shoulder shot..six inches pen?
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
After the other thread..... My son had a mature buck come in, very slight quartering too, 50 pound compound, 5575 goldtip arrows, two blade magnus stinger, and held a little too tight to the shoulder and caught it. He said max six inch penetration. Deer plowed out almost on his nose, no blood trail, found arrow 20 yards away and six inches might be generous? What say you? I will follow up! Kevin
From: Overland
29-Nov-15
Wait until morning. Start grid searching. Decent chance you find the buck.
From: EmbryOklahoma
29-Nov-15
The amount of arrow you find with blood or without, doesn't always represent the actual amount of penetration you get.
Example, I shot a doe two years ago that was really close. The arrow went straight down into her and centered her heart. I heard her fall so I knew she was dead. I tracked her (even though I could see her), no blood, of course. Five yards away sat my arrow without any blood on it. Inside the doe and entangled in her heart, was two inches of arrow and my stinger. The head had hit the brisket which kept it from exiting. So, arrow had to at least went in 10" or more before backing out on her death run.
Best of luck, I hope you and your son find the buck
From: Shaft
29-Nov-15
I agree wait until morning. Sounds like he broke the shoulder on the same side, thus the deer plowing on his nose. Because he hit the shoulder, assuming he shot from a tree stand the blood will be there, but will be hard to find because the shot was high. I think 50 lbs with a two blade should be enough penetration to get both lungs. I don't know the whole story, but I'll bet he killed the buck. Good luck!
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
We went on the trail, found the arrow, like I said, looked like 6 inches was max. We followed on that trail and took all trails leading off of it and checked for blood...nothing. Was getting dark, so decided to back out and start a grid in the am. We probably looked on the main trail for about 100 yards and checked each trail we could see going off for about 15-20 yards with no luck. Was supposed to be about 15 degrees overnight.
From: Bou'bound
29-Nov-15
The last time you saw the deer would be the last time you'll see that deer
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
Arrow was broke off, I think with about 4 inches in him??
From: Bou'bound
29-Nov-15
What kind of head is that
From: deerman406
29-Nov-15
That looks like a shark broadhead. If in fact 6"s than I say the deer is dead. No way to tell for sure though. Do your best, look the best you can or call a blood trailing dog. Best of luck! Shawn
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
I had to feed calves in the morning, Hunter (my son) had a doctors appointment at 9 am, so I said I would start looking as soon as the calves got fed. He left in the dark to start looking, I left right at 1st light to feed calves. It would only take me an hour or so, then I could start and he would join me when he got back. I didn't even get to the tractor when he called me and told me to head over to help him load his buck up!
From: Don
29-Nov-15
Awesome,where's the pics?
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
Here is one photo we had of him this year.
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
Photo from last year
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
Hunter had went back and started at the beginning and where we found his arrow. The buck had made almost a 90 degree turn and ran back parallel to his stand. Not a drop of blood was anywhere to be found. He found him by going into to some really thick cedars and crawling around and saw his white belly hair. Total distance was maybe 70 yards. You can see where his arrow went in. It was in the thicker part of the shoulder, went all the way into the opposite ribs but did not go thru. Arrow must of backed up a bit, before being broke off?
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
Bad thing was, the coyotes got there 1st.
From: midwest
29-Nov-15
Good deal....congrats!
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
Now the strange part was, we got him home, gutted him, skinned him out, and then started cleaning him. Temp got down to 14 degrees over night. He smelled terrible, the side that was down, was pink and slimy, looked spoiled to me? Is that even possible in those temps? We got both backstraps, part of one front quarter and part of one hind quarter, they smelled ok and looked ok? We decided to make all that into muscle jerky.
From: EmbryOklahoma
29-Nov-15
Where the arrow is broken off, is NEVER a true indicator of the exact amount of penetration.
Glad you found him.
From: Genesis
29-Nov-15
Nose plowing is no reason to push a shoulder shot deer with poor penetration....
Wait 4 hours in cooler weather.
From: Marty
29-Nov-15
His photo, thoughts..was this deer old? he had no fat on him, shorter tines than last year, heavier tho. Had no brow tines last year, one really small one this year. I failed on his pictures, his rack looked smaller in all his photos than what he really was. Thanks for the responses. Kevin
From: HUNT MAN
29-Nov-15
Glad it all came together . Congrats guys. Hunt
From: Genesis
29-Nov-15
Bet he was excited ,proud for ya'll....
From: IdyllwildArcher
29-Nov-15
IdyllwildArcher's Link
Glad he found him. Bummer you lost a ham. Maybe he smelled bad because he was old and going downhill?
He does look old and lost antler if your pics are right.. Maybe consider sending a tooth in? It's only $25
From: Jeff Durnell
30-Nov-15
Ok, I'll say it. That's a lower percentage shot and a shoulder injury from a broadhead can cause months of sickness and full body infection, even slow lingering death. He was lucky to find any part of that one. That's why I absolutely won't take a quartering toward shot. The coyotes can have the gut pile when I'm gone, everything else is mine.
If it was my boy, I'd have had some stern reinstruction for him.
From: ki-ke
30-Nov-15
I bet Marty's boy is happy you're not his dad......
Another human that never made a mistake. So happy to have the opportunity to learn from someone like you, Mr. Durnell! Thanks!
From: carcus
30-Nov-15
Congrats, awesome buck! Nothing wrong with the shot he took, just got to avoid the shoulder, my walls are full of huge bucks, elk and moose that died as a result of slight quartering to shots!
From: Genesis
30-Nov-15
Jeff,not unusual at all for a young bowhunter (no matter age) to shoot a little prematurely before perfectly broadside.In fact,it's probably the norm until some experience is gleened on body orientation in all the excitement
From: John Scifres
30-Nov-15
Cool! Sorry about the meat. I don't think it was temp related. I have left a couple overnight in a lot warmer temps, one of them in the 70 degrees, and had no problem. Good job saving what you can.
That looks like a pretty old deer to me.
From: Bou'bound
30-Nov-15
Great job and congrats I was wrong I did not think you would find him. Well done all
From: rooster
30-Nov-15
How many shoulders have been hit on perfectly broadside animals? Why even go there, geez!
From: Beav
30-Nov-15
He said he was slight quartering to. No disrespect Jeff but I know Hunter and he has killed a bunch of nice animals and is very experienced for his age. Believe me when I say if Hunter didn't feel he could make a good shot he wouldn't have taken it. Congrats Hunter on another nice animal!
From: HerdManager
30-Nov-15
Congratulations!
I think with the deer plowing at the shot, I would have looked right away. With a shoulder shot typically you either get through and hit lungs and they die quick, or they are flesh wounded and survive. Doesn't seem to be much in-between.
Shame about the meat, but at least you got the best parts.
From: deerman406
30-Nov-15
So much for the guys saying you would not find him!! Slightly quartering is not a bad thing even when shooting lighter bows, I feel the shot did what it was supposed to, kill the deer and most likely pretty quickly. I shoot a heavy arrow broad head combo with a 175 grain coc head. I normally have no problems with recovery on a shoulder shot deer. I myself always aim tight to the shoulder even on it a bit as I have gut shot some deer over the years when holding behind the shoulder. Congrats on a very nice buck! Shawn
From: habu john
30-Nov-15
Nice buck congratulations. His broadhead choice made the difference.
From: bowriter
30-Nov-15
My first thought, upon seeing the dragging picture with the meat damage, was, "Dang, he must work for the state and they sure ate his azz out.). Congrats, nice buck.
From: Marty
30-Nov-15
ha bowriter! We did spend about 1 hour looking prior to waiting overnight, with no blood, and unsure of the hit exactly, we decided to wait. I hardly ever wait, mainly because we love to eat deer and hate to share with the song dogs! We probably were within 30 yards of him the night before. Thanks Bou'bound, we are all wrong sometimes. Glad it was you this time!! Jeff, I would tend to agree and so would Hunter, he did not intend to hit the deer there. He has killed quite a few critters and felt really bad about losing some meat, so I guess based on his actions and reaction to everything that I didn't even need to say anything to him. He said quartering too wasn't quite right, cause it was almost completely broadside, he just didn't make the shot he wanted to. Thanks to everyone, something to be learned on every blood trail, that's why I shared! Kevin
From: sureshot
01-Dec-15
Congratulations to Hunter on a great buck! I know a lot of people will get upset and tell someone they shouldn't take a quartering to shot, but I have had great success with them.
