From: TBOZ
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Hey guys, hit a doe last night on opening day here in Ohio. The shot looked perfect, lower 1/3 of body and right behind the shoulder. She may have been quartering towards me but it was very very slight. I watched the arrow disappear right into her side (thought I got a pass through, but never found the arrow.) Anyhow, I was ecstatic because I had made a great shot, or so I thought....I go down and started blood trailing. The blood was heavy and frequent for the first 100 yards. (See the picture with the bubbles in it). After a total blood trail of 350-400 yards the blood just slowly tapered off till I couldn't find it anymore. I feel sick because I would have sworn it was one of the best shots I've made and yet if she was actually hit good, she wouldn't have made it much over 100 yards. Any advice or thoughts? I just wish I had an explantation for what happened. No arrow, no deer and no confidence at the moment.
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From: Wheels2
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Single lung hit? She will run a long way on a single lung hit. Angled towards you is a tough shot. I stay away from such myself. I will take a slight angled shot if going away from me, but I still try and hold out for true broadside.
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Chances are the arrow is still in her. Get out there and look until you exhaust the possibilities. Looks like what Wheels2 said.
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From: woodshavins
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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x3. Definately not both lungs. Were you in a treestand? A ten ring shot from a treestand is often a one lunger. Gotta hit a little higher. ps: This happened to me twice, early on in my years bowhunting. So I try not to take any remotely steep downward shots from a stand. I've also grown cautious of getting on the trail too quick, even with what I think is a near perfect shot. jm2c
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From: Jim
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I agree with what the other guys are saying. It could have also got part of the liver. Go back out and look again. Jim :)
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From: banarrows
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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If the trail just ends good chance she doubled back on trail and leaped from trail. Double back 20 feet or so parallel to trail. If she new you were following she is trying to out smart you. I have had it happen before
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From: RymanCat
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Look all over near water and walk off all trails coming and going to and from where you shot her at. If it is a day or 2 later look for smell and birds.
If the animal had its faculties when she left she may have stayed on her trail they do this a lot of the time. When they don't and you hear them banging into things as they leave like braking heavy brush they know they are hurt. If the arrow still in it might sound like a stick going down a fence. Did you recall hearing any of that?
When you hit the animal did you rember if it kicked her back legs out. What was possition of the tail you last saw?
Look for your arrow as mentioned even if you find the animal and it don't have the arrow in it.Still look for your arrow.
Some animals can really surprize us too. If this was a boss doe she can be as tuff as a buck. Boss does are every bit of a trophy.
Look near water though.Good luck.
I am thinking she laid down there and tried to plug up hole there blood has a susbstance that thickens I forget what its called. I'm thinking shoulder hit possibly small part of lung.
Unless you have arrowed a lot of animals and been on these trails its really hard to know it all. How you thought the animal stood may or may not be correct also or animal may have turned at the shot you won't know for sure unless animal is recoverd and you get to see and diagnoise the actual hit.
Animals as they stand in the wild can really be decieving at times and now factor in the excitement of the archer and things can or can not be correct as we remember them.
The doe I shot 2 weeks ago was differant when I found her than when I rememberd at first I was further back and there was more of an angle but arrow was going forward. It was a bad hit that killed the animal in 75 yards.
Keep at it looking for arrow and animal thats how we learn.
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From: deerhunt51
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Yep, single lung hit. Sorry, next time wait for broadside or quartering away. Sometimes it is better to be patient and if the shot does not develop, let them walk. That being said, most guys will take that shot at least once.
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From: fdp
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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It's a dead deer, go find it.
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From: WV Mountaineer
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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It looks like some lung blood but she was obviously standing where you took the pic. Lung blood is frothy and really pink at times. It could be a combination of blood from a lung and somewhere else. But, if lungs or any artery was hit, blood should be erratically sprayed along the trail, up on things etc.... Sometimes this doesn't happen until the lungs get full of blood.
I agree, she is dead likely but, that isn't a lot of blood right there. While it was a steady stream that caused it, it looks like it was just flowing out instead of pumping. Meaning she was standing and decided not to bed. You got on her to soon likely in reference to the hit she endured is what I'm getting. I'm not knocking you, just stating what I see. It can happen to anyone and has happened to me. Go try to find here and hopefully it was colder there last night than here. Good luck and God Bless
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From: Gfet
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Any blood tracking dogs in your area?
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From: Daddy Bear
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Kinda speculating based on the limited info, but it sounds like you arrowed the deer from above, and maybe hit too low and too far back catching one lung. If so, a deer can go quite a while before expiring, which is evident by you trailing the deer about 400 yards. It also sounds like you went after the deer a bit too quickly and may have been pushing it a bit so it would not lay down.
I'd suggest, if you could turn the clock back on the same hit, and if the hit was fatal on one lung, give the deer ample time to lay down and expire, maybe a good four plus hours on the short end, or overnight on the long end. If the hit was fatal and you were pushing the deer that 400 or so yards, I'd now start from scratch there and assume that some distance after that point the deer layed down after you backed off. I have a tracking dog which comes in handy, where legal. Without, you should get some help and cover the grounds for several hundred yards around that last found blood.
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From: Witherstick
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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A lot of good thoughts above. I would agree that it was likely a single lung. I would add that I think the shot was lower than you might think. A low single lung shot is fatal on a deer. But, it can go a very long way with that sort of damage. Likely, needed to give it a lot more time. It is there. I would listen to the advice above and consider looking for a trail that leads you more in a circular pattern as she likely was trying to stay in her home range.
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From: woodsman
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I agree totally with what has been said already. I have track a lot of deer and that looks like a one lunger to me. I shot a big doe one time and she went 300 yards on one lung. Chances are that deer is pretty close to where you lost the trail.
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From: bradsmith2010
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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good advice above,, wait longer before trailing,,no matter how great you think the shot is,, deer can cover too much ground if pushed,,,, also ,, knowing someone with a tracking dog is a good thing to know,, I recovered many deer that man could not find,, with my dog,,, no blood trail,, gut shot ect,,,,,the deer can make it over 100 yards hit good ,, if pushed,,,,they can run 100 yards in a few seconds,, it does look like the deer was standing where you took photo,,,I hope you find your deer, I agree it could be possible the deer is not far from where you left off
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From: Andy Man
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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follow to last blood, then turn into the wind (the way it was blowing when U shot)
I have a find em quick dog- nothing better
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From: Andy Man
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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by the way; don't be discouraged- if you do this for real it will happen
learn from the not so good experiences-
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From: shade mt
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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i'm you heard it before. And maybe she's an exception. But you may have given yourself some of your trouble. Hard hit deer will normally not go that far unless you spook them. They are hurt, it hurts to move, their gonna normally lay down. I suppose there are exceptions. But i've never seen many.
And maybe you did everything right and she's an exception. ?
I can't say, nor will i.
But i will again say this. After shooting a deer with an arrow. Unless you see the deer actually go down, Which is very common with double lung and heart shots.
Unless you actually see them dead and down. DON"T MOVE!!!!!!!
don't get out of your tree stand, don't be making noise and moving around, Don't call your buddy's on your cell phone. Stay perfectly still and listen, especially right after the shot. Don't even climb down and go look at the spot you shot them and NEVER , EVER begin to track.
Often a deer will bed down and die before it goes far. Unless you spook it.
Also if she's hard hit you really don't need blood to track. Hard hit deer leave evidence.
At this point time is working against you. Go back to where your last blood was. mark the trail and get a feel for her direction.
If you done a lot of wandering around after losing the trail, you may have a hard time differentiating your trail from hers.
Get a line on her direction, if you cant find the trail. start making a search back and forth, making mental notes of where your last pass was.
Also pay close attention to any crows, good chance they will find her first, and be letting all there buddy's know with their racket.
There is an awfully good chance your deer is dead.
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From: OnEdge
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I agree with comments from Shade Mt, most of the time. Except when late pm on a 60 degree overnight. Shot a doe last night in Pa., at 6:00 pm, fairly long shot for me ( 35 yards), cedar arrow, 17 ft up in a stand. Thought the shot perfect but watched her run 100 yards along the ridge and disappear. Fully expected her to go down. She did not. Normally, I adhere to Shade Mt advice; I never go after a deer I do not see fall; experience my teacher. But.... no way this deer gets through the night in edible fashion even if it avoids the foxes. Tracked her as quietly and unobtrusively as possible and found her about 200 yards. Arrow did not double lung her. Hit her high and back with shot exiting low opposite front armpit. Bisected her. Good ending but nervous on the trail because once jumped, my recovery rate near 0.
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From: woodshavins
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Most of us have done it. Do your best to find her. Learn and move on!
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From: mission man
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Wish i had my jack Russell up there. ....
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From: woodsman
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I have showed this before but this deer went 200 yards with top of heart shot off. They will go quit a bit further on one lung.
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From: Dream Catcher@work
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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TBOZ, from my observation that pool of blood was formed when the animal was stopped. Not sure how long you waited before tracking but it appears you might possibly have pushed that deer. Once again, I'm not sure of anything. I'm guilty of this myself and I should know better. When the shot looks great and the blood is profuse sometimes I break the cardinal rules! I looks like a one lung hit but it also had to hit the liver according to your statement. It's a dead animal. I wonder if that deer backtracked on you or something plugged up that hole. I take slightly Q-2 shots and find the deer will drop in sight most of the times. However, I either go in front of the scapula or through it to get to both lungs. I hope you find her!
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From: shade mt
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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OnEdge...
Can't argue with your decision, sometimes you just gotta do what you have to. Certainly don't want them to spoil.
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From: Flash
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I have had them go 125 on a heart shot, 75 yards is the farthest I've seen on a double lung.
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From: JustSomeDude
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I've been reading "Finding Wounded Deer" by John Trout http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Wounded-Deer-Comprehensive- Tracking/dp/1616088362
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From: robert
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Well it looks like a dead deer out there somewhere, your job now is to find it,as mentioned above they can go a long ways, it is time to put your tracking skills to work, remember what you learn from this episode, you'll probably need to do it again sometime in the future.
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From: old vet
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Dream Catcher notices the same thing I was going to comment on. The blood pictured was were the deer was standing, no spatter ends. Chances are you hit further back than you thought, or the angle was sharper than it looked. By the blood color, looks like the back of one lung , through the diaphram and maybe a piece of the liver. The bubbles in the center of the pool are likely caused by the air being pushed by the punctured diaphram. She was excited and breathing hard.
With a shaving sharp broadhead, she should have bled out in 1 or two hours. You probably took up the trail too soon and were pushing her. After she was bumped three or four times, she either took off and ran as far as she could or circled out and back around you.
Deer can be amazingly durable. Once they get the adrenaline going even more so. Mark where your last blood was found, then slowly and carefully start walking a circle pattern. Widen out each time until you find more blood or sign. They can't fly, so somewhere out there is your next clue.
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From: Cotton Mouth
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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use any dog u can get some times I take 2 dog they will show u blood r tracks bay fight over the deer
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From: col buca
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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Agree w/ Old Vet . She could be lying in a tangle or ditch 10 to 20 yds from last blood .
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From: Chance
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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I shot a spike years ago... drilled him dead I did... a pass through ( I had to shoot straight down) he ran 1/4 mile. luckily it got hung up in a mess of vines 30 yards from my friends stand... he finished it for me.. we couldn't believe he made it that far! keep looking. them does only hold so much blood. loose enough and its in the freezer!
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From: dhermon85
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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It's dead for sure. Bubbly lung blood is good. I single lunged a doe last year and she travelled a good 800+ yards. Patience is key. Just as blood ran out I exhausted all possible escape routes and about stepped on her in some thick briars.
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From: Babysaph
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Date: 28-Sep-14 |
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My dog would find it
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From: CMF_3
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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Get a dog out there
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From: Dogsoldier
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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I hit 1 last year...shooting almost straight down...arrow went through at least 1 lung...the arrow stuck in up to the feathers...last I seen the arrow was still in it....the kicker is I never found a single speck of blood or any part of the arrow....
It was unbelievable...I searched for days...How in the world did that happen?.....It happens...
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From: TacticalCowboy
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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Tracked one for 300 yards after hitting one lung with a .44 pistol. He would've died 40 yards from the feeder had we not jumped him looking for blood.
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From: Tuckerdog
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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Agree with all above. I have also tracked them on my hands and knees through multi flora rose and learned there are "tunnels" through that stuff you cant see until you are in it they use it a bunch and when pushed will go into them. The deer I followed in showed me hiways and byways through a large patch that looked as if a rabbit couldn't fit until I got into it. It's a dead deer. 1 lung and liver hit unless shot angle was very steep then just 1 lung.
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From: Chief RID
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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Wow! Good reminder. Thanks to all.
TBOZ, All i can say is you made a good shot. Wait at least 30 min. on all hits except a hit that you know is one that pushing the deer is your only option. Deer can survive some terrible injuries. Pushing a limb hit deer could provide you a lethal shot if the injury is such that the deer is holding up regularly. If you don't get subsequent shots the deer will probably survive. I think if you had waited, you would have had a short and pleasant result.
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From: Bushbow
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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as mentioned above, air bubbles do not always mean lung hit and certainly do not guarantee DBL lung. A one lung hit deer can live for a LONG time and even survive in extreme situations. My best guess - and all we can do from our desk - is through back of diaphragm and nicked liver. Air bubbles are from diaphragm and not lung or, at best, one lung. Most likely a dead deer but tough track.
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From: DT1963
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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A single lung shot is a very effective killing shot and from my experience 100% lethal. That deer is dead - just have to put in the time to find her. The picture above looks to me to be a place where the doe spit that blood up. How was the blood trail? Did she bleed from both sides? How often was the drops apart?
If you didn't push her - I doubt very seriously she has gone much further than 500 yards. ALWAYS wait at least 30-45 minutes and if you jump the deer back up and wait additional time.
If you cannot blood trail her then see if you can get a local tracking dog. From what I see in the pic, I would bet she is dead and not very far from the last place the blood ran out - provided you were "sneaky" while tracking her and not pushing her.
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From: oso
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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One gentleman said "she will run a long way with a single lung hit" ..... that is true, but only if you or your dog pushes her. I'm thinkin maybe you should have sat tight for AT LEAST 45min to an hr. It's worth the wait. You will recover your harvest. I have waited for an hr. many times, only to find the deer 15 - 30 yrds away--- very dead. You have too much invested to not wait.
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From: Will tell
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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I keep my trailing gear in the jeep so I have to go back and calm down before I start trailing. I wait at least a hour and if the deer goes more than 100 yards I'll back out for a couple more hours. If the weathers cold ill leave till the next morning but if its warm you got to get them before they go bad. Nope you find her, good luck.
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From: Tracker
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Date: 29-Sep-14 |
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I tracked down and killed a buck I shot about 5 years ago that had a single lung hit. I waited 4 hours and he was still alive. Took a second shot to kill. One lucg hit would be my guess.
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From: TradTony
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Date: 30-Sep-14 |
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Alright, here we go. I know this is Tboz' thunder and I don't mean to steal it. Yesterday evening I hit a buck. Broadside at 15 yards. Here's my set up; 63# @28" Predator, 60-61# @ my 27.5 draw length. I shoot a 28" Heavy Hunter 400 with 150gr Woodsman broadhead. I hit the buck on the shoulder, figuring the scapula. The buck bucked and took off. I waited an hour to take up the trail. No blood at the point of impact, no blood on the hillside or where I last saw him, which was atop of the gulley from where I shot him. When I got to the top I found my arrow not too far from the top. When I got there a doe was circling the area of a fallen oak. She was sniffing into where the limbs landed. I watched her but she just sniffed and lingered the area. In my infinite wisdom I thought she was curious about the lifeless buck who lay there. As I approached, like a dummy, the doe bolted and SO DID THE BUCK!!!! I backed off and opted to return in the morning so as not to push him too much. I was back at first light. The irony is I saw more bucks the following morning but since the evening I shot the buck was the last day of the archery season for that zone there was nothing I could do. Anyhoo, I took up the trail and I only found blood where I found my arrow and nowhere else. Not even in the area where he bedded in the fallen oak. I zig zagged the entire area including where I last seen him when he bolted. The area where the fallen oak is is open and reasonably flat covered with cheat grass. There was not a speck of blood to be found. Where he ran into is brush and I figured he would've brushed some sign of the twigs or leaves, nothing. I zig zagged the hillside and nothing. I trekked up and down the canyon he may have ran down to with hopes he left some sign and nothing. I'm baffled and all I can think is that the 8" of blood on my shaft were due to a freak deflection the scapula caused and no vitals were touched. Also, one of the blades on my Woodsman was twisted something awful. Any input will be appreciated and to respect Tboz' thread, feel free to PM me.
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From: Pdiddly
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Date: 30-Sep-14 |
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Go look for thick, dense cover near where you last saw blood...from your description of heavy bleeding that tapers off it seems she was hit fairly good...deer will crawl into the thickest, densest cover when they've run out of gas...it's amazing how little cover can hide a deer...I'm in agreement with old vet and col buca. I think you've hit a lung and popped the diaphragm.
Also heed the advice to wait next time...you need to give the animal a chance to lay up and die in case the shot was not as good as you thought.
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From: Stan
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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Well?
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From: Marshallrobinson
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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The way you describe it, I would have expected the deer to be within a 100 yards of where you lost blood and more than likely, a lot closer. I have seen this plenty of times. The deer runs out of blood and crashes within 30-40 yards of where last blood was found. Last one I saw like this, we grid searched (at the point of last blood) 60 yards to each side, forward and then back. Found her behind and to the side of the last blood. That is a bunch of gunk to be left behind and then not find a dead deer down the trail at some point. Grid search is always the answer in this instance in my experience. Dog would have been a God send.
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From: Stan
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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Just my take on this is the 30 min. wait golden rule was violated.. Live and learn from this.. It is a subject that isn't brought up enough in my opinion..
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From: RAU
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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I think you got a lot of good advice above. The only thing I can add is to try to take a deep breath and relax and try to think this track out. No one thinks clearly or effectively when they're , pissed, frustrated, feeling helpless etc. I know I've been there on a tough track, and the ones that worked out after it got tough were the ones where I calmed down, took a deep breath, and regrouped before getting back on it and hitting it hard but slowly and methodically paying attention to every detail. Hang in there buddy! keep us posted
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From: greyghost
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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I agree 1 lung and you were pushing her. You should be able to go back today and find her, probably within a hundred yards of where you stopped. She may have doubled back toward you initial shot area. Good Luck
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From: Stan
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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Been 5 days..
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From: jack 3006
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Date: 01-Oct-14 |
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i am 68 year old when i was 16 i shoot a deer with my bow . i did ever thing wrong i started looking with in 2 min. and looked all day and the next but did not find it. i had to go to school the next day . i thing to this day about that deer i have shoot over 75 deer over the years and ever time i shoot one i thing of the one i did not find . you need to find that deer .
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From: DT1963
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Date: 02-Oct-14 |
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I took a doe last night. She was 15 yards and jumped the string. The hit was very high, angling down and a little far back. I knew she was quartering away slightly so I felt I definitely had a liver hit. What I did was sit still in my stand for 30 minutes and listen. I then got down and gathered up all my things - it was now 1 hour after I hit her. I went over to the arrow and it was dark red with no bubbles… confirming to me that it was indeed a liver hit. I slowly looked and followed a very scarce blood trail. At times I just had to think like a running deer and so I looked for the trail she would likely go down as I was hunting in some really thick stuff. I found her about 100 yards away. It took me almost two hours to find her and she hadn't gone but a 100 yards.
I used bright fletching which allowed me to clearly see where I hit the deer and thus it helped guide my initial reactions.... I waited almost an hour before I started to blood trail her because I knew it was a liver shot. Yes there might be an odd deer that takes a one lung shot and survives but that is very seldom. And if you hit the liver I can almost guarantee you that deer is dead. I usually wait 30 minutes as a rule for any deer that I do not see drop within my sight. I then examine the kill area and then decide whether or not to proceed or wait additional time. In this case I knew I had a liver shot at best and potentially a gut shot at worst. The arrow, blood and hair confirmed the liver hit. I also knew I had a high entry and exit hole that would mean less blood to follow. All this told me to proceed very slowly and to be quiet as I worked the blood trail. As I field dressed her I would say 90 % of her blood was within her chest cavity and thus a very sparse blood trail despite a very fatal shot. She bleed profusely – just didn’t spill a lot of it on the ground. The picture below is of the exit hole (I hope it is not too graphic just wanted to show the effects of shot placement and recovery despite lack of blood trail). Notice how high the exit hole is. The blood was actually coming out better once she was horizontal and I drug her a small distance to field dress.
The single most important thing to do when you hit a deer is try to ID where you hit that deer. The blood, hair and reaction of the animal will tell you a lot. Then you must learn to watch and listen as the deer runs off and try to determine exactly where they are heading. I have often had to go to the last place I saw an animal to find or pick up blood. Usually a hit deer with bolt initially but then at some point stop and try to access what just happened. There is usually some sign at that point. Then my last bit of advice is to stalk the deer while blood trailing.
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From: Fuzzy
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Date: 02-Oct-14 |
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find her?
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From: DT1963
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Date: 02-Oct-14 |
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BTW - the reason I posted that picture was to highlight that very little blood at all ran out the exit hole even though it had passed through the liver and she bled profusely internally. This is evidenced by the total lack of blood on her underside. The key to finding this deer was to allow suffieient time for the hit I made, tracking her very slowly in case she was no expired and a little prayer or to along the way. The last 60 yards there was no blood trail. The area was very thick and nasty and I could only see 20 - 30 yards or so in any one direction.
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From: ron
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Date: 02-Oct-14 |
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Lots of correct answeres. Years ago I shot a 6 point the was right underneat me . the arrow was a perfect for a braodside shot but came out the breast bone. That deer went 600 yards. its a good thing I had snow. I have had a few lessons and for a long time now, I take close shots at a calm deer with the arrow going broadside and and angling forward, never angling towards the rear, it can pull out a wad of guts and you will lose the blood trail. Be patient and wait for that ideal shot. If I can I prefer shooting them on the right side facaing away from me that way the arrow is going towards the heart. I have had a lot of deer fall in my sight with that particular hit.
Good shooting: Ron
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From: GF
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Date: 03-Oct-14 |
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One more story of pushing too soon....
My one Elk was a big cow that I shot a little high with a .54 RB which flattened off of the first rib it hit and veered off through the liver. We found good blood right away where it had jetted out of the entrance wound. Thick, bright red, some bubbles.
Then we found a bunch more where she had stopped to watch her back trail.
And after that... One pin-drop that my brother spotted, and that gave us a direction of travel. So we waited a bit and then followed up again. Bumped her again. I think she had bedded down at that point, but she got up, lunged ahead a couple of times and went down again, at which point I was able to end it.
Had we given her a good half hour to 45 minutes, she would have died where she first stopped - and a lot more peacefully.
OK, make it two more stories - another rifle kill, but still instructive. Biggest buck I've ever gotten, though I thought at the time he was just a typical basket-rack.. Anyway, he came past the tree stand at about 9-10 yards, slight quarter-to, and I was using pretty soft bullets, so I went for a neck shot "to save meat"... Also thinking to leave a hide without a hole in the middle. But between the bullet still being over an inch below the crosshairs and possibly him lifting his head a touch and - to be perfectly honest - perhaps a bit of a flinch since I don't shoot much anymore... Ripped out his jugular on the near side and opened up a gap into the windpipe. Must've gotten to one of the carotids as well, but only one side. Never seen so much blood on the ground, but by following the blood trail with my binoculars instead of my feet,I was able to find him bedded not 50 yards from the hit, and just about exactly where he was when I last saw or heard him moving. Trouble was, he was on a direct line from where I was to a sliding glass door on a house that was maybe 350-450 yards out. I do not shoot in the general direction of houses.
So after watching him not quite doze off for a good half-hour, I circled wide for a safer angle and damned if he didn't get up and move off, leaving no blood that I was able to find, but a pretty obvious trail through the leaves. So I followed that and bumped him a second time; this time he just stood up to see what I was about and with a bow I could have ended it right there, but the same house was right behind him, and a whole lot closer this time. Then he lumbered down the side of the ridge and went down in a heap. At that point I could hear school buses not too far in the distance and decided the best be all around was to wait him out.... and MAN, did he take his time about it.... Felt pretty small sitting there watching the death throes. Should've just camped out where I was when I found that first bed. Would've been easier on everybody...
But in both cases, I was struck by the fact that an animal will pull up pretty quickly just to figure out what the hell is going on... unless it's on a blind death-run, in which case you'll probably hear the crash... Let 'em bed there for a half-hour to an hour, and the chances of a recovery remain very high, especially if you have a good fix on where you last saw or heard anything. And for Pete's sake make sure you keep track of the time on your wrist and not in your head, or you'll be after it in 5 minutes and then you'll be over here talking about how you could swear you gave it a good hour and wondering what went wrong.... And if you need something to do to occupy your time, try to blood trail it from the stand with your binos, and pick apart the spot where you last saw movement. You may be able to find your critter without even leaving the tree....
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