Waited an hour and half and lost blood trail

[TreeGuy]

I'm hoping your arrow stayed in her and it's tearing her up. Or it openens her up and gets the blood flowing when it comes out.

[biggamefish]

You can tell where you hit it from blood a lot of the time. Bright red bubbly blood usually means lungs. Dark red blood usually is liver. There are times when this doesn't work out. You did say it was bright red so you might good. When you get in and if you loose the blood trail mark it high so you can keep looking back at it.

First get general direction and search that way. Then start your circles. Dont do circles until you can find no more blood. I have had a lot of deer stop bleeding after a 50 yardsdeath run and be found 50-100 yards after. Dont give up and good luck.

Let us know how you make out

[thunnus]

I've been back searching. She ran off w/ arrow in her. Trudged through swamp and didn't find arrow. Back on blood trail, significantly tougher to find as blood has dried. Will give it a couple more hours, then wait till rifle season.

Will update if I have good news.

Once again, thanks again

[TreeGuy]

Hands and knees. Good luck

[thunnus]

Story doesn't end well, but some lessons learned.

1) Even from short range and a stand, wait for a broadside shot.

2) Steer away from stand sites where there is a large area for deer to drop where you can't see >5' from you. You may be 10' from it the entire time you are walking through it and will never know it.

3) wherever that shot lands/hits, there is no reason not to wait to search for that deer (if shot in the morning) for at least 2-3+ hours.

4) call ahead and see what leashed dog tracking services are available in the area you wish to hunt (don't count on 1) there being one in that area & 2) or even available)

5)when hunting public lands after the open (especially on dry windy days) be aware that you can cross bloodtrails.

6) the H2O2 trick you read about doesn't work in practice, will by some of the illuminating blood/trail finder.

:. I) Ask the dec to have game reporting for downed or lost game, this way they have better figures for the actual deer killed vs harvested and people in the field

II) see if every county could have a dec officer w/ dog to search and find game, even poachers (optional 5$ stamp on tags could fund it)

[NFA-ADK]

Main thing is your lessons learned!  Very cool!  I pride myself on my shooting ability.  I have not shot at any deer, until this year.  I have been using the bow since 2001 with a few years off in between.  This year when the time came I rushed a shot at a deer that was 11 yards!!!  Even with all my practice my nerves got the best of me, I will be focusing much more on my next shot.  Lesson learned.

 

Welcome to the forum!  Hope you come back and tell us about your hunts.  This is a great site with awesome people, feel free to ask any other questions.  Hope to hear of your success this year, deer or no deer!  It's all good as long as you come home safe.  Good luck!

 

 

 

[DeerDuck]

If you feel you got a good shot, I can give you a hand looking for it tomorrow. glottal drop kids off at school first, but it's cold tonight, so it might be okay.

[DeerDuck]

I'm in Suffolk also.

[nycredneck]

I'm sure you killed that deer, it's not always easy to find one, experience helps. Don't give up, keep looking, you should find it .

[TreeGuy]

And again I say...HANDS AND KNEES. Seems you have a few offers for help, I'd take it ! U may pick up some lessons on tracking which Is beyond valuable in the archery game

[DeerDuck]

Last year, we found a guys deer he shot in same area. Very little blood, but he was certain it was a good hit. Found the deer 2 days later, bloated, stinky on the edge of someone property. At least he got was able to get a nice rack for a Euro mount.. Meat was spoiled from the warm weather.

[t_barb]

I tend to agree with Wooly....  If you hit forward of the vitals, you will get red blood full of clots...  sometimes you will get a tremendous amontn of blood and then they will just clot up and the blood trail ends..

 

It makes for a very frustrating search....  you are only into muscle, so they will often survive these hits.  Talk to your butcher...  they will tell you stories about how they are butchering a deer and they will find a broadhead heeled over in the muscle tissue..  They are tough animals!!!

[bowhuntingirl78]

^{Any updates????}  

[thunnus]

I am sorry that I do not have an update since yesterday's bad news, an animal and a resource squandered.

Tried calling in a day off to continue search and didn't go over well.

Did speak to the dec about ethics of "unretrieved" game. Said I could call it in as a kill against my dmp, but as a doe in 1c they would issue me another tag.

Having the heavy debate if I should go back in the woods.

I think the only way to do it would be from a ground blind and to take a lot of the (educated) guess work out of arrow placement and have a better shot at lung-ideally both lungs-w/ a lot less guess work.

[stoneam2006]

I am sorry that I do not have an update since yesterday's bad news, an animal and a resource squandered.

Tried calling in a day off to continue search and didn't go over well.

Did speak to the dec about ethics of "unretrieved" game. Said I could call it in as a kill against my dmp, but as a doe in 1c they would issue me another tag.

Having the heavy debate if I should go back in the woods.

I think the only way to do it would be from a ground blind and to take a lot of the (educated) guess work out of arrow placement and have a better shot at lung-ideally both lungs-w/ a lot less guess work.

We have all lost deer it's not a good feeling but nothing to give up about. Stuff happens and all we can do practice and the rest is luck. good luck with the rest of your season with your decision...

[mjac]

It gets tricky with the bow. Last year I double lunged a Buck at 20 yds and not one drop of blood. looked for two hrs and finally  found it 25 yds away !   Main reason I dont hunt in rain or too much after civil twilight,  If you dont take the high percentage placement shot, the deer will be back ! The second time around is much sweeter

[thunnus]

Epilogue: thanks for the encouragement, offers to help and perspective.

Stayed out of woods yesterday couldn't this morning.

One of those perfect days, hunted from ground (to be more sure of shot), passed on a doe as I was waiting for a buck in tow, passed on a second doe as at end of my range.

A spike followed her trail, waited for him to present a broadside shot.

Took it, instantly doubted shot.

This time I waited.

No hair, no blood at sight, had breakfast and I waited 2.5 hours.

Not a drop of blood, 150 yards east, there he was, placidly posed like he was bedded down.

Forelegs folded, lying square between his haunches.

Bloated (diaphragm expanded) new instantly got the lung(s).

Field dressing, both lungs shredded, shot relatively high in the rib cage, all the blood pooled.

Thanks again for the lesson and encouragement to get back out, have the patience to wait (for the shot and retrieval) and the faith to keep looking blood or not.

[Lawdwaz]

Atta boy! (I assume)

 

 

Any pics of your buck??

[MountainHunter]

Congratulations!

[NYBowhunter]

Congrats!! Get some pics. Up.

[thunnus]

A spike dwarfed by most pics on this site, here it is as we butchered him

[Five Seasons]

Epilogue: thanks for the encouragement, offers to help and perspective.

Stayed out of woods yesterday couldn't this morning.

One of those perfect days, hunted from ground (to be more sure of shot), passed on a doe as I was waiting for a buck in tow, passed on a second doe as at end of my range.

A spike followed her trail, waited for him to present a broadside shot.

Took it, instantly doubted shot.

This time I waited.

No hair, no blood at sight, had breakfast and I waited 2.5 hours.

Not a drop of blood, 150 yards east, there he was, placidly posed like he was bedded down.

Forelegs folded, lying square between his haunches.

Bloated (diaphragm expanded) new instantly got the lung(s).

Field dressing, both lungs shredded, shot relatively high in the rib cage, all the blood pooled.

Thanks again for the lesson and encouragement to get back out, have the patience to wait (for the shot and retrieval) and the faith to keep looking blood or not.

 

no blood from a double lung? that's really rare. I've had holes plug but generally it's a funny angle where it goes out the guts and usually single lung.

 

Anyhow it ended well. Congrats.

[NFA-ADK]

Very nice, congrats!!!  Way to keep at it!  Good luck the rest of the season.