I took a broadside shot at about 16 yards on a doe. shot looked good, look to be behind the shoulder. at the shot she did duck but still looked solid. clean pass thru. she ran in a loop, out of sight but I heard her stop and then fall. I waited about 15 mins, packed up and came down the tree. put everything together and then walked over to my arrow. arrow was smothered in blood and there was blood on the ground. I looked out and thought I saw her down, so I eased over there about 40 yards it wasn't her. At that moment I heard a deer going away from me. so I walked back to my tree and waited for help. help came and we picked up the trail. bright blood with small bubbles. Not a lot of it but enough to keep my spirits up. we went very slowly, tracked for about 50 yards and blood just stopped. I did notice blood up high on the saplings. when the blood stopped we stopped. I didn't want to push her anymore, if in fact the deer that ran away was her. the arrow looked better than most of the arrows I have ever shot after a pass thru. all in all, we probably went about 80 yards from where she was shot. I will get out there at day break with better light, but honestly I just don't feel real good about it.. there were no guts or gut smell, but it doesn't appear to bea double lung hit either.
http://s782.photobucket.com/user/Vabowman/media/arrow.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Bright Red Blood, with bubbles... Is a lung shot, as you well know. However... I deciding factor, is how high she was hit??? If the entrance & exit wounds are up high, the body cavity must fill with blood before it can leak out. (unless she's being pushed) Which I would assume, would explain the sparse blood trail. My guess is, she's close to where you bumped her. (probly within 100 yrds)
GOOD LUCK!!!!! Keep us posted...
it certainly looked like lung blood, I have seen many of them. But like I said, my usual double lung hits equals a dead deer pretty quickly. Im not one of those guys that swears a double lung hit yet has no deer to show for it. I realized that it was NOT a square double lung hit. I believe she is hit high. Blood was spattered at the impact spot. she ran out into the swamp with water for about 25 yards or so and then back on dry land. I did not pick up the blood until we got back on dry land of course. So from where I shot to where I picked up the trail was about 50 yards. I so confident in the shot that I really thought I saw her white belly about 45 yards from the impact. Of course it wasn't. My heart sank when I heard that deer run away from. I do believe it was her. it's really thick in there, so I will have my work cut out for me.
Good luck, Bro!!!
I once helped a friend track a sika in Blackwater Refuge on MD's Eastern Shore...we tracked by tiny drops of blood on floating pine needle here and there...
We found it...still alive but very not good...
Walked a mile back to rig to get bow but best part was as we turned to go back (I was doing the bent over trailing & he was to mark each blood found, I look and there is NO flagging back out of the swamp!
:eek: I had to track us back OUT of the mess to the flooded old logging road! IT WAS flagged perfectly on the way OUT... he wanted his deer.
Turned out it was just ONE lung... died shortly after we started back out... I thought I heard it but we didn't want to risk going back after without a weapon to finish it. It was dead when w e got back.
flag your trail in and OUT!
I hope you return tomorrow with a big GRIN on your Chin and story to tell!
Stay on her, you have my best wishes. I've been right where you're at.
Jake
I'm pulling for you Landon! I hope you find her in the morning.
unfortunately I have been here before. I am very shocked that I did not find her fairly close. But like I said, obviously the shot was not as good as I thought or appeared to be. I just finished talking to my brother who was helping me. He confirmed that what he saw was bright red blood with air bubbles.there were about 4-5 spots the size of two hands with thick bright red blood. and then it would go to being about a 1/4 of that then to just small spatters. then some solid drops, then nothing. he says we tracked her for about 70-80 yards.
Hope it goes well in the morning for you. I shot one tonite, great double lung, and she didn't bleed a drop til she fell. Hoping your deer isn't far ,bro!
Hope you get her , best of luck...
,,,Sam,,,
Stick with it, persistent will pay off!
I got my fingers crossed for you!
Good luck in the morning, and I'll be checking back in to hear the outcome.
Bisch
They can go a ways on one lung, but eventually they still bleed to death. Good luck in the morning. I know it will be a long night, but hopefully things will work out for you.
I will be waiting for the outcome, brother.
Good luck!
God bless,
Rodd
Sounds like a lung hit....Good luck locating it.
Hope you find her. Anyone at the club using a recovery dog?
.
no dog that I know of. I'm waiting for light now. been praying all night and all morning that the Lord will lead me to her. if it is his will this will turn out well, if not, then he is still good and blessed me with a shot. the lesson either way, even if you know it's a good hit let it be for at 30 mins. I was so sure of the hit I truly believed I was going to find her with out even having to follow a blood trail. over confident for sure.
Good Luck! I hope you find her fast.
Good Providence! You may have got one lung & liver, etc.. Either way, be persistent as it is highly likely that she has expired. Probably within 200 yards. Search every nook & cranny as though you "know" she's there somewhere just have to find the where.... Again, Good Providence!
Good luck! I know your probably kicking yourself but keep your chin up and keep after it. I lost one when I was younger because I pushed it too soon after seeing a lot of lung blood.
I'm sure that deer is down. Try grid searching if it comes to it. Use flagging ribbon to mark the lines you walk. I had my grandpas knife from ww2 slide out of its sheath while scouting this year. Thought I would never find it but I flagged my lines of travel and grid searched and I found it.
Im back. I did not find her. I found no more blood. not a trace. I looked for 2.5 hours..on my knees, combing and circling. I have to teach Sunday school this morning so I had retreat and come home. So this is what I take from the whole experience:
1. I believe I hit one lung high.
2. I believe she is dead, but finding her in that thick cutover is job for more than one person.
3.I thank the Lord and Savior for the opportunity of the shot.
4.Although once again the Lord tells me no, not now, and I disagree with HIS will, it is HIS will that I follow.
5. My two boys, 8 and 10 were so excited that daddy shot one, they know how hard I have worked. I am truly sorry I let those little boys down. Daddy did not get it done.
6. My bow and arrow set up was flawless, it's all on me.
7. It may sound silly, but I do feel like I let some of you guys down as well. The many folks that helped me get to this point.
8. My drive and determination is not gone, ego maybe hurt, but I have been bowhunting for many years, this is not the first deer I have lost, I will keep moving forward, God knows when it's my turn, I must be patient.
9. Mike Mitten once said, " nothing goes to waste in nature" I hold this close to me at this very moment, it is the only thing that allows me to move through this journey.
I have had this type of situation once, except that I had no appreciable blood trail at all. I found him, but it was a lot of work. I started at the last blood drop and slowly walked a continually widening circle around that spot. I finally walked up on him. At the end, he had changed directions.
Any standing water, especially downhill from the shot?
I would look for more than 2.5 hours. You said you worked so hard, don't quit now. Good luck.
Any standing water, especially downhill from the shot?
I had a similar experience earlier this fall. Shot a doe at close range, but due to me not focusing and looking to see if she was looking at me, I hit her in the shoulder. She ran out of there fast. I watched her run for about 50 yards. Tough track to find blood. Myself and two friends tracked in the dark for two hours, blood trailed stopped. We found the arrow, fully covered in blood, a fair ways from where I shot. It didn't seem like lung blood to me. Deep red, not pink and frothy. Muscle wound. I think the arrow may have defected off the scapula and up through the back, not hitting vitals. If it went through her scapula, and didn't hit vitals, well it just wasn't her time. Went back in the morning with another friend, and my dog, tracked for two more hours. Didn't find anymore blood than the night before. I was discouraged, but stuff happens when hunting. If she dies, or was dead, she is a good meal for the woodland creatures. If she lives, maybe I will see her again. I learned a valuable lesson about focus, and about tracking. Stay positive, you will get another chance, and be successful!
I don't have more time today. I have to teach Sunday school and then church service. i did the best I could with the resources and time that I had. I woke up at 4 am and drove the hour to get there at daylight. and searched until 8:30. Sunday school starts at 10. please don't think I brushed this off, but my service to Jesus supercedes everything else. I did the best I could and I would not say I "quit".
Keep looking. I double lunged one last year,it took me forever to find her. She didn't make it far,but with no blood I didn't know which direction to go. Keep looking if you got the shot you think you did she's down.
If at all possible, I would recommend you go out after church with as many helpers as possible to grid search. Even finding a potentially spoiled or unusable animal is resolution. Having help in this case could make all the difference in the world. You can be within feet of a downed animal & miss it... I've been on the giving & receiving side of the help on more than a few "difficult" trails... Some have gone as much as 3/4 miles and taken 12 hours or more... Do your best (only you can decide & live with that), then move forward with that peace.
Edit... Just read your update. Please, understand there is no condemnation in my post. Only encouragement. Your commitment to Christ is admirable & warranted!
High one lung hits are the toughest deer to recover by far. I know everyone dreads a gut shot (& rightfully so) but I've had way more success recovering gut shot deer than high hits.
Don't be too hard on yourself brother. That's the nature of this endeavor. Hunt long enough and it will happen
well this morning was all I had. we have a church picnic and then celebrating my wife's birthday dinner. I certainly didn't go afield with the intent of making a bad shot, nobody does..and therefore can't devote the entire following day to look. my day was planned already, I gave 2.5 hours this morning and gave it almost 2 hours last night. I have a lot of experience with trailing deer, I do understand that more help would be better, but I don't have that today. I also don't have the luxury of the entire day to look for her or else I would still be there. trust me I feel bad enough. I wrestled with bailing on my Sunday school class this morning and stay until about 10 but I just couldn't do that when people count on me and God calls me to serve. thanks to those who encouraged .
No disrespect intended at all, but this is exactly why I refuse to hunt in the evening if I don't have the time to spend looking. I'm getting ready to go out tonight. ...I have already checked my Monday calendar and decided what I can postpone.
After your obligations are over today maybe you should head back out. Crows and blue jays might be on her by now.
no disrespect taken.. however, I guess I would never be able to hunt in the evenings because mon-fri I have a job as a teacher and you can't just call in like a regular job. and I am at church every Sunday for Sunday school and service so that would kill my sat evening hunts.... in fact if you could only hunt evenings when you have the next day free of obligations it would cancel about 95% of all hunters ..believe me if I could I would rearrange my life for hunting but I can't.
I hear you..."Time" is a challenge for all of us. I wish you lived up my way, I would be happy to go and look.
The other event that will cause me to not bowhunt is a pending heavy rain storm. I didn't go out last night because there was heavy rain hitting right about sundown. ...it would be just my luck to arrow a deer and have the rain wash away the trail.
I feel your pain brother.... I've lost animals and it is an awful experience..... keep your chin up and learn from your mistakes.... these are some of the "trials" that the Good Lord gives us.
God bless,
Rodd
my 10 year old son just put it in perspective. he said this weekend you are feeding the animals of the woods next weekend you feed us!
With your explanations of what your other obligations are, there is little more anyone can or possibly, "should" say...
Better luck next time and heed the lessons you say you've learned thru this.
Nothing in nature goes to waste, but that doesn't make anyone in your shoes feel much better.
Never has me I know... :banghead:
no I would rather have her in my freezer.
Things go both ways. You can also go from very low to very high. Things change in an instant. I do agree with Roger in regards to time restrictions. If I don't have the time to deal with my actions , I don't hunt. It will all come together. Best wishes.
more leisure time would be nice, but i have a family that requires me a lot...I have job teaching kids, i have my own kids.all in all, I see my kids or someone's kids for a good part of a 24 hour day...I need every quiet minute I can get in the tree. Be it morning or afternoon...or both. I have never gone into the woods with the thought that I needed the next day free of obligations or even had the luxury of the thought in case i had a bad shot or whatever. It would be nice to be honest...but it's not realistic in my world. I don't know what that makes me as a hunter, but I feel like I did the most/best I could do by myself today.I feel really low tonight, and it will take a few days for me to get my mind right, my confidence is shaken... thanks for everyone's replies.
no I would rather have her in my freezer.
Sorry you didn't find her. I hope your low turns back around. They usually do.
me too John, and thanks for the encouragement.
I really hate the feeling I get when I hit a deer and it is not recovered. But if you hunt long enough it will most likely happen.
VA Elite, I just want to affirm the alignment of your priorities, and let you know how much I appreciate and respect your attitude towards the doe you shot. You clearly understand our relationship with the animals as defined by God, and the sanctity of taking life in hunting. To me, that defines a real hunter. Good on you brother. Keep your head up, it happens to us all.
maw you don't know how much that just lifted my spirits .... thank you sir.
Better luck next time.
Charlie thank you. this season has been way more than i could ever expect. I have learned a lot of things about myself as a bowhunter.
I know you've been working hard to get to this point. It sucks that you didn't find her but it sounds like you learned something from her. Now you'll be more prepared for the next one.
Hang in there brother.
bear, this whole experience has taught me a ton. It is baffling and humbling how much a seasoned 25 year bow hunter can learn in less than 24 hours from an incident like this. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon that I learned how dependent i had become on the technology of modern bows and broadheads. There is no telling how many deer I have killed with what i thought were double lung hits..in reality they were probably marginal at best. using huge 2" mech heads and high speed bows and sophisticated sights really diminishes the skills of a woodsman. I shoot em and find em quickly and never gave it a second thought, thinking I was a killing machine....now traditional bowhunting showed me what I am NOT. it was my modern equipment that aided in many kills, not my woodsmanship. I am humbled, i am NOT the hunter I thought i was. Is it a hard pill to swallow? you bet, but it is just the medicine I needed...
QuoteOriginally posted by VA Elite:
bear, this whole experience has taught me a ton. It is baffling and humbling how much a seasoned 25 year bow hunter can learn in less than 24 hours from an incident like this. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon that I learned how dependent i had become on the technology of modern bows and broadheads. There is no telling how many deer I have killed with what i thought were double lung hits..in reality they were probably marginal at best. using huge 2" mech heads and high speed bows and sophisticated sights really diminishes the skills of a woodsman. I shoot em and find em quickly and never gave it a second thought, thinking I was a killing machine....now traditional bowhunting showed me what I am NOT. it was my modern equipment that aided in many kills, not my woodsmanship. I am humbled, i am NOT the hunter I thought i was. Is it a hard pill to swallow? you bet, but it is just the medicine I needed...
If you hunt with trad equipment it'll happen eventually. We each need to try to diminish those chances with each shot, and learn at every opportunity. I have been there more than once. I hate each one. I remember each one. They still teach me. Move on but don't forget. I am quite choosy in each shot, but even in each shot carefully chosen, the deer, or any game animal, can change the outcome, and humble us once again.
Food for thought... A Whitetail Deer, has an INCREDIBLE survival instinct!!!!!
Years ago, late in the gun season, I shot a 4point buck. He had a bunch of "goop" on the left side of his ribcage. Dressing him out, I found a Razorback5 broadhead & 10' of aluminium shaft... The "goop" was pine pitch!!!!! He'd plugged the hole to avoid it "sucking air" and was running fine, a month after the close of bow season. If I hadn't of shot him, he definitely would have made it through the season!!!!!
it never ceases to amaze me with their will to live...
Reading through this post, I feel like i'm reading about my life! lol. I have 1 day a week to hunt. It makes for a long and short season; there is a long time between sits and the sits are usually short. Ultimately, my commitment to wife, children and the Lord trump my desire to hunt. But it would be nice to be able to hunt more. the best part is we get big breaks for the holidays. but then again, aren't the holidays really about family time? ;)
Thank you daniel for understanding.