Here is the situation. I took a shot at a doe this evening (my first bow shot). Everything is a bit of a blur but she was about 25 yards away. I believe i hit her towards the back of the ribs and about midway up. One problem is the arrow didn't go all the way through. I found the first blood about 5 yards away from the POI. When she was running i found blood about every 3 or 4 yards. I found the arrow about 75 or 100 yards away. There is about 3 inches plus the broadhead in her. After the arrow broke off I found a lot of blood. It was all bright red, and every now and then I noticed bubbles in the blood. I found white hair on the arrow and in a few spots of blood. I followed the trail for about 400 yards in the dark with a flashlight. I found a really nice spot where she stopped between 2 trees on a ridge where she stood for a bit. Then from there no blood at all, again in the dark. Where do you think she went? Down into the ravine? Along the ridge? Do you think I hit any vitals? The blood was a bright red in color. We are going out in the morning to see what happens. Any insight or opinions would be greatly appreciated. This is the first deer or anything I have shot with a bow, and would prefer not to lose her. Sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance, Ryan
How much penetration did you get? If you hit where you said you did, I would expect the arrow to at least get 8-10 inches, even with a rib hit.
First, with that hit you most likely tracked her way too soon and pushed her. You should have backed out and waited. It sounds by reading only that you may have liver, one lung. Although a liver hit can put an animal down immediately, some need hours and if she went 400 yards, she'd either not hit that hard or you pushed her. Going out in the morning is your best bet. If necessary, look toward water and grid search.
I'd bet you had more penetration than 3", The arrow was working itself back out when it broke off. Sounds like possibly a liver hit, (by bright red do you mean deep dark red?). A few bubbles mean little... now if it's frothy, then you have something note worthy. 400 yards is a long way especially at night. I think when you look at the situation in daylight the track was alot shorter, than first thought. Do you think you jumped her while tracking? Tehre is no way too predict where a hit deer will go, some go up hill some down hill, some avoid thick cover, some go right into it. I would start on the trail in the morning hope for a liver hit and you'll find her the direction she went. If it was farther back into the guts, she will also die just slower. Follow the sign, as long as possible. If the sign goes away, look around any water (creek, pond). And then start moving in slow circles looking everywhere. Good luck a slow well thought out search should find her.
The arrow had about 8 inches of blood on it plus the 3 inches and the bh. What I did was sat in the tree for about 15 minutes. I didnt know if it hit her. I went to where she was standing and looked for blood and found it and marked it. I packed up my stand and went to the truck to get some lights. I started to track a little over 2 hours later, for about an hour. The red i am talking about is like red red, not like maroon colored. I never heard anything ahead of me when i was leaving or when i was tracking that would make me believe i pushed her. I also smelled the arrow and some of the blood, it did not smell bad like a gut shot. In the daylight it might not be 400 yards, we will find out. Do you think i have a chance? THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!
Great advice, I'm betting you think you went 400 yards, you might be surprised in the daylight! Keep us updated!
Yes you have a good chance go slow, and don't get ahead of yourself. Mark sign as you find it, use toilet paper to mark the trail.
At least I have someone confident. I have mr. pessimistic grandpa telling me if she went over 100 yards, you aren't going to find it. This old gal i think lost a lot of blood, especially when the arrow fell out. Bear in mind that my distances may be off like GR8 said.
Ryan, If you get a chance, this is a pretty good read so I'm told. http://forums.bowhunting.com/showthread.php?t=6877 It might give you some information to aid you or aid in your future.
White hair, not super good penetration, good blood and all of a sudden quit. Something tells me you might of hit her a little farther back then you think. It's all speculation though on our part, I wish you the best In finding her. One other thing too, bubbly looking blood doesn't always mean lungs either. I've saw bubbly looking blood on flesh wounds of all sorts. Here's my take possibly on where you hit her. Like I said though, this Is all speculation on just going by what I'm hearing or think I'm hearing.
Update. We found some more blood down the ridge and followed very much less blood down into a dried up creek bed. I thought "we got her now, she will be in the creek bed or down by the stream." She went down until there was brush and jumped out. Then what baffled me was she started to go up a hill. Still finding blood very sparsely. Then we lost it all together. I hope she at least died this weekend and doesn't live with broadhead in her. Thanks everyone for the input. This just means I get to do some more hunting, maybe get a big ol' buck!
