I'm with Rob & his comments. The deer only walking away makes me nervous. Was it a walking becuase he was hit hard, was it struggling? If it was just walking like nothing was wrong...that throws up a red flag for me.
I'm only good at tracking deer with 7 points or less, but I'd like to point out that its easy to be fooled on the hit when dealing with quartering shots. Everything happens so fast, and its easy to focus on the fletchings vs. the actual point of impact. By the deer's reaction, it sounds like you hit forward or backward of your intended target. Was the deer bedded where you heard the deer, or was it just standing there? Looking at the pic, it doesn't look like it was bedded. Looks like it was standing. If it wasn't bedded, I would say shoulder. If it was, I would say liver and/or one lung. How much penetration did you get?
Good luck man I'm betting on a dead deer. Hope you found him today and the reason you haven't posted yet is because your skinning him.
As usual, very well said..... As for the shot placement, I'd suspect you did shoot more "forward, and the arrow is likely in the bone near the "elbow" on the off side, however, not up in the shoulder, unless you hit REALLY high, and in that case, you're not likely to find the deer. If you hit LOW and the arrow wedged in the "elbow" or the bones in that area, then the arrow passed through the area it needed to, however it's also in there partially tamponading (or stopping) blood flow which can aid in that deer's survival.... I'll have to watch for the end result here, but I'd be pretty positive that you didn't shoot him back of gut shoot him, otherwise you should have had an easy pass-through as there isn't anything solid enough to stop the arrow in such manner as you indicate. And a good way to learn a lesson on HOW much blood is a "lot" of blood or really isn't is to take a glass of milk, put enough food color into it to make it look like BLOOD, then head into the woods and dribble some of it here and there, and see how little it takes to LOOK like a LOT of blood....
No luck. 3 hours tracking. Found 50 yds more. Just drops then lost trail. Bummer. Totally sucks. Bad shot, Lack of patience and inexperience lost this deer. --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.744161,-75.754277
Thank you for all the comments. The milk in the glass makes a lot of sense. Probably not even a whole cup combined. I must have shot forward and missed the lung. My doe from last week was liver lung shot so I was trying to keep it forward on this buck. Sickening. Sighted in bow today all was good. Back in the woods now Thanks again for the wisdom and help Mike --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.744210,-75.754349
For the record I never saw the deer bedded, just slowly meandering away. Never running. Fyi - Saw 3 different young bucks chasing does during the track between 8-11am --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.744472,-75.754428
Keep in mind, Delaware allows tracking dogs and if you think the animal is dead or even suspect it, it's worth checking into.. http://www.unitedbloodtrackers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=6
If you did not find a bed, I have a feeling you hit forward of where you were aiming. Do you know much penetration you got?
Vito, at least 8" of arrow in him. This is state park Land with assigned stands/areas, so not sure dogs would be allowed. Also all the other stands around the shot are filled with hunters. I took the stand closest to the blood trail this morning and had all four perimeter stands empty- so I searched the whole area --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.744238,-75.754358
Good advice so far, it has been my experience when a deer walks off after a shot, it will die within site or never to be found. A deer that starts walking after the shot and does not have a sense of urgency to get to cover is not hit hard.
Found the back 16+". No blood except the end that had been broken off had a drop or two on the cracked part --- I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.744381,-75.754308
Sorry you didn't recover the deer. But you accomplished the task. You killed the deer or he will live another day. So get back out there and shoot another because these things happen regardless what the sheep says. Good Luck
It happens to everyone at some point in time. Remember to keep an eye out for buzzards in the air, they could lead you to a dead deer. Learn from your experiences and get back at it!
