# confused & frusterated



## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

So after a lomg season of not seeing deer I finally got a shot tonight. Doe broadside at 15 yards. Because. Of the high angle I wasshooting from out of my stand and she was at the bottom of a small hill maybe 25 feet of total elevvation I chose to hit her slightly high, so the arrow would exit low on the other side and going through heart or lungs in between. Made my shot. She dropped like a stone in her tracks rolled around for a minute got up and slowly wandered off. I got out of my stand found large amounts of bright red blood at the impact point and thought I am golden. Let her lay for an hour and began to trail her. Followed the best blood trail I have ever seen for 75yds and it just stopped. Followed a speck here a dot there for another 3 hours until the flashlights started dying without locating her. Gonna go out in the morning and see if I can get lucky but I don't know what went wrong. Anybody got any ideas.


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## Eric E (May 30, 2005)

Sounds like you missed the vitals, got a high hit which can bleed a lot, then just stop. Good luck, hopefully I am wrong and you will find her.


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

Mabey if you were on public land some dumbo decided to tag it and bag it ..........If its on private I hope you find it.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Did you find your arrow?
Is the blood foamy at all?

You may of just clipped one lung and she could live for a little while, maybe 100-150 yds away.

good luck- keep us updated


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## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

Went out this morning. No luck gonna go try again this evening. Didn't find my arrow. The blood trail was nice and bright red, not a lot of foam that I could see. Anybody got a dog that wants to join the party tonight? Wondering if I caught liver. Who knows gonna keep at it though


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## bowkdws (Feb 1, 2010)

Fill a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide.
Beginning where you think the blood trail ends, spray the peroxide.
When the peroxide comes in contact with blood it begins to bubble.
Follow the bubbles!


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Sounds like text book shoulder blade shot. Did you find the arrow? It will show penatration of only a few inches if it's a shoulder shot. Non lethal.


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## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

Did not find the arrow. Both front legs were working fine. If anything I may have been too far back its the amount of blood that is confusing me. Of all the deer I have tracked ( not a lot but probably 15-20)I have never seen a blood trail this gnarly. It looked like there was a bright red stripe painted on the forest floor. Trying to post pics but can't seem to from my phone. All I know is I am pretty sick bout the whole thing.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

The initial blood trail from a shoulder shot can be just like you describe, it may look like someone emptied a bucket of red paint. But it&#8217;s just muscle blood and short lived, usually less than 200 yards. Dropping at impact but getting back up is what makes my think shoulder shot, but I wasn&#8217;t there to see the shot. Perhaps it went through the backstrap, but close enough to shock the spinal cord for a few seconds. Lots of possibilities I suppose.


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## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

If someone will give me an email address I will email blood trail pics to post


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## ramfan (May 6, 2008)

Just keep on searching,you seem like the ethical hunter. Now find your deer,make sure you check in and around all weed edges and briar patches. Maybe you can get someone to lend a hand...Bit to far for me you being in the Dayton area..At least that 's what it says by the name.


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## ChutesGoer (Jun 1, 2009)

Go to the last place you saw blood. Stand and look around 360 degrees at ground level. Find the path of least resistance (usually down hill) and slowly walk this path looking around for white. You will eventually find her. If you had good blood at one point, the deer will most likely have laid down and either died or healed up a superficial wound. No digested matter in any of the blood? If it was bright red and plentiful, you hit something good. A liver hit would have given you VERY dark red blood.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

ChutesGoer said:


> Find the path of least resistance (usually down hill) and slowly walk this path looking around for white. You will eventually find her.


If it were only that easy.


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## ChutesGoer (Jun 1, 2009)

M.Magis said:


> If it were only that easy.


If he found good blood for 150-200 yards, the deer shouldn't be far. If he doesn't find her in that "immediate" area, it was a superficial wound and could be 3 counties away by now.


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## kprice (May 23, 2009)

If they go past 150 yards.....odds are not good.....


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

You fellas are forgetting just how fast a deer can cover 150-200 yards. They can run that distance in a matter of seconds. The distance, in this case, means nothing.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

any blood on leaves or branches above the ground? Was the blood to the side of the trail or in the middle? A deflected arrow hitting the brisket will leave a lot of initial blood in the center of the trail then peter out completely. Anything on the side of the body will also be to one side or the other and on brush leaves.


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## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

lots of blood on trees and branches above ground level initially. Opposite side of the impact


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## ChutesGoer (Jun 1, 2009)

M.Magis said:


> You fellas are forgetting just how fast a deer can cover 150-200 yards. They can run that distance in a matter of seconds. The distance, in this case, means nothing.


If she was running like her ass was on fire, I would totally agree with you. But he said she meandered away. I think the distance is a factor here. Just my opinion.


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## ChutesGoer (Jun 1, 2009)

kprice said:


> If they go past 150 yards.....odds are not good.....


This is just simply not true.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

ChutesGoer said:


> If she was running like her ass was on fire, I would totally agree with you. But he said she meandered away. I think the distance is a factor here. Just my opinion.


That's a very good point that I missed.


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

man i wish i would have seen this post sooner..i have a good blood trailing dog. if you or anyone else ever have this problem just p.m. me and hopefully i can help you..


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## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

Went out tonight and worked for another 4 hours. Found the business half or my arrow broken off 10 yds from where I shot her. Worked on hands and knees for another 300 yds one drop at a time until we ran out of blood and light and hadn't found a spot for 75 yds. Been 24 hours and have put over 20 man hours into the search.....


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## kprice (May 23, 2009)

ChutesGoer said:


> This is just simply not true.


Do odds get better ? 

Sorry to hear that you did not find her. It happens to everyone. It will make you a better hunter, and make you focus that much more during your next shot.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Bigun said:


> Went out tonight and worked for another 4 hours. Found the business half or my arrow broken off 10 yds from where I shot her. Worked on hands and knees for another 300 yds one drop at a time until we ran out of blood and light and hadn't found a spot for 75 yds. Been 24 hours and have put over 20 man hours into the search.....


Most Hunters would not have put as much effort into the search (In My Opinion) as you have - so be proud of yourself and of your ethics.


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## Byg (Jun 6, 2006)

Bigun, you hunting public or private just curious as I am in the dayton area
also, sorry to hear ya didnt find her,still have alot of time for more oppurtunities. GL


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## Bigun (Jun 20, 2006)

private land in butler township


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## ChutesGoer (Jun 1, 2009)

kprice said:


> Do odds get better ? QUOTE]
> 
> You didn't say the odds lessened. You said the odds weren't good. One is probably true, the other just isn't.
> 
> Bigun, don't spend too much time mulling over what happened. Can't go back in time. Move forward. Chances are, something will happen like this again but in between there will be perfect shots and 50 yard track jobs. Hunt on.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

M.Magis said:


> The initial blood trail from a shoulder shot can be just like you describe, it may look like someone emptied a bucket of red paint. But its just muscle blood and short lived, usually less than 200 yards. Dropping at impact but getting back up is what makes my think shoulder shot, but I wasnt there to see the shot. *Perhaps it went through the **backstrap, but close enough to shock the spinal cord for a few seconds. Lots of possibilities I suppose*.


That would be my guess also...Above the spine clipping the bone and shocking her momentarily...


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

fish*FEAR*me said:


> man i wish i would have seen this post sooner..i have a good blood trailing dog. if you or anyone else ever have this problem just p.m. me and hopefully i can help you..



Fish, if we need a guy with a dog to find a deer, is it ok if we contact you? Over the many years of bow hunting, could have used a guy like you. Thanks


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