Hi all. Been a long time reader but finally a poster. Shot a nice 8pt buck 2 weekends ago. 18 yard shot from 19' up in a tree. Was 10 minutes into legal shooting hours. After shot he Jumped and took off like a bat out of hell. Watched him clear a 80 yard bean field. I got down after 30 minutes to retrieve my arrow and back out (Opposite way of bean field). Went home ate breakfeast and got the wheeler loaded up and came back 4 1/2 hours later to start trailing. Tracked him over 300 yards with good blood trail the whole way. The end of the trail was in an uncut crp field on the edge of a creek in the neighbors property. The blood completely went away. Spent hours on hands and knees in that long grass looking and could not find a speck of blood. Spent until dark walking up and down the creek looking for him or a blood sign coming in or out of the creek and nothing. walked even further up the creek the next 2 afternoons after work and nothing. Ive never had a deer I did not recover before until now. Attached images of the arrow in the field and back home of the broadhead as well as part of the blood trail where he crossed into neighbors land. Had meat on it with white and brown hair. Still makes me sick thinking about it. Any input on what may have happened? Consensus among friends is that I got 1 lung and he is alive, however I have not seen him on trail cameras since the shot...
I'm not for sure. It was still pretty dark. Had a good thwack sound and the arrow was sticking in the ground.
I doubt you got a lung, I would guess it was just a poor shot and he'll be fine. I glad to hear you put so much effort into trying to find him. If you feel you have done all you can to find him then do your best to put it behind you. Practice elevated shots!!
I have been there. Spent all day one Saturday last year in almost the same situation: shot about 10 minutes after shooting light, found the arrow, 8 hours later no deer. I lost the blood trail after about 100 yards. If he lives great, if not, he will be food for the coyotes or vultures. Its a crappy feeling, but nature will take care of it if it died.
