Forward shot on a mule deer

[Kkcook]

Hey, I shot a mule deer this last weekend and the wind blew my shot forward in front of the shoulder kinda in the neck I got about 14 inches of penetration with a sevr 1.5 and there is about 6 inches of that arrow still in him. He ran straight down hill and my spotters lost him in a little bowl but they said it had a lot of blood on his shoulder and down his side. When we started blood trailing him it came clear is was not a pass though as blood was only on the left side. The blood was ok for about 300 yards and then got spotty but he kept going down hill toward a creek. After 700 yards we could not find blood at all and it was about 300 yard from said creek. We searched that creek that is heavy willows and quackies for 5 hours with no luck. Came back the next day and looked the creek over again for birds but found nothing. Going again tomorrow. Just want some in sight on what people think he did?

 

[huntngolf]

Sounds like a non lethal hit to me

 

[mikkel318]

I'd grid search around that creek, but that is a tough shot. If you hit the carotid or jugular you would have found him pretty quick. Best of luck, I know that feeling and all you can do is try.

 

[Laramie]

Hey, I shot a mule deer this last weekend and the wind blew my shot forward in front of the shoulder kinda in the neck I got about 14 inches of penetration with a sevr 1.5 and there is about 6 inches of that arrow still in him. He ran straight down hill and my spotters lost him in a little bowl but they said it had a lot of blood on his shoulder and down his side. When we started blood trailing him it came clear is was not a pass though as blood was only on the left side. The blood was ok for about 300 yards and then got spotty but he kept going down hill toward a creek. After 700 yards we could not find blood at all and it was about 300 yard from said creek. We searched that creek that is heavy willows and quackies for 5 hours with no luck. Came back the next day and looked the creek over again for birds but found nothing. Going again tomorrow. Just want some in sight on what people think he did?

I know hind site is always 20/20 but once the blood slowed after 300 yards, you guys should have backed off for several hours. There is a good chance you bumped him. That said, hitting in front of the shoulder you either cut an artery or you don't. Good chance the deer is going to live, for a while at least.

 

[Kkcook]

I know hind site is always 20/20 but once the blood slowed after 300 yards, you guys should have backed off for several hours. There is a good chance you bumped him. That said, hitting in front of the shoulder you either cut an artery or you don't. Good chance the deer is going to live, for a while at least.

We waited 3 hours till we did and we never found a spot he laid down.

 

[Laramie]

We waited 3 hours till we did and we never found a spot he laid down.

Gotcha, if that is the case probably not much else you can do other than watch the general area for birds over the next few weeks. With the arrow in him he probably won't live through the winter but he may make it for weeks/months.

 

[Rich M]

How far was your shot? Just curious. We lose a lot of WT due to them jumping the string - wind doesn't affect us much down here..

 

[Kkcook]

How far was your shot? Just curious. We lose a lot of WT due to them jumping the string - wind doesn't affect us much down here..

50 yards I had a wind break I had snuck to and didn’t realize that the wind had picked up a lot till I walked out after my shot.

 

[Rich M]

50 yards I had a wind break I had snuck to and didn’t realize that the wind had picked up a lot till I walked out after my shot.

Stuff happens - hope you can get some closure on this one.

 

[Geewhiz]

Thats the worst man. I've been there. I hope you find him either dead or alive. Not knowing the outcome is the worst.

 

[j_volt]

I know hind site is always 20/20 but once the blood slowed after 300 yards, you guys should have backed off for several hours. There is a good chance you bumped him.

It sounds like OP waited as he should have, but this is great advice. I think many bucks and bulls are bumped without ever knowing it.

I shot a whitetail with my bow last year on 11/5 at 6:00pm. I watched him bed at ~120 yards away. I waited until it got pitch black and came back the next morning - hoping to find him in his bed. I did not find him in his bed. I backed out and came back with a dog at 5:00pm. The dog took us past a trail camera 150 yards away and the buck had walked by it at 9:41am, which was a few minutes after I checked his bed. I never saw the buck get up, and I knew where he was bedded. He wasn't really bleeding much at all at this point. He would have been impossible to follow this far without the dog. The dog jumped the buck another 100 yards further, only 310 yards from hit site 23 hours after the hit.

 

[Legend]

Hey, I shot a mule deer this last weekend and the wind blew my shot forward in front of the shoulder kinda in the neck I got about 14 inches of penetration with a sevr 1.5 and there is about 6 inches of that arrow still in him. He ran straight down hill and my spotters lost him in a little bowl but they said it had a lot of blood on his shoulder and down his side. When we started blood trailing him it came clear is was not a pass though as blood was only on the left side. The blood was ok for about 300 yards and then got spotty but he kept going down hill toward a creek. After 700 yards we could not find blood at all and it was about 300 yard from said creek. We searched that creek that is heavy willows and quackies for 5 hours with no luck. Came back the next day and looked the creek over again for birds but found nothing. Going again tomorrow. Just want some in sight on what people think he did?

Birds can take awhile to get on a kill. They really show up after something else exposes some meat. So give it a few days.

 

[jmez]

He's walking around with an arrow in his neck.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

That’s bow hunting. He’s cruising around with an arrow in his shoulder or neck now or he’s dead somewhere you won’t find him.