Game retrieval odds: Dead or Alive?

[bangarang]

Hey all, I’m looking for some insight and experience from the mule deer bow hunters out there.

I shot a mule deer today high in the shoulder at 46 yards. This is my first time hitting an animal with an arrow. It looked like the arrow went in about 7-12 inches. The deer ran about half a mile before my wife saw him disappear into some thick willows and buck brush. There is a river that cuts through the buck brush. I never saw him come out. I did see another buck come out without an arrow in it about 6 hours later. That buck looked fine and didn’t have any blood.

While tracking the deer I shot, I only found 3 small drops of blood about 1/4 mile from the shot.

Here is what I was shooting for reference.

Mathews V3X 33
75#
28.5” draw
Iron Will SB225 broad head
Total arrow weight ~525 grains

I used Dr. Ed Ashby’s principles to build a heavy arrow that it could shatter a shoulder blade if required to keep penetrating. I’d be surprised if the arrow/broadhead came out of the shoulder since it hit with that much force. My wife heard the contact 1/4 mile away.

Bottom line is I’m going to go back and continue to beat that buck brush up tomorrow. Do you think I’ll find a dead buck? Why isn’t there any blood?

Photos for reference of where he went.

Happy New Year!

 

[WyOwen]

I think (&hope). You will find him piled up in the nastiest brushy hole there.


Sounds like you got top of lungs, it can take awhile for them to die. Running with the arrow. In the chest cavity will accelerate this process.

For reference
I shot an antelope a few years ago, high lung, pass through. I was able to keep eyes on him the whole time but it took 40 min for him to die and he covered a half mile -just staying out of bow range.

Best of luck! Don’t get discouraged or super focused looking for blood, look for dead deer to!!

 

[BRTreedogs]

The higher the hole is in the body cavity the longer it takes for the body cavity to fill with blood and start coming out of the hole.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

The higher the hole is in the body cavity the longer it takes for the body cavity to fill with blood and start coming out of the hole.

Exactly right, tons of guys blame it on “hitting the void” there is no void in the chest cavity, there’s lungs through the entire cavity, then spine and above that back strap and spinous process.

Higher the while longer to fill to bleed, but will literally suffocate from the blood filling his chest cavity. As long as you hit in the chest cavity he’s dead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Skerhunter]

You hit high and the arrow is still in the animal with a 2 blade broadhead. That is a recipe for a poor blood trail.

In general fringe shots (high/low/forward) may not produce an immediate fatal wound. You hit high, so maybe stuck in backstrap (will be slow/sick still and would explain lack of penetration) hopefully you got into chest cavity some. I would be prepared to make follow up shots in the AM (use the wind/terrain and have a spotter to watch over you in case you bump him).

Hope you find him dead where you last saw him!

 

[Ross]

If the Mrs heard the impact a 1/4 mile away that sounds like a solid bone hit. Good chance this deer is still walking.

 

[bigunit]

If you're arrow is below the spine, it should be a dead deer. If you hit the spine, it would have dropped, especially with your broadhead and specs. If it was above the spine, the deer will be fine and you would have got a pass through. Best of luck, it's a terrible feeling when you don't recover them right away.

 

[bangarang]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

After 8 miles, no blood, and a few holes in my pants, three of us gave up the search. If he was moving through that brush, the arrow must have been pulled out. My wife also informed me that the arrow had a forward cant to it, so the shot was more of a “quartering to” than a broadside. I am now convinced I saw him run out last night, without an arrow.

Lessons learned for next year: more emphasis on shot placement based on scenario.

 

[bigunit]

Tough lesson to learn. Sorry you didn't make a recovery

 

[robby denning]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

After 8 miles, no blood, and a few holes in my pants, three of us gave up the search. If he was moving through that brush, the arrow must have been pulled out. My wife also informed me that the arrow had a forward cant to it, so the shot was more of a “quartering to” than a broadside. I am now convinced I saw him run out last night, without an arrow.

Lessons learned for next year: more emphasis on shot placement based on scenario.

Thanks for letting us know what happened. Keep shooting.