# No mans land??



## ErieAngler (Apr 15, 2006)

Last night I shot a doe in a corn field with my crossbow. I found my arrow almost immediately, it passed completely through the deer, didnt mess up my broadhead at all (150 gr. excaliber, similar to a muzzy). There was a layer of blood on the tip, down the shaft, and on all the fletching. The arrow did not smell like one which had been gut shot, the blood on the arrow contained a few small particles, but was fairly thin.

I found a few blod spots, mostly dark, right after the point where she was shot, then absolutely nothing. I could see where she ran, but I knew the direction, there were 5 acres or so of corn still not cut and Im sure she ran in there. I looked through some of the corn, along the entire edge where she would have entered, never saw one more sign of blood....ever. I heard a sound not too long after I shot that sounded like weasing coming from the corn and I thought to myself this was going to be easy, double lung, but nothing. 

Its a terrible feeling not finding a deer. But I am just dumbfounded that I couldnt find a blood trail when my arrow completely passed through and it had to be somewhere between the front shoulders and the rear. Ive shot a few deer in the liver and you hardly need a light to follow the trail as they blow so much out there mouth, Ive gut shot a couple deer and you at least get a heavy trail for a while but they sometimes will stop. I know that a lung or heart will leave a decent trail. Ive never hit behind the gut, but I would think it would lay a decent trail. 

What about what my friends call "no mans land" which Ive learned to mean the area above the heart and lungs but behind the shoulders and below the spine? Is this a posibility and if so will it lead to little to no blood? I am just dumbfounded. I looked for 3 hours doing circle after circle from where I found blood, and walked row after row in the corn.

Bummer! I have a feeling when the owner goes to cut that last 5 acres hes going to find a deer....


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

What angle did you shoot her at? Where you elevated?

My first deer with a bow was quartering towards me- my arrow entered perfect but angled away and down out the deers belly button... The arrow pulled the guts through and literally plugged the exit hole.  
The arrow was clean except for a little grease and no smell. We didn't find blood for 50yds.... then finally we found it and then the deer.
I learned a ton about bad angles/ arrow travel etc from that guy.

Maybe you had a little of this problem?

I know the feeling on losing deer- I lost a solid 8 this year broadside at 30yds on the ground....


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## ErieAngler (Apr 15, 2006)

BaddFish said:


> What angle did you shoot her at? Where you elevated?
> 
> My first deer with a bow was quartering towards me- my arrow entered perfect but angled away and down out the deers belly button... The arrow pulled the guts through and literally plugged the exit hole.
> The arrow was clean except for a little grease and no smell. We didn't find blood for 50yds.... then finally we found it and then the deer.
> ...



I was ground hunting, and shot as it was passing left to right, if dead ahead was noon, the shot would have been at 2. I would have shot about level with the plane the deer was standing so it may have had a slight downward angle for arrow drop, but should have been flat, double hole on each side.


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Erie, if the blood was dark it sounds like a liver hit. How long did you give her before starting to look for her? with it being a passthrough shot you should have found blood on both sides of her path she took. Is there any water nearby? Check that if there is. Personnaly I don't believe in the no mans land theory. I know there will be some that says there is a place like that.


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

5 acres of corn rows should be walkable...


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

My first and only bow kill had no blood trail. It was a pass through, just a touch back, still clipped a lung and the deer only went 75-90 yards. But there was absolutely NO blood after the initial hit and I found the buck by following its tracks in the leaves. I only found one speck and that was after I had found the deer and was amazed there was no blood and I went back to look for some. Everything bled inside of my deer although it was a good kill shot.


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## ErieAngler (Apr 15, 2006)

PromiseKeeper said:


> 5 acres of corn rows should be walkable...


LOL, maybe im bad at estimating acres.....

There had to be over 100 rows that were 600 or so yards long.

I tried walking as much as possible, I spent 3 hours walking and never put a dent in it, and I had another person with me. So maybe it wasnt 5 acres, but it def wasnt walkable.


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## ErieAngler (Apr 15, 2006)

Bassnpro1 said:


> My first and only bow kill had no blood trail. It was a pass through, just a touch back, still clipped a lung and the deer only went 75-90 yards. But there was absolutely NO blood after the initial hit and I found the buck by following its tracks in the leaves. I only found one speck and that was after I had found the deer and was amazed there was no blood and I went back to look for some. Everything bled inside of my deer although it was a good kill shot.


Ive heard about this but never had it happen before. Usually I find a great trail. I think my biggest problem was the corn, I had no idea where it ran after it exited my window of sight, I knew the direction and that was it.


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## ErieAngler (Apr 15, 2006)

CHOPIQ said:


> Erie, if the blood was dark it sounds like a liver hit. How long did you give her before starting to look for her? with it being a passthrough shot you should have found blood on both sides of her path she took. Is there any water nearby? Check that if there is. Personnaly I don't believe in the no mans land theory. I know there will be some that says there is a place like that.


Im sure they cut the remaining corn today, and I would be willing to bet it was laying there. 

There is no way it could still be good though right? It didnt get below freezing last night and its around 60 today.


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## Ozdog (Jul 30, 2007)

I've seen them fill up with blood inside and next to no trail on a high hit.
Might have been angled a hair more than you thought and been a one lung hit.
Dave


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

i feel your pain, too bad ya lot that one. I'm sure you would have rather missed it altogether


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

ErieAngler said:


> I had no idea where it ran after it exited my window of sight, I knew the direction and that was it.


2 out of the last 4 deer I've gotten in the past 3 years all tricked me..

I mean, I watched them run away and I tried to use trees/bushes, etc. for markers but it never works... My buck last year I watched run away at an angle that I thought... I went over to where "I thought" he crossed into a surrounding high weed field and couldn't find anything...
I went back over to where I shot and where he was standing and quickly found hair and then blood and then much more blood and I followed blood to the edge of the weed field.. I stopped and looked to see "where i thought" entered the field at... I was over 40yds off on my estimation.

Sorry to drag this story out but maybe this is part of your problem? I find that when you try and "save time" by going directly to where "you think" you saw him last... you actually waste alot of time. Its probably too late now- But I bet if you strictly followed blood and ignored "where you thought she went" you may find her? I've learned my lesson on this and will not go to any "spot" unless that spot is the deer laying dead that you could see from your stand.


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## fish*FEAR*me (Mar 8, 2006)

yeah i have had my fair share of tough trails to fallow.. thats why i have a dog to do it now! Not a good feeling to lose a deer.. ive been there.


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

To expand on Baddfish's point I once shot a doe that I swore I saw jump a fence and run through the weeds and into a corn field. It was evening and I was sure she would be laying just inside the corn as I did hear a crash. I proceeded to walk beyond the fence and started walking the near rows of corn and small weedy edges. After a half hour of precious time wasted (This was early Oct and it was warm) I decided to return where I shot to follow the trail. I got to the fence crossing and started to look for blood. I found none and looked up only to see her white belly 20yds down the fence . I had walked by her at least twice and was off from where I thought she had jumped the fence. She never made it to the corn as it appeared she got tangled in the fence and flopped over the other side and died.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

I just shot a doe with a clean pass through last friday evening........looked like a good shot right behind the shoulder but alittle higher then i wanted...........found good blood for 200 yards and then the deer angled up hill on a old logging road and into a pine tree orchard on the side of the hill and the blood trail just disappeared.............we looked everywhere around the pines and could not find another drop of blood and i know it was a decent hit............i feel your pain brother !!!  just for piece of mind i took 4 buddies with me on saturday morning to look for her and we never found anymore blood after she entered the pines..........LOST DEER


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

I feel your pain , i stuck an awesome buck this morning,(high 150's / low 160's 10 point and he is still alive as of noon today. shot him @ 8:30 am , let him go for 4 hours. Hes not movin well ( saw him stagger accross a cut corn feild) and i decided to wait till tues. morning. I hit a limb and hit him a little low quartering away and had a pass through , i think it came out the bottom part of the briskett. had good blood for 50 yards and it looks like it clogged up! I'm absolutely sick over the ordeal!


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

buddy shot a tall eight last fri good blood for about 75-100 yards then it just stopped i htink he hit it high but no tsure never found the deer or anymore blood


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## FloridaFishTransplant (Jun 15, 2005)

Well got my first bow hit last night on a big doe , hadn't seen any decent bucks from the stand in over a week so I deceided to start my meat hunting then. She came in from the far side of my stand and kicked the leaves around for a good 20 minutes before stepping broadside at 20 yards. I drew and let the arrow fly , it hit she bucked and fell over and rolled then got up and then a very staggered run into a very dense thicket. I just knew from her reaction that I had put a good hit on her. I heard her start to thrash and a couple of death moans. Waited a hour before I went down to find my arrow , once I found it I had hair and blood although faint all the way up the arrow to the flecthing along with some white/bloody fat. I had to go get a light at this point and set out to track my first deer after a bow hit. No blood for first 15 yards , then started to spot some bright drops that would go for several yards then stop was able to continue to track but it would get easy then go back to a few drops. Did this for a good 80 or 90 yards before I started to lose my light and the blood again so I backed out and getting ready to head back in this morning , I'd hate to lose my very first bow hit. If anything I think I might have hit a little low. Can anyone tell me if I did hit a little low , could it still be enough to put her down ? I will report back once I get out of the woods.


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## ErieAngler (Apr 15, 2006)

BaddFish said:


> I find that when you try and "save time" by going directly to where "you think" you saw him last... you actually waste alot of time. Its probably too late now- But I bet if you strictly followed blood and ignored "where you thought she went" you may find her? I've learned my lesson on this and will not go to any "spot" unless that spot is the deer laying dead that you could see from your stand.


I agree, I always stick to the trail, every time. Problem here was there wasnt a trail, it disappeared after 5 feet from the shot. I put a hat on the last place I saw blood and then worked in a half circle from there, back and forth for 100 yards or so and never found any more. 

I think she just bled internally, thats all I can think.

Thanks for all the replys guys, its good to know Im not alone. Its frustrating that its so warm and you need to find the deer.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

Hunting from the ground usually leaves poor blood trails for a while because of the high entrance and exit wounds. Unlike from an elevated position where the arrow enters high and (normally) exits low, from the ground the entrance and exit are both high (once again normally). The cavity has to fill up with blood before it starts spilling out. 

Also, wait a good bit before you go searching. I normally don't wait an hour like some say, but I give it at least 15-30 minutes before I go looking. On the times I haven't, I have pushed deer and caused myself more problems than not.

I have lost a couple deer in the past and know the gut wrenching feeling that we get is awful. Good luck on the next one.

Lg_mouth


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## Snook (Aug 19, 2008)

Deer are amazing when it come to survival. Who knows where you hit it but it sounds as if it was not a lung shot. The deer could have made it. Iv'e seen deer shot in the gun season with arrows still in them and have found broad heads in shoulders. After a marginal hit I usually comb the area the next day if no blood trail. If you don't find it then than it's not a good sign. Trust me there is a "no man's land" and a pass through here means nothing but a band- aid in most cases for a deer. A few years ago I shot the same buck twice a week apart. First shot was a pass through high below the spine. Bled decent but no buck. The second time was through the lungs and he went 60yds. The deer had a busted main beem which made him easily identifiable. Also present was the broadhead entrance and exit hole below his spine from my first hit. It was starting to scab over already. No doubt whatsoever it was the same deer. What was the chances of that happening? He was guarding a hot doe when I shot him the second time 200yds from the first stand. Showed no evidence of being hurt in the least.


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## FloridaFishTransplant (Jun 15, 2005)

Well just got back in from trying to find her , and to my dismay I did  The problem was that she was still alive and kicking. I followed the blood trail for another 15 or 20 yards it was very spotty then nothing. I circled several times and walked the nearby deer trails for more blood but nothing. As I was walking down getting ready to head back up to the house I took one of the 4 wheeler trails we have , I rounded a bend and jumped a large 8 point and he headed directly into the hollar. I walked another 10 yards and heard a snort and some stomping looked over and there she was standing in a small clearing , when she turned I could see mud and blood at the bottom of her chest right below where I had the 20 yard pin on her she turned a little more and I could see a wound right out the front of her chest very low but in line with the side wound. She stomped a few more times and then ran down the hollar with out any signs of being wounded. I am at least glad that she is not out there bleeding out and not being able to find her but I am once again in the " nothing killed with a bow yet " club.


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## FloridaFishTransplant (Jun 15, 2005)

P.S. --- I got a hold of a range finder and went back to my stand took a reading and it turned out to be 24 yards , which explains my low hit i guess.


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

Well , i decided to wait til this morning and it turned out to be the right move. I went back to the the thicket i saw my wounded deer run into and sure enough he was stijll in there bedded down to expire. I jumped him this morning, ran him down and put an arrow through him to finish him off. He was very weak and couldnt move fast. Saved the meat and got my rack!


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

squeek said:


> Well , i decided to wait til this morning and it turned out to be the right move. I went back to the the thicket i saw my wounded deer run into and sure enough he was stijll in there bedded down to expire. I jumped him this morning, ran him down and put an arrow through him to finish him off. He was very weak and couldnt move fast. Saved the meat and got my rack!


Way to go man! Way to stick with it...


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

squeek said:


> Well , i decided to wait til this morning and it turned out to be the right move. I went back to the the thicket i saw my wounded deer run into and sure enough he was stijll in there bedded down to expire. I jumped him this morning, ran him down and put an arrow through him to finish him off. He was very weak and couldnt move fast. Saved the meat and got my rack!


Nice!!! Way to go gald you got it now we wnat some pics of the :!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

You definitely made the right move. Had you gone in that evening that deer would have undoubtedly bolted and you would most likely have never found him. Congrats!!!


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

here he is , he looked a bit larger as i watched him stumble off but i aint complainin!


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

Yeah, don't think I would be complaining either! That is a stud.

Lg_mouth


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## squeek (Apr 1, 2008)

i didnt mean that i was disappointed , hell its the biggest deer i 've ever shot, but when i saw him runnin away he looked bigger than i originally thought. started thinkin he would push 160. I 'm very pleased with the beast, i have hunted my butt off this year and passed a couple early on that i probably should have taken! I'm a happy hunter!


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

very nice deer indeed congrats


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Sweet! That's hardcore man- you even took your clothes off to sap up the blood!


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## swantucky (Dec 21, 2004)

Glad you guys found your deer!

I wanted to expand a bit on the "no man's land" hit. I have seen it happen three times, twice to me. The first was a neighbor 15 years ago. He swore he hit a big doe "just a little" high bow hunting from the ground. There was little blood to follow and even after a serious grid search we could not find her. A month later I was a stander during gun season and the doe he shot came by me. High hit almost completely healed over. She was getting along just fine.

Four or five years ago on New Years eve I was bowhunting from a ground blind. Has a 1.5 year old doe come in, I shot and agian the hit was a little high. By the time my buddy arrived to track her itwas pouring down rain. I swore she was dead within 50 yards of the stand. We searched in some of the coldest hardest rain I have ever seen and came up empty. We grid searched the next morning and still nothing. A week later hunting the same stand the same doe caome in with a hole between the lungs and spine. She saw me move and I could not get a shot. I saw her twice more that season but she was hip to where my blind was and never did get another shot at her. Turkey scouting in the spring I saw her agian and could see the scar and she was none the worse for the wear.

Obviously both of these shots were from the ground, I never thought it could happen from a treestand until this year. I had a doe coming down the trail which I thought was 17 yards, turns out it was only 13 yards. Anyway another high hit. Lost blood that evening and returned the next day and searched with no luck. A week later my buddy showed me a trail cam pic of her with a hole where the arrow passed through healing up. My platform was at 23'. The only way I can figure with the steep downward angle is that she jumped the string a bit and was getting ready torun when the arrow hit and she was at the perfect angle to miss the vitals.


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