Shot my first Trad buck this morning...

Here's the senario...

He was broadside at 8 yards, I was about 18' up... Shot with an Acadian Woods Treestick 56" and 52#'s or so at my draw... Easton Carbon with Snuffer on the end... arrow weight was 425 grains... I only got one hole... no exit hole... the broadhead and 6 inches or so of arrow were found in the lungs when field dressed...

He took off like a racehorse across a field and I was able to watch him for 125 yards or so and he went into a woods that was cut about 12-15 years ago and is thick as all get out... No blood till the last 40 yards or so... When he started he was blowing it everywhere... I'd heard him go down and thrash and I found him with a grid search as to the lack of blood...

Any thoughts as to the lack of pentetration?  

I know I didn't short draw... I shoot with a clicker and distinctly remember it going off...

Jonathan

Oh yeah here's a pic...

Nice buck. Did the arrow hit the shoulder on entry?

Nope... I was about 2"'s back of the shoulder crease and halfway up the body...

Jonathan

nice buck worth the trouble sorry I have no help i'm new to trad!

Deer may have twisted some at the shot pinching the shaft. Without being there that's my guess.

Nice buck glad you found him.

Nice deer. Good job listening for the crash and finding him on a grid search!

Theory; you are only shooting 8 grns/# and a Snuffer takes a lot to push through. Not enough momentum and deer are thick top to bottom. Even though you think you heard the clicker, it is tough to draw as far when you shoot down at a steep angle.

I agree with KentuckyTJ.  The deer's movement at impact along with a light arrow.

i was thinking a little light for the snuffer...who knows though.

go shoot another and see what happens.

When shooting a lighter arrow it is tough to get 2 holes with a 3 blade , you need to go with a 2 Blade to get a hole in the bottom with sharp angles from a tree IMO . Deer are thicker meat and bones up near the top where you have to hit them for a good angle through the goodie box.


Jack

I think Shaun nailed it right on the head.  Nice buck congradts.  I just went through a similar situation today but unfortunatly after 5 hours tracking today and 4 hours last night I lost the trail in a swamp.  It was a similar shot, steep angle only I did hit the shoulder.

whats your DL?

Thats a great first buck! Congrats

8 yards away and 18 feet up = 10 yds. Pretty close. Nice buck.

I had a buck run 120 yards with a double lung pass thru that didn't bleed hardly a drop- it was all inside or had been "misted" into the air as he ran across a field.

Joshua

I'll leave the theory to those who have more knowledge than me, but nice buck, glad you found him.

It's the Snuffer, IMO ------------.

That's a big wide head, and the shot angle was pretty sharp....lots of meat to go through and brisket at the bottom.  Get down about five feet, you don't need to be that danged high.
That's why I like hunting from the ground, nearly every chest hit is a pass through.

If you read much on here, you already know the answer, but may not want to admit it.

Nice buck, and good job on the recovery!

Thanks for the thoughts guys...

To be honest I hadn't realized the arrow was that light until I weighed it last night... It was what shot right with that weight head out of that bow... 125 grains with the long adapter...

I was higher than I like to get, but I was on the edge of an inside corner with no back cover (open field) so I went higher... and as I look back he did look up twice at me as he was coming down the road but I had cover from that direction... so the theories that he "tweaked" at the shot are quite probable...

I do have a short draw about 27" kevgsp...

I do read alot here Marty... and assume the arrow was too light for the snuffer... not sure of your thought direction... you're not going to hurt my feelings... I'm just trying to learn more and be more effective hunter...

I've had several bad experiences with two blades both myself and with friends... several of them did not end well...

Thanks guys... It was a great feeling to finally see him laying on the ground... like a big "whew!"

Jonathan

I didn't see one of the obvious theories, so here it is:

Tuning.

If your setup isn't tuned well enough you rob yourself of lots of penetration.  It's the reason why a friend with his 70# wheelie bow rarely gets two holes and the 14 year old girl shooting a 35# bow got two holes on 4 of her first 5 deer (and all in her first season!)

Yep that big ol snuffer does a lot of damage but takes more horses to push it through.  Your bow weight is fine but your arrow is too light. IMHO

Up that to 12 gpp from 8 and you will blow through them.

Mike

Who cares about penetration NICE deer!!