I think you got a pretty good hit then...if it went just through the leg and low I don't think you'd have that good coating of blood on the arrow. Being that it is a low exit wound the clotting blood and tissue is pushed down so that would slow up the blood trail will diminish but every time he has to run or move should get it pushing out a bit more again. Since you have to work in the morning(and if you can work while tired), I would take a couple-3 hour nap and then get out on his trail. Mark it with ribbon as you go and if you don't find him before work - get back after him soon as your off.
Thats what I am thinking of doing, leaving out about 3 am.I also think it was atleast a liver shot because of the blood on the arrow.
I think from the amout of blood on the ground that maybe he was hit better than I think. I also keep looking at the arrow and dont see any meat on it at all. so If I did hit low it was a pass thru below the heart and above the brisket ( that's me analysis )
I consider the brisket to be from the legs forward where it's dark hair again...anyway with the gray hairs on the arrow it says to me that you hit high enough and it exited through the white of the belly...just a guess but optimism says its a lung hit and maybe a little back(just behind the heart) and maybe the liver....might be a long tracking job but if you are following him and he's headed toward water expect him to bed near there. If you find his bed, note where the knee imprints are in relation to where the blood is on the bed(is blood is running down a leg etc). Good luck.
Does the arrow have a gut smell to it? Arrow looks to be a liver hit. Liver hits could take 30 seconds or 6 hrs for the deer to die. Depends on if you hit any of the main arteries running thru the liver. Good luck and let us know how it it goes.
Hindsight is 20/20 but using Nockturnal (or any other lighted nock you like) really helps seeing those shots. Best of luck finding your buck though. Keep after him and dont give up!
I found him this after noon but the meat was not good he must of died last night early. It was a bad shot but I still got some of the liver. The arrow was back but he was apparently angling slightly away and the arrow came out at the starting of the ribcage behind the opposite shoulder. The angle was a lot steeper than I first thought he was only 12 yrds away from the tree. He was only about 75yrds from were I stopped looking last night. He also only gross scored 134 I thought for sure he was a lot bigger.The one side hurt him bad on score. But I am happy to have found him at least. Thank for yall for the support.
Prime example not to give up. I don't see any issue with the main quarters of meat sitting overnight. Most people hang their deer for 24hours before freezing it.
The temps here were 86 last night and 93 today. I shot him at 7:30 pm yesterday and found him at 6:30pm today. He had been dead awhile.
Ya looks good. I know the feeling when you can't find that deer. Congrats! Love the character he has though.
