HELP!! Where did my arrow hit???
General Topic
Hi everyone, today my boyfriend shot a nice 7 point at about 20 yards. It was around 5pm, and it was extremely overcast today. He shot the buck, which then ran a couple yards away and just stood there for 10-15 minutes, looking around until he finally walked off. We think the arrow must have grazed a branch or vine that we couldn’t see due to it being so overcast outside, and the shot went low or something.
My boyfriend went and got the arrow, the blood on it was bright red and smeared on the fletching. There was also a little bit of a brown chunky substance, but it wasn’t feces as it had no smell.
We gave it almost an hour before going to track him, which may have been a mistake, not sure? The first sign of blood was a small pool, which is where the deer stood for 10-15 minutes before leaving the area. From then on, the blood trail was very sparse, no more than a few drops every few feet. The trail picked back up for a little bit with some bigger patches of blood, but then abruptly ended. We tracked until we couldn’t anymore and ended up going home, hopefully we’ll be able to find it tomorrow morning.
HELP!!! I attached a photo of the first blood sighting. It is very bright, I don’t think it’s a liver shot. If it was an artery shot, wouldn’t there be more blood? We don’t think it’s stomach, no sign of that. Is it maybe a muscle shot? Please let me know what you guys think. It is a very unfortunate situation, hopefully the deer will survive if we can’t at least find it.
If he stood there for 10-15 minutes and your boyfriend didn't see the hit, should have left him overnight, or at least a few hours if coyotes are a concern. Hopefully you'll find him in the morning. Good luck!
"There was also a little bit of a brown chunky substance, "
Only place I know that can come from is digestive system . Good luck.
If that’s all he bled standing there for fifteen minutes, you have a better chance of shooting him again later than finding him now.
In 10-15 minutes you could not see where the blood was coming from at 20 yards? Also if he stood at 20 yards or 22 yards that long why did he not shoot him again?
What more can you tell us about the “brown, chunky substance”? Was it liver? Chewed-up acorns? Mud?
Kinda reminds me of a shot which clipped a carotid and a jugular…. Maybe the brown stuff was chomped-up acorns on the way down?
Hi everyone, today my boyfriend shot a nice 7 point at about 20 yards. It was around 5pm, and it was extremely overcast today. He shot the buck, which then ran a couple yards away and just stood there for 10-15 minutes, looking around until he finally walked off. We think the arrow must have grazed a branch or vine that we couldn’t see due to it being so overcast outside, and the shot went low or something.
My boyfriend went and got the arrow, the blood on it was bright red and smeared on the fletching. There was also a little bit of a brown chunky substance, but it wasn’t feces as it had no smell.
We gave it almost an hour before going to track him, which may have been a mistake, not sure? The first sign of blood was a small pool, which is where the deer stood for 10-15 minutes before leaving the area. From then on, the blood trail was very sparse, no more than a few drops every few feet. The trail picked back up for a little bit with some bigger patches of blood, but then abruptly ended. We tracked until we couldn’t anymore and ended up going home, hopefully we’ll be able to find it tomorrow morning.
HELP!!! I attached a photo of the first blood sighting. It is very bright, I don’t think it’s a liver shot. If it was an artery shot, wouldn’t there be more blood? We don’t think it’s stomach, no sign of that. Is it maybe a muscle shot? Please let me know what you guys think. It is a very unfortunate situation, hopefully the deer will survive if we can’t at least find it.
Sounds exactly like a buck I shot last weekend. I hit way back, about halfway up the body. Don't know what I hit. I think i hit a major artey. Very little blood trail but arrow looked awesome with bright red blood. Deer did the same thing you described. Walked off slow, even looked woozy. My deer only went 100 yards and bedded down. Found some coagulated blood that looked like tubes and looked like it had turds in it. Thought it was colon at first, but it wasn't. We had waited 2 hours when we jumped him. Came back 2 hours later and he had gone 20 yards and died. I bet you have a dead deer. Keep us updated.
Mid body left to right... 3-4" up from the belly is my guess. Might have gotten right around the diaphragm.
Look up united blood trackers .com This is a group of enthusiasts who love to track with their dogs. Punch in your zip code and you get names and numbers of trackers in your area. They do not charge but a donation is certainly appreciate.
Look up united blood trackers .com This is a group of enthusiasts who love to track with their dogs. Punch in your zip code and you get names and numbers of trackers in your area. They do not charge but a donation is certainly appreciate.
Is this the bloodtrail challenge? Which way was this deer traveling if North is West and coyotes can be heard in the distance along with thunder?
I struggle with blood color honestly. Not sure it’s the best indicator as I’ve had similar looking blood from neck shots and liver shots and brisket shots. Dark chunks don’t have to mean guts. It could mean neck
A better indicator is the deers behavior. Did it hump its back at all? Wobble at any point? Kick at the shot? Did it walk off fast or slow?
Hope you find it. Couple lessons here. . .1. If possible, get another arrow into them. Even if it’s a long shot. Or there’s limbs. Or the angle is bad. Whatever. Try to get another arrow into them. 2. An hour wasn’t enough time. I get it, I’m the worlds worst at waiting and ALWAYS get down too early. I’ve bumped some too, and it’s always sickening when it happens.
A better description of the Brown chunky stuff is the key. It didn’t smell, so my guess is meat. Which has usually meant backstrap or neck. The rather light, watery blood and sparse blood trail would also indicate same. The buck was probably chasing does that same night.
I was hasty on my "brown chunky stuff" call. Too vague for my statement that it meant digestive system. I retract it. Thanks guys.
Sounds like a neck shot. Good luck!
Sounds like neck to me also, I once hit the jugular... took the deer 300 yds bleeding like a spicket.
"Is it maybe a muscle shot?
a few years ago i shot a buck right through the backstraps. he dropped when I released and the arrow passed right over the spine. he reacted much like you describe. deep red blood that quickly petered out. if that is the case with your boyfriends shot...the buck will likely recover and be no worse for wear.
good luck...
Two people and no clue where arrow hit ? Looks like muscle blood
"We gave it almost an hour before going to track him, which may have been a mistake, not sure?"
Yes, it was. I would have just quietly sat in the tree for 4 hours or snuck out the opposite direction if possible. Wouldn't even go look at the arrow. I've learned from the mistakes I've made years ago so not trying to be an armchair quarterback. Truly hope you find him.
“ Two people and no clue where arrow hit ?”
Stuff happens fast in hunting situations, especially bow hunting. I’ve killed several deer and was surprised at where the arrow entered and exited. Chuck Adams once told a story about killing an antelope where the animal turned completely around before the arrow entered and he didn’t know it until he recovered the goat. What should have been the entrance was actually the exit. If Chuck can miss that, us mere mortals can also !
Would be nice to hear back but really didn't expect to.
My last big whitetail had the same thing happen as with Chuck's antelope. When I found him it took awhile to digest what had happened. Sometimes what we think occurred didn't occur the way our lying eyes told us it did.
Yep what Jaq said. Unbelievable how often we are "positive the arrow hit at x" and end up being wrong. Tracked a deer my buddy's son shot a month ago. The shot was "perfect- just behind the shoulder" and all we ever found was gut matter.
A former guide friend would always ask his clients “what did you see?” following a shot. Rarely did the recovered animal show what his clients thought they saw.
You can speculate “forever”, but you will “never” really know unless you find that deer! Harsh……but true!
I also think that some may take shots at a slow moving animal, six inches front or back of the hot spot leads to shoulder or back of lungs, depending on angle and size of animal. As far as I know 3 locals have wounded some fine bucks... " he pulled out the arrow and is chasing does, he'll be fine" is the usual response. In my mature yrs now I limit my shots to max 25 yds quartering away or broadside.
If the person only 20 yards from the deer at the time of the shot doesn't know where the arrow hit, a bunch of guys guessing on the internet won't help.
Around here in Ohio we have a number of folks with infrared drones. Their rate of finding the Der (dead or alive) is very high. Do you have them in your area? Usually for a couple hundred bucks they will recover your deer. Even dead for a full day the difference in body heat will still show up.
These posters always disappear just as fast as the deer they wound never to be seen again.
Must have found it and are in the 60 day drying period now
Another bow site flash and dash. On these hit threads I normally look at the poster name and if it’s not recognized 99% chance they don’t come back for an update. Wish I was wrong.
What Adam said... they just want to be on a "cool" site ;0)
Yeah, nothing “cooler” than telling the WHOLE FREAKING WORLD that you heff-dupped…. Great look for Bowhunting.
I believe what Jaquomo and Scoot said is so true. Years ago my "lying eyes" and my son's also saw him shoot over a cow elk's back. When I went to recover the arrow immediately after the shot, I found blood and about 50 yards later a dead elk. A lethal shot that we would have walked away from if not for me looking for the arrow. I would have bet a bundle that it was a clean miss so ever since I've been skeptical of where I may have hit an animal.
True dat.
One time I saw my arrow sail over the back of a deer, and then found shreds of meat on my broadhead.
What you see ain’t always what you get. Even I know that much ;)
I also never recall seeing an update on one of these threads if I don’t recognize the posters name.
Makes you wonder if they even see all the “great advice” their post generates!!!
My favorite “I smoked him right behind the shoulder” story occurred in Utah on an archery mule deer hunt.
My buddy ran into a younger guy and his uncle. The nephew had just “smoked” a “huge buck”, like Mossback type of deer!
They were having trouble finding blood to even start tracking the huge buck. My buddy helped with the CSI shot recreation to figure out where the deer was standing at the shot, and where the arrow might be.
A yard or so behind where the huge buck was standing at the shot, my buddy found a deers ball sack and testicles. He was starting to think the shot wasn’t right behind the shoulder at this point.
He followed the sign left by a deer shot low and facing away from you(use your imagination). After about 100 yards the found the monster buck, a small forky!:)
Ha ha ha, that’s funny! I guess I’d want to die if that was cut off me too
"A yard or so behind where the huge buck was standing at the shot, my buddy found a deers ball sack and testicles. He was starting to think the shot wasn’t right behind the shoulder at this point.
He followed the sign left by a deer shot low and facing away from you(use your imagination). After about 100 yards the found the monster buck, a small forky!"
wow...thats quite a story. a broadhead cutting a nutsack clean off...terminal in 100 yards...
...must have been using a crossbow.
Ha ha ha, that’s funny! I guess I’d want to die if that was cut off me too
To hell with a frontal, shoot off their junk!
Hey Ricky, I don’t think the missing testicles were what killed the deer.
After cutting the sack off, the broadhead/arrow kept going, opening the stomach up. It basically gutted the deer as stuff caught on the brush as it ran off.
ive heard of the
"magic bullet theory" in he kennedy assassination...this will go down as the
magic arrow theory. lol
I'll never call a man a liar unless it's in person so he has the option to try to whip my ass. So ... that's incredible, in the Websters definition sense.
Wow
I don’t recall being called a liar before
The only incredible thing is some of you guys on bowsite
True story
Not so sure what is so unbelievable
Pics, or it didn't happen:-)
Calm down brother . I didn't call you a liar. I just said your story is incredible.
"Wow I don’t recall being called a liar before"
fwiw...i didnt call you a liar either. there is no doubt in my mind that you were told that story. :)
My son shot a mule deer in the sac. The buck was walking up a very steep hill straight away and I said shot him between the shoulder blades. I’m not sure if he thought I said between the legs or he was just that far off. Anyway at the shot the deer stop, then shuffled a bit to turn sideways. A lung shot tumbled him down the hill. Indeed the shot had mangled his jewels.
We’re pretty sure he had nothing to live for without his nuts so just gave it up. This was with a rifle.
Yes hard to imagine the story being true
cut his sack clean off and left it laying on the ground? i wonder how wide of a broad head he was using? was he using a gobbler guillotine? :)
I got this guy on cam this summer. You’d need more than a Gobbler Guillotine to get those puppies off!
ive heard of a
"texas heart shot" but this is the first ive heard of a
beehive double nutter. :)
Brings on new meaning to the term...................................... "DEAD NUTS!" ;-)
1st question: Why isn’t the boyfriend posting?
Duke, maybe he was busy bloodtrailing
Killed this buck while tending a scrape. He was busy dogging a doe. Had a fairly fresh rifle wound that was not infected yet. Testicles & penis were blown off. Exit hole was at the top of the hind quarter. Hard to imagine the shot angle to accomplish all this damage. Whitetail are tough animals.
Basil that Ole boy had the same problem I have. Whatya gonna do when ya catch her? Lol
That sure could be a problem when it cones to Evidence of Sex….
This buck was killed in our camp last week. Very similar blood trail. Hard quartering away shot at 10:30 a.m. A big patch of blood, then petering out then another big patch. Jumped him once around 2:00. Waited another couple hours and started back, tracked till dark still with a good trail.
Called two trackers on the second day. Both said deer was still alive. They were right. The dog that came was young and never got on the trail. Through persistence and luck the hunter and his partner caught up to the buck at dark on the second day. The deer was still alive but too depleted to run. The hunter went back to camp to retrieve his bow while his buddy watched the deer.
The original quartering away shot caught just the top of the shoulder and passed through the neck. Some places on the trail had splattered blood that looked like it had been coughed up.
My neighbor shot a buck in the groin, after 50 yds the blood trail petered out, after looking at trail cam pics he still had the balls to chase after does ;0)
That sure could be a problem when it cones to Evidence of Sex….
