Hey Gang,
   I've got some good news and some bad news. I shot a doe tonight at about 5 yards right before dark.  Pegged her right in the boiler room with a two blade zwickey.  I got about 12-16" of penetration. Awesome experience to have one that close!  I gave her a half hour before taking up the trail.  The problem is I was unable to find ANY blood.  I found my broken off nock, some broken branches, and hoof prints, but other than that absolutely nothing!  I began circling the area and found no sign of her.  Even a search of a field she ran through yielded no blood.  After an hour of searching I backed out hoping not to walk over anything that may be there for the morning.  I plan to head back there at first light and keep looking and possibly grid search the area.  Do you guys think the meat could still be good if I find her in the morning?  It should get down to the lower 40's tonight.  I really think she is dead...unless deer learned how to breathe through blood;)  Matt

Congratulations first of all. At 40 degrees you should be in no danger of spoilage. Good luck and hope you find her.

Yeah shes dead, and the meat will be OK, Just go back in the am with good light look again for blood.  I walked past a downed deer in DAYLIGHT  a bunch of years back Cause I wasnt relaxxed.  thought it vanished.  you'll find her

Was the shot from the ground or from a treestand?

In the lower 40's tonight and she will be just fine in the morning  

Kevin.

Just go back really early before it gets hot and you will be ok

I shot her from the ground.  Makes me feel better knowing the meat will be ok if I can find her. Thanks guys, Matt

No worries about the meat...

Post some pics for us in the morning.. congrats.


John III

some times its really tricky to pic up blood in low light. best to go back in the am when the light is better. find a spot your certain she was and really search for blood. let us know how you get on wish you the best of luck Matt don't give up      

I'd be a little concerned about not getting a pass-through at that range with a shot in the boiler room. Either your set-up isn't tuned properly or the shot wasn't were you thought.

What weight bow were you using?

Also as said above, if the temps were in the 40's the meat will be fine.

I have shot them in 55 degree weather and left them overnight and found them the next day when temps are nearing 70. The meat has always been fine. Ya may have hit the off shoulder thus no exit hole. Shawn

Meat will be o.k.
If you still can't find sign, get a dog on the job. Watch for scavanger birds as well. My brother shot a nice buck several years back, and all we had to follow was tracks. Turns out, he only went about 150 yards and piled up in a dry ditch. The entry wound was high and angled down towards the off shoulder. The body cavity was full of blood. The only blood on the ground was right next to the deer.

I second the dogs, amazing what they can do with those sniffers.
Sounds like the above statements are correct.
Good luck finding her, and keep us posted.

I got my first deer two days ago.  Mine was shot from the ground with a 2 blade Magnus.  I was suprised that she didn't leak like a faucet.  The blood trail was there but it was sparce.  A few drops every 10 feet or so.  

I had to track her in the dark so every time I saw blood I put a piece of toilet paper next to the spot.  When I would loose blood I just looked back at the TP trail and could figure out which way she should have been going.  

This little trick helped me several times on the tracking job when I thought the blood trail was over.  It might work for you to.

Pretty bummed guys.  I just got back from the field and found absolutely no blood, hair, or body fluids of any sort.  I am amazed that even after running through thick brush and high marsh grass there was no sign except tracks.  I marked these tracks out with ribbon, but they eventually ran out upon entering marsh grass. I circled around and through thickets and circled the area several times...nothing. You would think that the arrow hitting the brush as she ran would work the wound open and that grass, etc. would surely come in contact with the wound and leave some blood or that some would be coughed up from the lungs.  Nothing.  
She did jump the string a bit and the arrow was a bit above center, but only a few inches behind the shoulder.  She certainly didn't run off like she was shoulder hit, though the opposite shoulder could have come back and stopped the arrow.  I'm shooting a 55#@27" longbow a friend made for me with AD Trads with 225 grains up front.  I had just sharpened the broadheads before heading out.  I feel pretty crummy because I am confident she's dead, I just can't find her.  If she ran into the marsh the only way to find her would be to step on her.  Unfortunately I don't have access to dogs...I sure wish I did.  

I'm bummed.

If you hunt long enough, you will miss.  I quit counting.  If you hunt long enough, you will lose an animal.  In the moment of truth, your heart is screaming at you, visions of your bow resting on the deer are filling your head,  and so on... You know what I'm talking about.  The shot may look great.  The deer is close and calm, than nature takes over.  We hunt these little monsters because they are smarter, faster and prettier than us.  And with traditional equipment, they trully have the upperhand on us.  (and we wouldn't have it any other way.) It happens to all of us.  

That being said, brush yourself off.   Pick up your baby and shoot her again.  Take her out to the woods  and bowhunt.  Thats the only way to get past it.  Best of luck, Bhill

QuoteOriginally posted by Brent Hill:
If you hunt long enough, you will miss.  I quit counting.  If you hunt long enough, you will lose an animal.  In the moment of truth, your heart is screaming at you, visions of your bow resting on the deer are filling your head,  and so on... You know what I'm talking about.  The shot may look great.  The deer is close and calm, than nature takes over.  We hunt these little monsters because they are smarter, faster and prettier than us.  And with traditional equipment, they trully have the upperhand on us.  (and we wouldn't have it any other way.) It happens to all of us.  

That being said, brush yourself off.   Pick up your baby and shoot her again.  Take her out to the woods  and bowhunt.  Thats the only way to get past it.  Best of luck, Bhill

very well said!  

You may have hit higher than you thought.  Usually a backstrap hit will bleed fairly well at first though.  Maybe, maybe, maybe ....