I sat in my climber for about 4 hours this afternoon. I spooked a large 8 point that was standing about 10 yards behind my stand. I never knew he was there until he ran. About 35 minutes later, a doe walked across the cut over in front of me at about 40 yards. I held my 40 yard pin on her vitals and let the arrow fly. I hit her in the shoulder. I buried about 8 inched of my arrow through her shoulder. I watched her run up the hill and go down. I saw her get back up and run again a few minutes later. I waited about 30 minutes and then climbed down. I found blood about 30 yards from where I had shot her. I had big pools of blood for about 200 yards and then no more blood. It's like she just stopped bleeding. I found 2 different places where she laid down and lost a ton of blood. I found both both pieces of my broken arrow. My Rage broadhead was fully deployed with one razor missing. I don't understand how a deer could lose that much blood and not be dead. We even brought in a dog to trail her and still couldn't find her. I know I didn't make a perfect shot, but I hit her hard and found a ton of blood. It stinks to not be able to find your first archery kill!
Probably so. It was getting dark and I hated to not find some blood before the sun went down. Rookie mistake, I guess.
I had the same thing happen last year (and it wasn't the first time then either). Great blood, good trail, and then it petered out. At the spot where the trail ended I fine-tooth combed the ground to try to pick up the trail again, and then I did a grid search. I was shooting a recurve then, and I decided thereafter that I needed more bow. This year, I had two 40 yd blood trails. Your setup looks like it's quite fast, and I use Rage myself. Deer just constantly surprise us though.
I have had the same thing happen to me. Deer are amazing and resilient creatures. They can survive some of the most bizarre circumstances. Losing a leg, gaping holes in their flesh and losing an eye and still be back next year. Chalk it up as experience. Just a word of advice to help; Unless you see the deer fall, ALWAYS give it at least 30 mins. Do that and the majority if the time, you will find it. Keep at it and Good Hunting!!
Known shoulder hit wait longer. I would say wait hour minimum, get down re-group at truck or house get flashlights and such and by the time your set you might as well wait the little bit more time to hit 2 hours before starting...if not found rather quickly...back out till morn. Moments like these happen, everyone makes mistakes, choose to learn from them and move on a better more knowledgeable hunter.
If you got 8 inches of penetration, I say there's a dead deer laying somewhere. Unfortunate when we can't recover them. Sorry to hear that. Keep practicing and use this for experience. Better luck next time
It happens but sounds like you jumped her a few times. DOing that will keep them going for those distances
Not trying to judge or anything, but 40 yards is a pretty far shot. A lot can go wrong at that range.
I am on the 2 hour minimum train too, even longer if you ever jump one. That is usually 6-8 hours for me. Next morning if possible or wait until nightfall if a morning hunt. Sorry you didn't find her.
I did the same thing my first deer I shot at. Hit him high in the shoulder, backed out, 2 hours later went back in and was never able to find him. It blows but...... Learn from it and keep going.
Kind of what I was thinking? Especially for a newbie? But who knows maybe he's a 3D pro???? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Because of TV, 40 and 50 yard shots are becoming quite common in bowhunting these days...regardless of skill and experience.
