had Rocket's open when they hit a small branch, soo I dunno if it is true or not that mechanicals won't open without a solid hit. Either way best of luck in finding her, and keep us posted.

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.

Duck, that is the nature of the beast. You showed your animal the respect it desevered by putting in the time you did to find her. I would say by your report that she was NON-VITAL hit. Deer are tough as nails..don't beat yourself up! If you hunt long enough $hit happens, sometimes we cannot control everthing that happens at the time of the shot. But you did what was ehtical and gave that deer the time you put in to look as hard as you could. Don't beat yourself up. I spent 8 hours after a shot one night only to return the next day and put another 5 hours in and never found her, it was the worst feeling I have ever had as a hunter...but it taught me one hard lesson- even if the shot is good and your skills and tools are up to the challange....you are ALWAYS the under dog. Deer don't volunteer to be killed, it is hard as hell with a gun let alone a bow. Take this as a learning lesson..don't lose your confindance in yourself or your equipment or it could start to have a negative impact on you! Press on man and look forward to next year!
Hope you stay in the game,
DJ

Ditto,djdkman.Well put.Ive been there-done that.I know the feeling.Hang in there,brother.