Front leg hit
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: molsonarcher
13-Nov-18
I just watched my arrow go haywire between myself and a buck I shot at. The deer was broadside, and the arrow hit the front part of his near side leg, then deflected forward after making contact. The point of impact was at the very top of his leg where it meets the chest. I have good blood, but it is bright red, no bubbles. I’m thinking muscle blood only, and non fatal. I’m not sure there is anything there I could have hit that would kill him. I blood trailed about 100 yards. It was consistent blood, but never increased in volume. I’m thinking he will live, but looking for some insight if anyone has experience with this situation.
From: Topgun 30-06
13-Nov-18
A superficial hit on the front leg like that won't even slow him down!
From: cath8r
13-Nov-18
Track blood till it stops..... then follow track. Dont assume anything till you have exhausted every option for finding him.
From: molsonarcher
13-Nov-18
He was headed back into a favored bedding area, and I didn’t want to push him out too early. I have plans on going in at first light tomorrow. It will be plenty cold tonight that if he is dead he will still make good sausage. I hope he is dead, but reading past threads of muscle/brisket hits has me thinking he will survive.
From: Stekewood
13-Nov-18
You don’t want to wait on a hit like that. The only hope is to push him hard and keep it bleeding.
From: Kodiak
13-Nov-18
You never know. A guy I know grazed one in the face and found it. Sliced it open and it bled out.
From: dirtclod Az.
13-Nov-18
Follow as far as possible and then search in a grid pattern until you are sure you only wounded the animal,leave no stone unturned.Ethically call in all your buddies to help.I would never walk away from something I thought I "just wounded".
From: Bou'bound
13-Nov-18
he's fine, brisket hit sounds like
From: ki-ke
13-Nov-18
I've tracked several hits like that to dead deer. There is sufficient vascularity in that area to kill, if the right cords are cut. No disrespect to some of the experienced guys that have chimed in already, but as also said, follow till you cant follow anymore. FWIW, I agree with the keep 'em moving on a hit like that....
Caribou have been killed by hitting them in velvet antler bases.....crazy things can happen....
From: cath8r
13-Nov-18
I hit a deer in front of both front legs in the chest.... he bled out in 50 yards. Hit both of the big arteries going up to the jugular. Even if you nicked one of them he might be down in 100 yards. Never write off a deer you've hit if hes still bleeding.
From: MDcrazyman
13-Nov-18
ok man, so some guys on here are making some comments, deer have arteries in there legs like dogs do, they can be fatal if hit, we have arteries in our limbs too but our limbs are thicker than a dog or deer leg. You owe it to that deer to do the best you can to find it. don't listen to the " he will be fine" that is a BS answer, track him and respect him, you let the arrow fly, he may be bleeding out, just takes a bit.
From: molsonarcher
13-Nov-18
I appreciate all the responses and thoughts. This is an area where pushing the deer isn’t an option. Urban hunt with very small acreage, and lots of chances for not recovering if pushed out of this small area. I fully intend on tracking the deer as far as I can, but if it is a fatal shot, I’m hoping he’d bedded on the property where they usually do and will find him in the morning. In a different situation with more room to work, I would not hesitate to push him.
From: nijimasu
13-Nov-18
Good luck- please post whatever the outcome.
From: Matt
13-Nov-18
I hit a string jumper across the front of one leg and the back the other (ground level shot). We had very little blood but kept pushing him and he bled to the point he just gave up.
From: Zbone
13-Nov-18
Three legged deer are not uncommon around here... Amazing animals to survive, but they do...
From: MichaelArnette
14-Nov-18
Good comments here, track until you verify non lethality. Hope you find him or it’s non lethal and he’s fine
From: Fuzzy
14-Nov-18
I hit a big doe in the front leg once with a Zwickey delta off a 55# recurve. Broke the leg bone at the joint and cut an artery. Gave her an hour and followed up, found her bedded and finished her. She would've died in that bed. Follow up!
From: 320 bull
14-Nov-18
I have never seen a deer pushed with a muscle hit result in a dead, found deer. Not saying it doesn't happen. Every time I see someone take that approach it ends with a mile long track job across everyone else's land that peters out. 3 years ago I hit one very similar to what you are describing. I found it the next morning bedded inside of 100 yards dead as a stone. Clipped the very front of the lungs where they thin right down to almost nothing. When the arrow hit him He had dropped to a launching position and his nearside leg was back far enough for the arrow to miss his shoulder. It was his body position that made the difference. The arrow placement was where I thought it was but the odd position and angle he was in made it lethal. I really did not think I would recover him after the shot and was pretty disappointed with shot placement at the time. Looking for ward to hearing the outcome and hope it is in your favor.
From: molsonarcher
14-Nov-18
After tracking the deer for another 100 yards, the blood trail disappeared. I waited until this am to look. I followed every trail i could after losing blood, as far as i could. I have no doubts at this point it was a non fatal hit, and am hoping to see him on my camera to confirm. I followed the last 30-40 yards of blood on hands and knees, with them being nothing more than pin drops. I appreciate all the advise and encouragement from everyone who replied, and wish it was a different outcome, but glad that there is a bery good chance of not having an unrecovered, dead deer.
From: dirtclod Az.
14-Nov-18
Good on you for exhasting all trails possible.Good luck from here on.
From: cath8r
14-Nov-18
Good job. You did the best you could!
From: Hawkeye
14-Nov-18
Good effort! It happens and thanks for the update.
From: BOWNUT
14-Nov-18
Last Saturday I did this and thought it was a bad hit. Turned out to be a great blood trail. The slice on the leg was the entrance and it went 60 yards. I think the broad head deflected up on impact and I had a complete passthrough. Lucky
From: BOWNUT
14-Nov-18
Best blood trail I ever had. Lucky
Best blood trail I ever had. Lucky
From: molsonarcher
14-Nov-18
I’m glad yours turned out that way for you. I had blood, but nothing even close to your blood trail. Congrats Bownut
From: Zbone
15-Nov-18
Yeah BOWNUT, am sure there was more than a leg cut there...8^)
Attached photo of buck with left front broken leg... He's walks with a heavy limp and is thin but still kickn... I have video of him working a scrape and actually using the broken leg to paw...
From: Zbone
15-Nov-18
As said, he is thin...
From: Zbone
15-Nov-18
This doe is missing bottom half front leg below the joint... As said on the 13th, 3-legged deer are not that uncommon around here with all the heavy gun pressure... I see at least one or two a year on just 3 legs...
From: Hunt98
15-Nov-18
Try going back to the general area to watch and listen for crows, eagles and other scavenging birds. Sometimes they will let you know where a dead critter is at.
