I hate posting this but i need help. I have never killed a deer with a bow. I lost one i shot 2 years ago and told myself i would only shoot one again when i have a perfect shot. Well that was this evening. And the shot was about 20 yards, i thought i maybe hit it far back in the guts. I practice often and 20 yards is no problem for me, but i get nervous when its go time on a deer. Anyways arrow passed through, covered in blood. Dosent smell at all, little bit of blood on the ground. I waited 30min before getting down. I could find no blood trail. Fearing a gut shot i slowly looked maybe 75 yards into where it ran. It got dark and the land is very thick and hilly2 small creeks and i was by myself, so i backed out. Im going back in the morning.Temps will be about 49 degrres tonight. Any help would be greatfull
I'm going to say liver. Solid coating of darker blood with a pass through. You might have to search awhile, but that arrow with a pass trough equals a dead deer 90% of the time. The other 10% it's never found to verify it was dead. Search the way it ran, if you find blood mark every spot so youcan return and start looking again and see path of travel. Don't be surprised if it loops in a circle back towards the way the deer originally came from.
I agree with the liver assumption if you know it was back. What did the blood trail look like in those 75 yards or was no blood found? What was the reaction of the deer after the shot?
Deer took off running. I didnt see a blood trail. About 20 mins or so after the shot, i heard a deer blowing like non stop for about a min. Dont know if it was another deer checking me out or the one i shot.
With That much blood I wouldn't worry. You've done everything right so far, so get some sleep and bring a positive attitude tomorrow and u will find it. I thought lungs because your arrow looks exactly like my double lung shot today. But I don't have as much experience as some of these other guys.
The only reason I think liver is because he said it was back. The arrow is coated nicely with blood, it really looks great. There has to be a blood trail, start at point of impact and don't move on until you have blood. I think it's a dead deer, just take it slow. Where you from?
thanks for all the advice guys. I "feel" like the shot was back, could be wrong, happened so fast. Im headed back out soon when the sun comes up. Im in central missouri.
If you find it this morning I wouldn't be worried about the meat unless it's gut shot, which your deer doesn't sound to be. It will be fine.
Good luck out there. I'm guessing it's a dead deer. Fat could have plugged the exit wound. That can make for a tricky blood trail.
Well i hate to say it but i could not find the deer. woods are still very thick where im at. It took me about an hour to find a blood trail. I followed it for awhile and then i could not find anymore blood. I was on my hands and knees looking for blood in every direction from the last blood drop looking for more. Its like she stopped bleeding. so i then i just started walking up looking. After a few hours i called it quits. The woods are huge where im at she could have gone so many different directions. this is my 2nd deer with a bow i have lost. I think im done.
You can't quit just because you having a little rush stretch. Every bow hunter has had them. You'll connect one day and it will be awesome!
I wouldn't give up just yet. The meat might not be any good if you find her but the more you look the more you learn plus it would build confidence. 3 years ago I shot a buck, the shot looked perfect and there was ALOT of blood....until it crossed a creek then it was watery blood that turned into nothing. I looked for 4 days even took a day off work to look. Needless to say I never found that deer but I learned a lot. I thought I pretty much new how to track deer but I always end up learning a few things everytime. I still look for that deer in the off season lol, would just be a skull by now but I can't get it out of my head. So in short I would keep looking and learning...she could've been 10 yards from where you last stopped!
The same thing happen to me last week, I shot a doe, had a good blood trail the all of a sudden no blood. That has happen to me twice already. I'm still trying to get my first bow kill. 2015 Matthews Z2 28in draw at 60lbs with truglo Rival Hunter sights Carbon Express with Montecs Ripcord cord red rest USMC Semper Fi Remingtion 887 and 770 Marlin 30-30
Agree 100%. And don't give up bowhunting. You did everything right, learned some things and it just didn't work out this time. Turn the negative energy into passion. When you are successful it will be that much sweeter.
