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Post by bigbuckd on Nov 6, 2015 13:59:58 GMT -5
So I shot a doe last night, 5:30pm, at 12yds and 15ft up. I thought I nailed her and it would be a short recovery. I placed the pin behind the front leg and pressed the release. She did not kick but hunched tucked tail and ran. My view was blocked after she ran but I hit her hard and thought I heard her go down in chest high CRP. I waited about 90 minutes because I was waiting on some help with the retrieve. When I went to get my arrow I couldn't find it in the ground and could not find any blood. The drizzle rain and darkness at this point wasn't helping but I found a small spot of blood on a scrub tree in the CRP and started circling. No other blood for 50yds then a nice paint on another scrub tree. Again I circled but nothing. Looked last night from 7-11:30pm and again today from 10am-12pm. I am frustrated not knowing why she didn't expire faster. I am guessing at this point that she jumped the string and I may have hit her in the shoulder blade. The meat has to be toast at this point but I want to recover to fix any mistake I had with the shot and out of respect for the animal. Any suggestions on how to continue the search? (I have grid walked 200yds by 100yds and walked 100yd circle around last blood)
Really at a loss as to why so very little blood and why my arrow didn't penetrate through or fall out if it was a bad shot. (It was a good shot)
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Post by esshup on Nov 6, 2015 14:09:19 GMT -5
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Post by sakorifle on Nov 6, 2015 14:10:20 GMT -5
Get a dog, hunched up with a rifle you have definatley liver or gut shot her. Sorry no bowhunter, but advice is the same a dog is your best bet by far. It will smell either liver or guts on the air if you are downwind of it. good luck Billy
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Post by onebentarrow on Nov 6, 2015 14:14:52 GMT -5
My nephew shot a buck sane kind of surcumstances. They found it 3/4 mile away. Only hit 1 lung.all I can think of is to mark blood with toilte paper and try to go in a straight line from that. Good chance she might take a trail if she crosses one so be sure to check that. Streightdown bow shots from high stands often lead to one lung hits They did not find arrow for about 100 yds. Good luck
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Post by bigbuckd on Nov 6, 2015 14:15:31 GMT -5
Had a dog last night but am afraid that the rain was washing the scent away. Still worth going back out with a dog?
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Post by sakorifle on Nov 6, 2015 14:39:14 GMT -5
yes it is, because its no good without one. Keep it slightly down wind of where it ran, if it cannot follow foot scent then it will still have a chance of wind scent, And regardless where it wants to go you must trust it and go with it. regards Billy
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 6, 2015 14:57:01 GMT -5
Had a dog last night but am afraid that the rain was washing the scent away. Still worth going back out with a dog? You don't have anything to lose... Dogs can smell deer if they are downwind firm it..
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Post by tynimiller on Nov 6, 2015 15:09:13 GMT -5
I find it hard to believe unless shooting low poundage at that distance and that elevation not finding arrow after a passthrough if gut or liver shot deer.....if you arrow doesn't make through that part of the deer something is drastically wrong unless a deflection happened...which is always possible.
Where did the arrow impact?
You described where you aimed but never hinted at where you hit the deer? That is the most important data not stated...my initial thought was shoulder due to lack of blood and no pass through....unless the deer was quartering away then offside shoulder could be the issue...but again don't know how deer was standing.
Tracking dog is always a good thing especially when it has rained. Good luck!
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Post by bigbuckd on Nov 6, 2015 15:13:35 GMT -5
Deer was quartering slightly. I agree with the off shoulder analysis. Always possible I hit shoulder blade. I thought I hit where I was aiming. Thanks
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Post by tynimiller on Nov 6, 2015 15:18:31 GMT -5
Yeah if quartering....and that low of stand angle...we could be talking an arrow that went in high or low and simply nipped one lung (either far or entrance one) deflected forward and hit off shoulder. Although the reason why I don't suspect this is every deer I've ever tracked or heard had a hit where penetration went and stop on off shoulder dies rather quickly due to the arrow just ripping everything inside.
I hope I'm wrong and you recover it but this could be a shoulder impact and just a really sore deer with a limp moving forward. Hope I'm wrong brother. Good luck!
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Post by schall53 on Nov 6, 2015 15:51:49 GMT -5
Get a dog, hunched up with a rifle you have definatley liver or gut shot her. Sorry no bowhunter, but advice is the same a dog is your best bet by far. It will smell either liver or guts on the air if you are downwind of it. good luck Billy[/quot I agree with Billy, your description of the deers reaction is gut shot.
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Post by sakorifle on Nov 6, 2015 15:54:10 GMT -5
Do deer hunch up if hit in the shoulder with an arrow? Or was the hunch her putting power in her back feet to take off at a rate of knots? That is the question. good luck.
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Post by sakorifle on Nov 6, 2015 16:13:31 GMT -5
went to a bow site and this is what i found. The deer’s reaction to the shot may also provide clues to the hit. A gut-shot deer will often hunch up, and instead of bolting may trot, or even walk away, in a hunched up posture. Read more: www.bowhuntingmag.com/tactics/recovering-gut-shot-deer/#ixzz3qkQwFZu9I am trying to learn, but what i am reading here seems the same reaction to what i have seen with rifles. guts or liver will hunch them up everytime.
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Post by M4Madness on Nov 6, 2015 17:16:41 GMT -5
My guess is gut shot as well. An arrow impact in the guts has a distinct sound, and if you ever hear it, you'll always recognize it in the future. Instead of a loud "crack", it'll be a hollow sound like hitting a watermelon.
Be sure to check water sources, and good luck!
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Post by span870 on Nov 6, 2015 17:45:41 GMT -5
I'm going with hitting the off shoulder. I know with the guy shot they will hump up but in the heat of the moment a jump could look like a hunch. I'm doubting a gut shot for the simple reason that you didn't find your arrow. Unless you are shooting extremely low poundage and dull broadheads you should have had a pass thorough, especially at that distance. My guess. You walked right by her. Right behind the shoulder and quartering away, if that's where the arrow did hit, you took out both lungs. On a high shot above or right below the spine, they will hunch up a bit like a gut shot deer. Question though. On the tree you found blood, how high up was it on there?
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Post by span870 on Nov 6, 2015 17:46:12 GMT -5
Where are you hunting at?
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Post by 76chevy on Nov 6, 2015 19:49:13 GMT -5
how did the blood look? Bright red? Dark red? bubbles? food material? this will tell you a lot of what you need to know...
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Post by 76chevy on Nov 6, 2015 19:51:27 GMT -5
they can go a long way on one lung. I hate the quartering toward angle shot, very easy to miss one lung and track a long ways.
I lost a couple this way and it always makes me sick to even think about it. Hope you find her! Good for trying all options...
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Post by 76chevy on Nov 6, 2015 20:02:19 GMT -5
I shot a buck this year far back (ie right through the stomach entrance wound) as he was steeply quartering away. I hit him with a Grim Reaper 2 inch head but I am sure a slick trick would have yielded the same result. Very little to no blood on the ground as the arrow lodged in the off shoulder/leg bone. BUT I shot right through the heart and saw him drop from my stand. Total distance traveled after shot was 15 yards. I have had the similar thing happen though and ONLY nip one lung, makes for a tough and long track job. Like you mentioned, it is often better if the head remains in the deer to facilitate more blood loss. Yeah if quartering....and that low of stand angle...we could be talking an arrow that went in high or low and simply nipped one lung (either far or entrance one) deflected forward and hit off shoulder. Although the reason why I don't suspect this is every deer I've ever tracked or heard had a hit where penetration went and stop on off shoulder dies rather quickly due to the arrow just ripping everything inside.
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Post by bigbuckd on Nov 6, 2015 22:53:48 GMT -5
Well... No deer. I am still convinced she is down. Spent 8 hours looking for her. No blood tracking dog but did have a guy with his Pit Bull come out and try to track. I shot her on the edge of a CRP field with chest high weeds and thick cover. i am convinced the shot is lodged off side shoulder and not allowing the blood to spill out. The rain really hurt tracking too. This was an Urban hunt in a honey hole in Fishers, IN.
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