I shot a nice doe at 18 yards. The shot sounded solid, the deer jumped and kicked her back legs high, and bolted. What has me doubting is, I have searched for any sign of blood around the impact rea, and can't find any! I am now doubting the shot, I had to shoot through the pass through netting of my Double Bull blind, and to top it all off, I light rain began falling as we began our search. (A friend is helping me search.)
Everything I saw and heard tells me I hit the deer, but with no blood, I am getting frustrated......Well, back to the search......
"The American Dream is having your name on a weapon!" - Ted Nugent
Good luck CaptainCharles. I gather that you didn't find the bolt/arrow, which would have been a good way to determine if you'd hit the doe. You may want to check out Woody William's Sept. 11 post on tracking deer. He notes two types of hits that can result in deer jumping.
I had the same problem with my buck this year that i am bout to post pics of. I had no trail or sign at all, only thing was the point of last seen and where you might have last heard it. I doubted my self too, all night i worried about if i had wasted a deer or totally missed or what ever, but i did find him. Good luck you, and hope you find her,
kjay
I shot a doe last week through both lungs and a shoulder and she ran over a hundred yards into the brush. There was not one drop of blood until she fell. I couldn't find her until the next day. Good luck I know it is maddening not to find down game.
Well almost four hours after the shot and three hours of steady rain, we have called off the search. I resorted to a "on all fours" method looking for anything that could tell me of a hit. I did get a good look at the direction she ran, but it was a clear cut high power line easment. There are some woods at the bottom of a saddle that most likely is where the deer ran. We decided to wait and get permission to look there. Had to weigh the ethics of calling off a search or tresspassing. Temps are only going to get to 51 F tonight, so I realize this decision may cost the meat, but without a definitive blood trail I must assume a miss.
Thanks guys, and good luck....
"The American Dream is having your name on a weapon!" - Ted Nugent
The evidence of the deer kicking up her hind legs tells me you hit her near the lower lung to heart area.
The fact that there is no blood doesn't surprize me...I have shot 4 deer this yr allready, only two showed any evidence of blood at the impact area. By watching carefully where they ran and making a mental marking of the impact area I was able to find some small blood evidence and start my first tracking 60 to 80 yd's from initial hit. This may be what your facing too..
Make small detailed circles in the last spot when blood is last found. The deer can change directiions or back track on the blood trail in a fashion that will leave you spinning.
I would also suggest making sure your arrow has fleching in a color that warrants good eye contact for seeing the arrow contact the animal.
If you have a GPS you can use the tracking feature & search in a grid pattern. Zoom in as far as you can & it will show where you have been & where you haven't.
I rarely get any blood trail when hunting from the ground . they bleed inside . Usually piled up within a 100 yards or so, keep looking where you seen her go. you'll find her good luck
I am now doubting the shot, I had to shoot through the pass through netting of my Double Bull blind, and to top it all off, I light rain began falling as we began our search. (A friend is helping me search.)