Blood trail going thin

[Nivk]

I just shot my first whitetail archery hunting at 7:45 am. I was about 15m away and think I had a good hit to the right lung. The deer ran downhill and I waited 30min before checking out the hit site. My arrow had remained in the deer so there wasn't much to see there. About 100ft away I found the blood trail. It was more like a highway though. I thought it would be no problem to track this guy. Now it is 3 hrs later and I'm following drops every several feet. I'm starting to worry that I should have waited longer to start tracking. Anyone out there with thoughts on what to do?

[gfdeputy2]

When in doubt Back out give it more time sounds like you may have jumped it & are pushing it

did you see a a pool of blood anywhere like it had laid down? can you get a pic of the good blood trail you had

[HFBPA889]

How far from where you shot the deer did you eventually lose site of him? How far have you now tracked him from the hit site or first sign of blood? Did you here the deer crash at all or did it just go quiet? What color was the blood, is it frothy or any small bubbles, is there a spray pattern, is it bleeding on one side or both sides of the deer? Has the deer beded down at all yet while tracking him? Did you recover your arrow?

We need more info to assess the facts of your situation. With that being said, if I don't see the deer fall or here him crash. I am waiting a good 3-4 hrs or if you know you gut shot the deer up to 12-14 hrs till I track and recover.

[moog5050]

Hate to say it. but if you got lung, it should be dead by now (3 hours later).  I would back out and come back later in the afternoon.  Good luck.

[Nivk]

I'm still on it. The trampolines and goes, but I just found this. Its starting to dry but still bright and has some bubbles. I've gone about 1000 ft from the shot site probably more since it hasn't been a direct route.

[Nivk]

Sorry, that should say 'the trail comes and goes'. No trampolines here.

[Nivk]

I'm taking a break for now but this was the trail when it was going strong.

And the only possible bed site I found was early on. About 45 min to an hour after the shot.

[gfdeputy2]

any hair or chucks of fat in the blood? Looks like a good blood trail

[Culvercreek hunt club]

That doesn't look like a bed site to be Looks like he was standing there. I would give it some time. Any idea at all where the shot was on the deer? How far behind the shoulder and was he full  broadside or quartering to or away?

Edited November 13, 2014 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Nivk]

No fat. The only hair I have found was that cut by the arrow. it sure was a good trail at first. I'm really surprised he went so far after that.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Nivk

[Nivk]

He was facing me and I hit him in the chest at the base of the neck. It looked like the arrow had penetrated at least a foot in.

[gfdeputy2]

I agree with Culver I don't think that is a bed site did not see the discription at first & would also give it more time

Hair brown or white

& when you last stopped are you still seeing blood

 

[jjb4900]

He was facing me and I hit him in the chest at the base of the neck. It looked like the arrow had penetrated at least a foot in.

oh, that's not good............

[Nivk]

Oh no. Really? I thought that should hit the lung from that angle.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Better hope it hit an artery coming off the top of the heart. really bright and looks like artery blood to me but they can cover A LOT of ground in minutes if you don't take the blood supply away fast or take their wind away. If the angle was steep it could have hit the back side of the breast bone and explain why it didn't come out. I would bet it is fatal but I would give it time. Better too much time than not enough unless weather is going to wash the blood away.

[jjb4900]

Oh no. Really? I thought that should hit the lung from that angle.

I'm gonna guess you hit shoulder......keep in mind that anything cut with a razor is gonna bleed like crazy in the beginning and probably eventually clot up if it's not fatal. If you ever gave yourself a good cut with a knife, think about how much it bled, if you just let it bleed and walked 500 yards, it would leave a good trail or if you stood in one spot it would leave a pretty good puddle.......we have 6 pints of blood, if you took one pint and dumped it out it would look like a crime scene, but it wouldn't kill you to lose that much....... But, I hope I'm wrong.

Edited November 13, 2014 by jjb4900

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Since you got a little time to kill and not to start a flaming session (so don't do it guys), if he was offering a chest shot doesn't that mean he was still coming to you? What happened to make you take that shot? Did he bust you?

[jjb4900]

out of a treestand or ground level?

[gfdeputy2]

I assumed it was a broadside shot

Edited November 13, 2014 by gfdeputy2

[Flythrower]

He was facing me and I hit him in the chest at the base of the neck. It looked like the arrow had penetrated at least a foot in.

 

Not to really get on you, but why would you take a dead on front shot with a bow? Lot of things can happen to that arrow from the front and it is a long way to the vitals if you can even get there.

 

Did you knot have a chance to let the deer turn left or right or walk past you so it would quarter away?

 

I really hope you find this deer, but I also hope you don't take shots like that in the future. You can get away with it with a gun, but not without a little luck with an arrow.

[Nivk]

Based on the pic gfdeputy2 posted and what I know of deer anatomy I'm confident I hit a lung. I had a limited window to shoot through and he was following a doe right out of it. I guess I should have waited though. This sucks. I really didn't think he'd get so far with a close range shot like that.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Nivk

[growalot]

Heres what I do not under stand...if there was no exit wound and It was say straight on...so entrance was assumably relatively high an most likely a high lung ...if a ground level shot.....Why such a blood trail at all? Wouldn't it be mostly internal?

[jjb4900]

Based on the pic gfdeputy2 posted and what I know of deer anatomy I'm confident I hit a lung. I had a limited window to shoot through and he was following a doe right out of it. I guess I should have waited though. This sucks. I really didn't think he'd get so far with a close range shout like that.

you would need to add the bone structure to that illustration to get an idea of how that shot angle could go bad.

[moog5050]

With a bow, that shot may have deflected off of breast bone and never hit vitals.  Could be a dead deer but it may be a long time for it to bleed out.  Good luck.  I think most will agree that its not a recommended shot. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Heres what I do not under stand...if there was no exit wound and It was say straight on...so entrance was assumably relatively high an most likely a high lung ...if a ground level shot.....Why such a blood trail at all? Wouldn't it be mostly internal?

 

That is why I think he must have hit an artery or Vein. Looks like a lot of blood quickly for a high hit with no exit. I think this deer is dead personally.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Culvercreek hunt club