I am really bumming

[Stretchhunts]

Sat at 5:05 I shot a big buck at 25 yards. Broadside shot. Hits it 3 or so inches below spine from high to low. He ran 75 yards and went down. I stayed put. 25 mins later he got up and took a few steps and went down a second time. I gave him another 30 mins and my uncle and I walked towards where I last saw him. He wasn't there. There was a unbelievable amount of bright red blood with bubbles in it. we tracked him for another 30 mins on a great blood trail. Found a spot where he laid down for the 3rd time and there was no blood. We went back to the house to give it over night. Went out first thing yesterday morning to try and find him. Went back to last blood spot. Couldn’t find anymore blood or tracks leaving. We spent 8 hrs searching for him. I even went hand got hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle to try and locate more blood. Had 5 of us searching and we couldn't find him. Judging by the amount of blood and where I saw the arrow hit him I know I got lungs. I'm so sick to my stomach. It just doesn't make since. It's like he just disappeared. I've shot 14 deer and only lost 2 now. This is killing me. I want to go back out and search for him but don't know where else to look. Man what a great opening day but I am so disappointed in myself.

[Stretchhunts]

I shot my bow Sat when we came out at noon for lunch and again Sunday at a 3d target and I'm right on. The placement was as good as it gets on the deer. I'm not sure about these rage 2 broadheads. This will be the second deer I have shot and not had a pass through. Might switch back to fixed blades. always had pass through with them.

[steve863]

Sorry to hear about your situation.  I don't think there is anything wrong with your bow or broadheads, it's just that shooting at game is a whole DIFFERENT ballgame than shooting at targets.  That is why I have always been a bit hesitant about bowhunting.  Deer can move quite a bit after the hunter releases an arrow which could make a perfect aim and hold into something different once the arrow connects in a different spot.  I guess there isn't much that could be done other than keep shots as close as possible to try to minimize these kind of situations.  I for one feel WAY more confident sending a bullet towards a deer than I do an arrow, that is for darned sure!

[NY Trophy Hunter]

Have you considered contacting Deer Search? They use dogs to track. Sounds like you killed that animal, you just need help recovering. I would recommend you get a hold of these guys. Good luck.

http://deersearch.org/

[Stretchhunts]

sad part is I am confident in my bow shooting and I saw the arrow hit him. Just wondering if a pass through would have been better since we never found my arrow and the last spot he laid down I could see where my broadhead was stuck into the ground. There was so much blood with bubbles in it so I know I got lungs. Just doesn't make since. I'm going to head back out tomorrow and try to search some more. There is nothing I hate more than loosing a deer. I am thinking about deersearch but have never used them.

[NY Trophy Hunter]

There is no charge for their search, but they do except donations. I've never personally used them, but I've met a few of the guys and know some folks who have used them. All positive.

[Fletch]

Sounds like he dropped a bit and you hit high. If you did not get a pass through and there was blood everywhere that means most of the blood came out the entrance hole that was very high. Which is good it means lung if sprayed and as you say bubbly. But if you had both lungs he would not have gotten up a second or third time in my opinion.

How thick, wet, broken up piece of land is it? Any places he could have cut and hidden? I had a deer step two feet into a crick once after I hit him and he ran out of site. He fell over dead and floated down the creek 600 yards or so around a bend. I could not figure what happened. The blood trail was not great but followable and I lost it right before the creek. Then I saw two prints in the mud in the water so I knew he did not cross. I spent the next day and a half following every run looking for blood or deer. Then I found him submerged in the creek caught on a downed tree. The water temp was like 40 so he was still good to boot.

[mkrafty133]

I've been there once before and you right it rips your heart out. I didn't know about deersearch. From what I hear they are great so you should probably give them a call.

[Geno C]

these situations are never fun... i wish you luck on your recovery.

sad that we keep seeing more and more of these threads and the season just started. i think aside form the shot i think the #1 reason for these no recoveries are due to hunters not giving the animal time to expire. ive seen plenty who are so eager to get out of there stand and push this wounded deer around and never make the recover. i am not insisting you did so but i bet some did tho...

[whitetailfreak]

Call deer search the will find that deer

[steve863]

Call deer search the will find that deer

Looks like these deer search guys will have their work cut out for them just from the small sample on this site.  I agree with what Geno said that it seems like some people are not giving the deer enough time.  I just don't think any of us should start thinking that these deer search people will be our saviors if WE are the ones making basic mistakes while hunting.

[heatmizzer]

Steve I agree with you, but when all is said and done and you have not recovered your animal. (and it happens to everyone) Why not use the tools available to us. I have seen the deer search dogs in action and it is really neat to see them figure out a trail. They can find game we can not. and they can track a wounded deer a day after the shot. I would give them a call what do you have to loose.

[crappyice]

I called deer search this weekend for a friend of mine who shot an 8 pointer. We searched for 3 hours prior to calling them. They came, searched for two hours, found some additional blood drops past were we found sign but even the dogs came up empty??? I guess the hit was not in any vital but the blood trail seemed to indicate a good hit.

[Geno C]

Steve I agree with you, but when all is said and done and you have not recovered your animal. (and it happens to everyone) Why not use the tools available to us. I have seen the deer search dogs in action and it is really neat to see them figure out a trail. They can find game we can not. and they can track a wounded deer a day after the shot. I would give them a call what do you have to loose.

the tools avail;able to all of us is practice your shots prior to bow season, make sure your bow is tip top and give your animal time to bleed out. its not that hard...

WAAAAYYYYY  tomany thread right now on , "sad day> " im bumming" all these other threads going around on how hunters are not recovering there game is way beyond me.

the first one, ok... they second 3rd 4th and so on i mean c mon... if the shot isnt good dont take it and if it was taken, sit your ass in your stand and wait!!

this is crazy how many lost deer the first weekend of bow??? c mon... i know these things can happen but there are things that we can do to minimize that or even capitalize on a botch shot on the hunters behalf.

[Stretchhunts]

Well my bow is in tip top shape, I've been shooting since spring and I shot it at noon when I brought my kid out of the woods and agin the next morning. It's still right on. It was a 25 yard broadside shot and I hit it fine. I gave it an hour before we even went near when it went dow. Maybe I should have let it stay over night? I've shot 14 deer and only lost 2 so I don't think It's me.

[Stretchhunts]

I will be back out tomorrow after work looking for it one way or another. I just can't stand loosing a deer so i will not give up until I find it.

[whitetailfreak]

hope you find it stretch,and dont be ashamed to call outside help,it will help you sleep beter and dont listen to all these perfect hunters in this forum.ive been on for only about a week and keep noticing the same 4 or 5 guys that know evrything,and 1 especially i dont know his age but sounds like hes been hunting for 50 years or i iam wrong he may be a guide because he always states how hes seen things many times,unless hes hunting right next to someone dont know how he has been in every senario.this especially pisses me of because hes coming down on you and giving tou and everyone shit.when he himself of course had this happen to him and he knows how bad it feels.he is the first to say exhaust every avenue,in his words and your last avenue is deersearch.its not a given that they will find your deer or every other deer but if its your last possible chance why not,at this point you may have waited too long.but dont gat down it sucks real bad had it happen both ways my self,once good(deer search),once bad.one more thing i hope this never happens to the perfect ones and if it does you will never hear it from them.just pisse me off with full of shit people ,not everything can fall into place.

[Geno C]

Well my bow is in tip top shape, I've been shooting since spring and I shot it at noon when I brought my kid out of the woods and agin the next morning. It's still right on. It was a 25 yard broadside shot and I hit it fine. I gave it an hour before we even went near when it went dow. Maybe I should have let it stay over night? I've shot 14 deer and only lost 2 so I don't think It's me.

it happens... wish you luck in the recover, i do

[brudaman340]

I wouldnt wait to long if you choose to use deer search because the dogs lose the scent. we used them once we called and they never called back when they said they would. It was also in the middle of the season so they might have been pretty busy

[SteveB]

whitetailfreak - is it possible to make your point on a family site without the foul language?

Fact is that we are never sure where the shot hits until recovery. I think by the sounds there is a very good chance the shot was higher then thought and possibly clipped the top of the dpine (much lower then many realize. That would account for the stumbling.

Good luck either way.

[Buckstopshere]

You've got the right attitude. Don't give up. I know it is tough...Best of Luck!

[whitetailfreak]

Sorry about language I just get heated when the same guy keeps beating up on everyone like he's some kind of hunting god.saw the old guy that hunts with pistol on versus hit a tree and then hit the deer in the rear

Fortunately they found deer next day should we beat him down too probably way better hunter than this person.just shows that StuFF happens

[rjmlakota]

I was just thinking? 

Is there water near your hunting spot?  My Dad shot a nice buck one year and we searched for days.  Well, the next hunting season we were talking to a few hunters and they said they found a dead buck a few miles along a local stream.  They explained to my Dad what the deer's rack looked like and my Dad to this day say's it was the deer he hit.

If there is water close by I would walk there and see if he's laying there.

Good luck!

RJ

[Stretchhunts]

whitetailfreak, Thanks, that's what I was thinking in my head but didn't want to go there. I have learned over the years to not listen to the ones who can do no wrong just pay attentiona nd learn from those willing to help. I hunt in a area that is listed as a flood zone so it is a lot os swampy area. Soon or later we will find it but I am not giving up and won't let this stop me from getting back out there. I have th last 9 days of this month of to hunt so I will either bow hunt here or rifle up north. Good thing is I ahve plenty of stands where I shot this deer to sit in and look for any signs of it. I'm sure to coyotes have gotten to it by none. We had 3 of them running around last year. Thanks for all the positive thoughts guys.

[Geno C]

hope you find it stretch,and dont be ashamed to call outside help,it will help you sleep beter and dont listen to all these perfect hunters in this forum.ive been on for only about a week and keep noticing the same 4 or 5 guys that know evrything,and 1 especially i dont know his age but sounds like hes been hunting for 50 years or i iam wrong he may be a guide because he always states how hes seen things many times,unless hes hunting right next to someone dont know how he has been in every senario.this especially pisses me of because hes coming down on you and giving tou and everyone shit.when he himself of course had this happen to him and he knows how bad it feels.he is the first to say exhaust every avenue,in his words and your last avenue is deersearch.its not a given that they will find your deer or every other deer but if its your last possible chance why not,at this point you may have waited too long.but dont gat down it sucks real bad had it happen both ways my self,once good(deer search),once bad.one more thing i hope this never happens to the perfect ones and if it does you will never hear it from them.just pisse me off with full of shit people ,not everything can fall into place.

i just caught this...

If you don't like what i have to say, then dont read it. Theres no reason to speak the way you do in an open forum. I have not been hunting for 50 years and i am entitled to every bit of my opinion.

i stated there has been alot of these threads going on. and i am right in that sense. So again dont read what i have to say if it offends you.

i apologise if the thread starter took it offensive, i was just tired of seeing all these non recovery threads. It does happen tho and i will not chime in this one anymore...