Shot first deer with a bow!!! Help me confirm when to take up trail!

Shot first deer with a bow!!! Update!

I shot my first deer tonight with a bow. I'll tell the story after I find it but it is a nice doe. Complete pass through at 10 yards. I got down and found my arrow and took shined my flashlight down the trail she ran and there is plenty of bright red blood right away. I did not see any bubbles but I only could see 10 feet or so up the trail. So I know I hit her good. Due to how close she was I was not able to see exactly where it hit her but I really feel it was a good shot. I also tried to see if she would drop in sight but I could not tell. I shot her at 7:20 cst and it is now 8:15. The temp right now is 62 deg. It is supposed to get into the lower 50's tonight. When would you take up the trail?

BTW, I have done my research and reading and know that not taking up the trail too soon is the more important thing you can do to recover a deer. I was planning on going to get her at ~9:00pm.

 

GOOD job slowing down. If the fletchings are soaked with red blood and/or you saw bright red blood on the trail, I would pick up the trail if you feel good about the shot. Bring a bright flashlight and slowly walk on the outside of the blood trail. If the trail starts slowing down, back out and come back tomorrow morning. GOOD LUCK. I can't wait for you to let us know you found her.

 

sounds like you waiting too long for nothing....go get her son! good job!

 

Sounds like you have a dead deer, sir! Waiting a bit longer to take up the trail shouldn't hurt anything.

 

Good luck on the trail!

 

The fletchings have some blood on them but not a lot. I am using feathers. I am going to get my arrow and look at it in good light once.

 

GFY, if the arrow smells like stinky guts, back out and come back tomorrow. Trust me. When you saw the blood, how much was on the ground?

 

sounds like a heart shot,dead deer down.wait 1/2 hour go find her.

 

sounds like you nailed her. I try to wait an hour unless I see her go down or if I feel I made a bad shot. I did make a shot on an 8 pt at close range, right behind the shoulder. It was a sharp angle down. I thought he would be piled up within 60 yds. I never found him (crap). guess I 1 lunged him due to the downward angle, but I did'nt have a good blood trail like you do.

CONGRATS!

 

You have done the right thing by backing out, but from what you say it sounds like a good hit.

Best of luck with her.

 

Hope this is bright enough. There is blood for the entire fletching. Even the nock has blood. It just is a real thin amount.


Edit. Those pics don't really do it justice. Also there is no scent of guts at all. Again, it was bright color blood. I just wonder if the meat will still be good in the morning?

 

How close are you to the area you shot her?

 

Don't leave that arrow next to the coffee pot. your wife will be ticked in the morning.

 

10 min by car.

 

Good one. It is the only place I can get decent light right now. It has been 1 hr 20 min right now and counting.
Also does it mean anything that one of my feathers got tore off?

 

Yeah...poor fletching job. :p:D

 

What did the blood trail look like...

A)



B)



C)

 

Its hard to tell from the photo's, but the blood looks pretty clear to me. A heart or lung shot is going to leave bright red blood and a liver shot will leave a darker thicker red blood. It looks (from the photo) to be a stomach hit. I can't say for sure, as I wasn't there, but the arrow doesn't indicate a great hit. I would wait it out as long as you can, there is no sense in trying to hurry back. If the deer is dead she isn't going anywhere and if she is still alive you are saving yourself alot of heartache!

 

I know sometimes with vanes (i.e. blazers) the blood can get wiped off as it exits the deer but this shouldn't be the case with feathers. I wouldn't think so anyway.

You think you could have hit her low? I've shot a deer low before and had lots of bright red blood only to be disappointed. They can bleed a lot with only a superficial wound.

 

I only see two pictures but the second one. It is bright color blood and from her first step she is bleeding like that. That is why I included the temp because I am concerned about the meat. I am used to gun hunting when it is 20 deg and you don't have to worry about that.