Everything was perfect except...

[docg]

I've been watching this buck on my cameras for 4 months. He is not a giant, but in the 120s with a 18-20" spread. I've hunted for him cautiously during bow season, being sure not bump him or hunt him on a wrong wind. I've seen 50+ deer from the stand in about 5 hunts, but haven't seen him. In September I set up a stand for a morning like this one. North wind, close to the rut, in an area I know he makes scrapes. I got into the stand 1 hr before shooting light, undetected, wind in my face.

He was the fifth deer I saw this morning. The other four came within 5 yards of my tree. I watched him come out of a thicket down a trail that I bush hogged in August specifically for this purpose. He made four or five scrapes and fought with every limb between me and him. At 35 yds. he stopped an made another scrape. He was broadside. I watched him for about 3-4 minutes. I thought about it, but decided to let him get closer. But, he turned and started back the other way. I bleated with my call and he stopped. Not terribly interested, he started back away from me. I grunted. That was it. He turned and slowly headed back my direction. I knew this was it. He stopped about 12 yards in front of my tree broadside. I figured based on the angle of the shot, that I should shoot between my 10 and 20 yd pins. That way it would likely hit a little high and pass through both lungs at this steep of an angle. I turned his head. I drew undetected. I put the pins on his rib cage and squeezed.

ARGGGH! I shot him high. I heard the arrow crack him, but it was about 5 inches higher than I wanted it to hit. He ran about 50 yards into a thicket and started snorting. He did that for about 2-3 minutes and I saw him walk away.

I am kicking myself!! When I replay the tape in my head, the buck fever got the best of me and I used my 20-30 pins instead of my 10-20.

I backed out, went home, changed clothes and went to work. I have to be at the office from 9:30-2:00. I just decided that there was no reason to push him. I'll head back out as soon as I get done here to look for him. I am just sick. I feel like the chance of recovery is pretty low. For 4 months I have done everything right to kill this one buck and it all comes down to screwing it up with a rookie mistake because I got too excited and rushed the shot. I've killed several deer with a bow, but never a good buck. We owe it do the deer to make a good shot and I didn't.

 

[mike243]

Dont sweat it untill you cant find him.bet he didnt go far without you pushing him.did you get your arrow back

 

[tsc]

It ain't over till It's over, go back and see what kind of blood you've got this afternoon and decide then. You might have got one lung. If you've got a bunch of blood go find him,if you've got not alot,leave him overnight. You might have to share him with the yotes,but you might still find him. You having to go to work might be the best thing that could have happened in this situation. Are you sure it was him blowing and not another deer? Did you hear him run from that thicket when you heard the deer blow? You might find him dead in a bed right there in that same thicket.

 

[Gravey]

It happens and yes it leaves you sick. Happened to me last year with a muzzleloader. Left a blood trail Ray Charles could follow and once he got into some nasty thick stuff I lost him. Hopefully he's dead and you can find him. Good luck!

 

[docg]

Didn't look for the arrow. I just knew it was best to get out and leave him alone.

It was definitely him blowing. I could see him.

I'll hunt for him from 2:30 til dark today. It's just killing me sitting here thinking about it!

 

[Mike Belt]

I hope you find him or at least see him again if the shot didn't take him down.

 

[TNGRIZZLY_]

good luck, hope you find him.

 

[tsc]

Didn't look for the arrow. I just knew it was best to get out and leave him alone.

It was definitely him blowing. I could see him.

I'll hunt for him from 2:30 til dark today. It's just killing me sitting here thinking about it!

That deer blowing after taking an arrow to the chest,even high,is very odd. Are you sure the crack you heard was the arrow hitting him or something behind him? Did you actually see the arrow hit? Did you see any blood on him? Do what you want but if it was me and I found blood that was not lung blood I'd leave right then and go back in the morning. Don't push him,I lost one once that I could see laying in a thicket, I could see the arrow sticking up out of him too, a similar shot to what you have, I coulda got away from him and watched him with binocs and gone in 12 hours later and no doubt in my mind he woulda been dead right there but I tried to get another arrow in him. I found him floating in a slough 2 weeks later. Before you look for him climb back in your stand and shoot an arrow where he was with your 20/30 pins and see how high it hits,remember he jumped the string most likely too. I hope you find him.

 

[BlountArrow]

docg,
No matter what anyone says you need to convince yourself right now that he is lying out there dead. End of story; he's dead - now, go find him when you get off work and send some pics. I will say this though, if you don't find any blood where he entered the woods and it's looking grim I do agree with backing out and coming back in the morning to retrieve him.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

Im betting your shot is better than you think. A high shot elevated like that 4 inches high might be about perfect.

Go back and find that big guy.

 

[docg]

Didn't look for the arrow. I just knew it was best to get out and leave him alone.

It was definitely him blowing. I could see him.

I'll hunt for him from 2:30 til dark today. It's just killing me sitting here thinking about it!

That deer blowing after taking an arrow to the chest,even high,is very odd. Are you sure the crack you heard was the arrow hitting him or something behind him? Did you actually see the arrow hit? Did you see any blood on him? Do what you want but if it was me and I found blood that was not lung blood I'd leave right then and go back in the morning. Don't push him,I lost one once that I could see laying in a thicket, I could see the arrow sticking up out of him too, a similar shot to what you have, I coulda got away from him and watched him with binocs and gone in 12 hours later and no doubt in my mind he woulda been dead right there but I tried to get another arrow in him. I found him floating in a slough 2 weeks later. Before you look for him climb back in your stand and shoot an arrow where he was with your 20/30 pins and see how high it hits,remember he jumped the string most likely too. I hope you find him.

Positive it hit him. I shoot Nocturnals and I watched the arrow hit. I heard it crack a rib (I assume). But the arrow didn't go in all the way, maybe 18". When he spun to run, I could see the nocturnal glowing.

I have never heard a deer blow after being shot. I guess it could have been a different deer. I could not see him while he was blowing. But the blowing came from his spot. Then after about 3-4 minutes of blowing I watched him walk into a clearing and walk slowly away and the blowing stopped. I couldn't see any blood at that time but I was 60-75 yds from him. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going back in a couple of hours. I shot him at 7:15. That will be 7 hours.

 

[tsc]

I bet 3 things, 1 you got a lung maybe some of both,2 his chest is filled with blood but not much of a trail cause you didn't get an exit and 3 he's laying stiff dead within 100 yards of where you last saw him. I shot a doe 2 weeks ago but did the opposite,I got one lung low and nicked the liver pretty good, she ran less than 40 yds from where I shot her before she laid down in a fresh cut hay field in the wide open with her head up. I knew I had a potential problem. I just watch her with binocs and about 20min later she laid her head down and that was all. I gave her another 30 min then went and got her. No exit,no blood and the back 3/4 of my arrow broke off was all I found except for the huge puddle she was laying on.

 

[MrBill]

Hate to hear this.

Oh well, maybe you slowed him down enough for some lucky kid tomorrow morn 3 farms over to anchor him. Got to look at in a good light. God is good either way.

 

[diamond hunter]

dead deer

 

[muddyboots]

I had a buck do that I once. The blowing was him trying to breathe. He's probably dead not far from where u last saw him.

 

[knightrider]

I one lunged a buck high like that about five years ago that done the same thing, I was looking at him through binocs and when he would blow it was blood clots coming out of his nose he went fifty more yards after the blowing and fell over dead. hope you find him!!!

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

I one lunged a buck high like that about five years ago that done the same thing, I was looking at him through binocs and when he would blow it was blood clots coming out of his nose he went fifty more yards after the blowing and fell over dead. hope you find him!!!

Yep I had a high one once. Did exactly the same thing. I am betting less than fifty yards myself.

 

[coachblair]

that blowing was him trying to breath. Hit a deer high last year and she ran out in the clover field and blew and blew. everytime she'd blow was blood coming out the entrance hole. not 50 yards she laid down and was over pretty quick. good luck with the tracking job and don't get frustrated.

 

[Deer Assassin]

good luck

going to work is the best thing to happen to you


you will find him

 

[JDS]

Good luck. You did the correct thing backing out. You will find him!

 

[SMarshall]

Good luck!


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[PillsburyDoughboy]

Can't wait for you to report back you found him.

If you can try and take a picture with a arrow going through the entrance wounds and coming out the exit wound.

It might be important to show some people that havent bow hunted much from a elevated stand how much of the vitals you took out.

Your typical 10 ring from a 16ft stand "may" not be the ideal shot placement. I would tend to hold a tad bit higher if it was me and try and take out more groceries .

 

[BamaBucks]

1st thing, until you search hours and hours and don't find him, you need to believe he's dead and you will find him.

There is no deer hospital, and though you see the occasional trail cam pic or photo of one that survived being shot, 99% of the time of your arrow pierced inside his chest, he's dead within 24 hours, most of the time in his first bed if not pushed.

Good luck man, have some faith, I've found some for friends, and one for my dad most wouldn't believe died if they hadn't been there.

 

[tn droptine]

I agree, I think you will find him not too far from where you shot

 

[docg]

Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. I went back around 2:15 and immediately found 2/3 of my arrow. I knew that was not good. About 6 inches of the arrow was broken off and another 5 had blood on it. That's really bad. Only 11 inches of penetration. As I expected with no exit wound and a high hit, there was no blood. I found about 5 drops even though I knew exactly where he walked for about 100 yards. He was headed for a thicket that is about 5 acres with houses on one side and roads on the other two. I figured my only chance was to just find him in there. I made a grid and to the best of my ability crawled and clawed my way through the whole five acres. Nothing. I also pulled all my cards on my cameras around the property just in case they might have caught a shot of him. Nothing. I am sorely disappointed by my shot placement, but also by the penetration of the arrow. I'll go back again tomorrow and Sunday and maybe the vultures will give him up if he's dead. Thanks again for all the feedback.

I know this will be the next question.... I'm shooting a Z7 at 63 pounds, a 400 gold tip Hunter and a 100gr. muzzy.

 

[BlountArrow]

Maybe a square or high shoulder hit. Those are very loud. Only finding that much of your arrow lends to that theory some. Hope to hear back tomorrow.

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[PillsburyDoughboy]

Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement. I went back around 2:15 and immediately found 2/3 of my arrow. I knew that was not good. About 6 inches of the arrow was broken off and another 5 had blood on it. That's really bad. Only 11 inches of penetration. As I expected with no exit wound and a high hit, there was no blood. I found about 5 drops even though I knew exactly where he walked for about 100 yards. He was headed for a thicket that is about 5 acres with houses on one side and roads on the other two. I figured my only chance was to just find him in there. I made a grid and to the best of my ability crawled and clawed my way through the whole five acres. Nothing. I also pulled all my cards on my cameras around the property just in case they might have caught a shot of him. Nothing. I am sorely disappointed by my shot placement, but also by the penetration of the arrow. I'll go back again tomorrow and Sunday and maybe the vultures will give him up if he's dead. Thanks again for all the feedback.

I know this will be the next question.... I'm shooting a Z7 at 63 pounds, a 400 gold tip Hunter and a 100gr. muzzy.

People are probably going to start screaming that you are under spined. What's your draw length and length of arrow? That could tilt you in the needing a slightly stiffer spine

The Z7 is not exactly known as a barn buster. IBO speed is 330. Depending on your draw length and arrow length I am guessing with 100 GR broad head you are shooting somewhere around a 360 grain arrow +/- 10 grains. That weight and spine should be sufficient for white tail deer with THAT BOW and I really seriously doubt that in the case of THIS deer that spine had anything to do with the shot.


So sad to hear. I feel for you.

 

[jb357]

You definitely hit shoulder. 100 gr muzzys zip through deer with bows much slower than a z7

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

You definitely hit shoulder. 100 gr muzzys zip through deer with bows much slower than a z7

That was my thought. High shoulder.


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