Where could she be????

raydaughety · Post by **raydaughety** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:00 pm

It was quite a challenge to get to the groundblind that uncle Ellis had setup on an oak ridge even though it was only 60 yards off of an old logging road. Tyler and I finally got settled in but I'm telling ya'll that it was soo hot and muggy. I immediately started second guessing our decision to even attempt to hunt in this heat. 45 minutes before dark, deer started coming to the acors to feed. There were several sptooed fawns with their huge boddied mothers feeding within 20 yards of the blind. Finall, Tyler spotted a single deer the was half the size of the big does, a good meat doe. I gave him the green light to shoot her but he never got the opportunity and she strolled right on by us. When she got out to 30 yards, Tyler kept telling me to shoot her. He had never seen a deer shot with archery equiptment so I lifted my exomag, settled the 30 yard mark right on her shoulder a squezzed the trigger. At the moment that I shot, my glasses slip down and I never saw where the arrow hit her but it was definately a solid hit. We eased back to the trail and Tyler walked to the truck and I got in to cool off a little. Several friends came to help track the deer and here is what they found. Absolutely no blood what so ever. 40 yards in the direction that the deer ran off, they found part of my arrow. It was the first 6-7 inches from the ftetching end of the arrow and it was covered on blood and strands of meat. These guys searched from 6:30 pm until 1:00 am and noone ever found a single drop of blood on the ground. They found where she kicked up dirt at the spot where I shot her, but other than the broken piece of the boly, they found nothing. Two guys went back this moring with my lab and found abolutely nothing

. I have hunted most all of my life and have never seen anything like it. I mean, wouldn't the broadhead end of my arrow be between where I shot and where they found the piece of the fletched end? I'm sick to my stomach and am seriously considering giving up the hot early season hunting. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Again, I was unable to see where the arrow hit her.

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:38 pm

Sounds like you may have hit the shoulder bone. Didn't get a pass through and she broke off the arrow. What broadhead were you using?

Hopefully, you found her.

I passed up hunting this weekend because of the heat and the crowd at the public property I hunt here in Georgia. I hate it, but, you don't have much time to recover a deer in this heat.

raydaughety · Post by **raydaughety** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:31 pm

sumner4991 wrote:Sounds like you may have hit the shoulder bone. Didn't get a pass through and she broke off the arrow.

Sumner, thanks for the reply. I thought about your theory but how does that explain the bloody fletching that was found. There would have to have been about 14" of arrow shaft and the broadhead protruding from the opposite side that then she hit somthing and broke the shaft off, leaving that 14" of shaft between where I shot her and where they found the blood soaked 6" piece with the fletching. It would have to had been a complete pass through, am I right??

What broadhead were you using?

Slick Tricks......100gr

Hopefully, you found her.

Unfortunately, there was no blood at all found. Not even a speck where they found the broken shaft. They looked until after midnight and went back this moring and they found no blood at all.

I passed up hunting this weekend because of the heat and the crowd at the public property I hunt here in Georgia. I hate it, but, you don't have much time to recover a deer in this heat.

Sumner, I should have done the same thing and waited for cooler weather. I feel horrible that I injured an animal for no reason. It really bothers me...A lot. I am putting my gear back up and will wait for muzzle loader season when it cools off a little.

vixenmaster · Post by **vixenmaster** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:40 pm

it mayhave been the shoulder blade or hit the upper leg bone. both are tuff

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:59 pm

Ray, I don't think you killed that deer.

You obviously hit her, but judging from what you've said, it sounds like a flesh wound to me.

My longstanding rule of assessment has been:

Lots of blood after arrow: Dead deer
Significant blood after arrow: Maybe dead deer
Little blood after arrow: Wounded deer
No blood other than on arrow: Survivor deer

Sorry you had a bad experience. We all do, sometimes.

And, there is always room for the inexplicable in hunting.

Who doesn't have a story about the one they just can't figure out?

It's part of it.

Better success next time!

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 3:03 pm

Sounds like you could have hit the shoulder bone - on the opposite side.
That would probably leave a short section of arrow sticking out. If she hit the piece sticking out on something the arrow could break inside her and the loose end could come out. I'd guess the hit was probably high & up front and could have missed the lungs or just skimmed the top of them. She wouldn't leave much blood and could go quite a distance.

That's the one thing I hate about early season here. Unless you can put one down very quickly there's a good chance of loosing the meat even if you find the deer. I've had it happen a couple times. Shoot one in the evening, loose the trail in the dark, and by next morning the deer has already started to spoil, and/or the scavengers have already started to dine.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 3:04 pm

It happens my friend and I know the feeling.
Even if it's not recovered it will not go to waste.

crabclaw · Post by **crabclaw** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 3:22 pm

dont be to hard on yourself . unfortinatly it happens with all weapons ,rifles compounds and crossbows.the best thing you can do is get out there and get another oportunity to redeem yourself asap.
your not the only only hunter that this has happened to. Ive lost deer already to poor shot placement, it sucks and its hard to get over, its moments like this that makes us better hunters .
Aim small miss small

raydaughety · Post by **raydaughety** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:19 pm

Of course I'm going to side with Grizz

. It does my heart good to "believe" that she is alive but has a wound that she will recover from. The bow season is supposed to be the one that Tyler gets his first deer with his vert but I feel kinda stupid for woounding an animal and I know that is a part of hunting but I really wanted to come away with a positive outcome for Tyler's sake. Isn't it amazing at our ability to take the life of an animal and then are heart broken for them when something like this happens

.

B-Logger · Post by **B-Logger** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:45 pm

Ray, maybe you did not get the deer but I'm betting Tyler got a good lesson out of this anyway.

raydaughety · Post by **raydaughety** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:49 pm

B-Logger wrote:Ray, maybe you did not get the deer but I'm betting Tyler got a good lesson out of this anyway.

Your right, I'm sure that he did.

dick195252 · Post by **dick195252** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 2:10 am

Ray, You have done all you can to recover this animal, It has happened to all of us. You have to take the good with the bad, and i know it is hard sometimes, you have GOT to get back on that horse again and put this in lessons learned folder.

bait pile willie · Post by **bait pile willie** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:25 am

Ray.I dont understand in your statement you sy you aimed at her shoulder,and thats where you hit,with the power of an exomag it would penetrate into the far shoulder and the movement of the entrance shoulder would snap the arrow off.I know because the samething happened to me a few years ago and i di find the deer the nexxt spring and it had travelled at least 1/2 mile.now i make sure I stay away from shoulder shots as much as possible.I now It sure leaves a SICK feeling in your stomach,but if you hunt long enough it happens.Good luck in the future.

Undertaker · Post by **Undertaker** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:29 pm

Hello, I read your posting, and think it was pretty good, actually.

The amount of pressure you were under is exactly equal to the love you have for that boy. Never had me one, but if I woulda, bet you fine..... I would have done missed the whole herd.

Your a fine man.

If I ever get me a somewhere, you'll be welcome to bring that boy. Just don't expect no A/C, cause it's hot down here baby. Paul

Galgo · Post by **Galgo** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:11 pm

Hey Ray I also had a tough experience. A doe walked in on my a few minutes before I was set to leave. I took an 11 yard shot on her from 15 feet up a ladder stand broadside. The hit did not sound good. i saw her run for 80 yards then stop, look back and walk away. I was sure she would be dead within 100 yards. I gave her some time, climbed down and found the arrow, nice blood but no bubbles - it was a pass through so i was sure she was dead. The angle the bolt was stuck into the ground was very shallow though and did not reflect the angle that it was making from the stand - this and the sound had me a little worried.

I went where I last saw and saw this:

I was sure that was enough blood to confirm a kill but at the 200 yard tracking mark I saw this:

I followed the blood trail for 3 miles and 8 hours before losing it. The amounts varied from a drop here and there to what I considered a serious hemmorage.

I looked for two hours next morning and did not hear any yotes yapping around a carcass so i think she survived.

Sighted in my cross bow and it was 6 inches high at 20 yards. It must have been bumped on the way in. I figure I hit her high, above the spine grazed her enough to cause some decent bleeding but no major arteries for a kill. This was probably why the angle of the bolt entering the ground was so shallow. Was heart wrenching but part of the lessons learned. Hope this helps someone.

F