Absolutely Sick!!

[TNGunhunter]

First time ever archery /crossbow hunting...had a spike at 27 yards and lost him! Found my arrow where I shot him...pass through. He never jumped...just walked off like nothing happened! Climbed down to examine arrow and climbed back up to wait. Started trailing after an hour wait...and blood disappeared after 300an hard yards through the woods...makes me sick!

 

[DMD]

Was blood dark? Was he "humped up" when he walked off? Sounds like possibly a liver shot. If so, it is fatal, but could take from 4-8 hours or so for them to die. Hope you are able to find him.

 

[7wsm]

maybe better luck next time don't give up .you might still find him

 

[DEER REPELLANT]

Had it happen to me. Lost blood, found deer ten yards out of search. Let him alone for couple of hours then go out to last blood and get on hands and knees slowly moving foward. Look on ground and look around at four foot increments. If i had done this I would be eating good right now, good luck.

 

[TNGunhunter]

Blood was not dark red, also no bubbles...had a good trail for about 200 yards, then started getting sparse. Another 100 yards or so and blood just stopped. Two of us canvassed about a 2 acre area from last tiny blood drop found. There were deer trails everywhere and lots of cover. We followed all the trails we could find, and crawled through the thick stuff as well. Odd thing, he was heading "UP" hill. Is this normal? There was blood and meat on the arrow, no stomach material or smell. Maybe I hit him high and no vitals were hit? It was a quartering away shot. Why did blood trail off? Good blood early then nothing but droplets, then nothing?

 

[archer19]

Sounds like no mans land. Either a little high or low.
Was there like a fatty film/ coating on the arrow?
Meat usually means pure muscle hit and non fatal.

 

[Mudbone]

Backstrap shot maybe? I've done that befo.

 

[JeepKuntry]

One thing I've learned is not to push a deer. Sounds like a hit that was not fatal. That being said, if I don't see bright red blood or pinkish in color with bubbles, minimum 2hr wait. If deer is not seen within 100 yards, back out for 2-4 more hours and then go back.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

muscle hits often will bleed like crazy and then just start to dwindle away......he may have bedded down, but it sounds like a non-lethal hit to me. A buddy of mine shot a 6pt years ago that looked like someone was just spreading a five-gallon bucket of blood around and then it just stopped and we saw the deer a month later with a partially healed brisket wound.

 

[Bone Collector]

No mans land is what it sounds to me. That is how i lost my deer i lost in archery.

 

[LanceS4803]

On Sunday I had a great hit on a mature doe, dead center, double lung, complete pass through. I could see her from point of hit to falling.
She took off running straight up hill for about 50 yards.
Then cut left and ran parallel to the hill for about 100 yards.
She jumped a small ravine (about 5yds wide), then ran another 30yds before dropping.
If I hadn't seen the whole thing, I would have been very worried because there was hardly no blood trail to follow.

I use Lumenoks to help identify exactly where the arrow hit so I have a better idea of how long to wait and what to expect.

 

[DMD]

No mans land is what it sounds to me. That is how i lost my deer i lost in archery.

Yep...that's what it sounds like. Doesn't sound like a liver shot according to your latest comments.

 

[TNGunhunter]

Thanks for all the advice / comments. Going back tomorrow...wish me luck!