Need some help on arrow placement!

[First-light]

This morning was great. Had two bucks come in around 8 and a few doe. About 9 4 doe come running into my swail about 75 yards away. There were 3 bucks chasing. one doe went left all other deer went right. They drifted off and I look up the swail and a huge bodied 8 pt is coming down. He locks onto the doe and trots after her. She heads right for me. Passes about 7-10 yards from stand buck does the same thing. 

My shot: Slight quarter away, I was 20 feet off the ground, buck was 7-10 yards. Hit him high in shoulder. Found broken arrow. I got 7 inches of penetration. Bright Blood on arrow. Looke for 5 minutes about 20 yards further  found nothing. I backed out and will go back early afternoon. 

Funny thing the buck did was to run off about 50 yards and turned left did a half circle and ran back towards me but 50-60 yards in my brush. 

Lost sight of him. 

Would love some input on arrow placement and thought on hitting vitals. 

Thanks gang,

Burt FL

[First-light]

This also not a 135 lbs deer . He probably pushes 170+

[airedale]

Man you have got to be real close on a top of the lungs hit, hopefully he is leaking bad and his lungs fill up and hopefully you will find him dead, good luck.

Al

Edited November 8, 2022 by airedale

[wolc123]

I don’t see any advantage in waiting, with that shot location, especially if there is a fixed broadhead still in him.  If you can get on a blood trail, and keep pushing him, it could keep cutting.  If you wait, it could clot up and make recovery tougher.  
 

If you recovered the broadhead already, or if it was a mechanical, then a wait would be ok, but I still don’t see where it would help much.  

[grampy]

I say dead deer Burt. The high hit with no exit wound will leave a sparse blood trail at first. But as the chest cavity fills up, he will start bleeding from his nose and mouth. Also from the arrow wound. Just to be sure give him at least four hours. You will likely find him where he crashed a hundred yards or less from where you last saw him. 

[Versatile_Hunter]

20 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

I don’t see any advantage in waiting, with that shot location, especially if there is a fixed broadhead still in him.  If you can get on a blood trail, and keep pushing him, it could keep cutting.  If you wait, it could clot up and make recovery tougher.  
 

If you recovered the broadhead already, or if it was a mechanical, then a wait would be ok, but I still don’t see where it would help much.  

Is this a joke? I’ve never heard anyone suggest to intentionally push a dying deer. They can run a long way before death, making finding it much harder or impossible. 

[Bolt action]

4 minutes ago, Versatile_Hunter said:

Is this a joke? I’ve never heard anyone suggest to intentionally push a dying deer. They can run a long way before death, making finding it much harder or impossible. 

I've heard it plenty, although it's not something you do in most situations. I think it's limited to shots where the arrow does not blow through, and the broadhead is thought to still be in the vitals. Pushing a deer causes the broadhead to keep doing more damage, potentially shortening the amount of time needed to kill the deer. Not sure if that would help in this case though because I don't know where the entry point was or if the BH was sticking out the other side.

[wolc123]

13 minutes ago, Versatile_Hunter said:

Is this a joke? I’ve never heard anyone suggest to intentionally push a dying deer. They can run a long way before death, making finding it much harder or impossible. 

Every hit is different.  The deer is only “dying” if the arrow struck vitals.  We don’t know that happened here.  I’d give it about a 50:50 chance. It all depends on if the broadhead  passed over or under the spine.  
 

Due to the close range and steep shot angle, it may have passed over, but the broadhead could still be lodged inside the opposite front upper leg.  That is where pushing it could keep it cutting and increase blood loss.  The odds of recovery are still slim in that case, but slightly better than they would be with a ; hour wait.  
 

Let’s hope the arrow got under the spine, in which case the track shouldn’t be too long regardless of how long he waits. 
 

 

Edited November 8, 2022 by wolc123

[phade]

14 minutes ago, Versatile_Hunter said:

Is this a joke? I’ve never heard anyone suggest to intentionally push a dying deer. They can run a long way before death, making finding it much harder or impossible. 

There are most definitely times to push a hit deer.

[Versatile_Hunter]

Just now, phade said:

There are most definitely times to push a hit deer.

You better be damn sure you hit that deer where you think you did.

[phade]

I’ve killed a buck similarly. No blood but does go down fairly quick unless you didn’t get into chest cavity which I think you did based on that image.

[SWEDE]

He's dead. Stopped in opposite shoulder. He circled cause he's getting woozey. Congrats

[BowmanMike]

Dead deer and fairly quick too imo. The arrow most likely broke on the offside leg when he took off. If you really hit where the arrow is then I doubt the o side shoulder could have broken the arrow...not impossible but unlikely. Either way,you got lots of vitals with that shot. I think dead deer and crappy blood trail. Good luck!!

[First-light]

Everyones opinion totally appreciated. I believe I'm under the spine. I'm waiting it out. I will report back this afternoon.  Thank you all!

 

[phade]

36 minutes ago, Versatile_Hunter said:

You better be damn sure you hit that deer where you think you did.

I’m surprised you think that you shouldn’t push a deer in any scenario. Might be good to look into it.

 

[suburbanfarmer]

35 minutes ago, First-light said:

Everyones opinion totally appreciated. I believe I'm under the spine. I'm waiting it out. I will report back this afternoon.  Thank you all!

 

Goodluck..waiting for the pics

[Five Seasons]

nvm

Edited November 8, 2022 by Belo

[Swamp_bucks]

Should be dead not far from where you saw it last.

[SWEDE]

The suspense is killin me

[bhunterED]

I wish you luck. I had pretty much the same thing happen but the deer was more so quartering towards last weekend. My arrow buried to the fletching, the deer immediately bolted on impact but slowed to a trot and out of sight. I know there's a big difference from 1/4 to and away but that steep angle can make things happen. I found my arrow about 400 yds away from shot bit no bed between. Never found the deer and haven't really stopped looking since. I sincerely hope you have better luck than I did.

[Versatile_Hunter]

3 hours ago, phade said:

I’m surprised you think that you shouldn’t push a deer in any scenario. Might be good to look into it.

 

I wouldn’t say any. If I feel I need a quick follow up shot (typically rifle) I will follow immediately. 

[skully]

If it is really 7 inches that is a dead deer...  Do not push... Nice zigzags in morning if you can not find blood...  Youll find him

[Just Lucky]

5 hours ago, Versatile_Hunter said:

Is this a joke? I’ve never heard anyone suggest to intentionally push a dying deer. They can run a long way before death, making finding it much harder or impossible. 

I have bled out 2 different deer by pushing them. It works. Neither were good hits but they were recovered. 

[Lawdwaz]

Only way I’d push a wounded deer is if there was snow on the ground and I was carrying a gun.  (During firearms season)
 

For those that encourage pushing a wounded deer, what wound would make you decide to push it?

Edited November 8, 2022 by Lawdwaz

[Enigma]

Thats a dead deer. Kudos to you for backing out and letting him lay down and die. Smart move. He shouldn't be far. 

The last thing I would ever do is push a deer after a suspect bow shot. Been there. Done that. The people telling you otherwise have never trailed one too quick, watched it pop up and run to the next county. Never to be seen again. 

Gun shot deer are a different story.