Deer bummed tonight

[clfergus]

I am a little bummed tonight. My first year deer hunting at all, first time ever hunting with a bow. Sat in the stand all day today with my dad. About 7:30 a pretty dark brown mature doe started strolling down the trail. I watched it into about 18 yards which seemed like it to 30 minutes. I shot her and heard a loud thud. It was starting to get dark so I wasn't sure if I had a clean hit. Found the arrow on the trail covered in blood all the way to the back. I was pumped...seemed like a pass through. It took 15 minutes to find the blood trail as we started in the wrong direction. Once we found it it was bright red blood...some places were huge. But after looking for what seemed 200 yards in thick woods it got dark and we came home. Blood trail just stopped. An old hunter we know said the fat can sometimes plug the hole.

I sure hope i can find her tomorrow and the Yotes don't get her. I will post pics if I find her.

 

[bowhunter_1978]

I am a little bummed tonight. My first year deer hunting at all, first time ever hunting with a bow. Sat in the stand all day today with my dad. About 7:30 a pretty dark brown mature doe started strolling down the trail. I watched it into about 18 yards which seemed like it to 30 minutes. I shot her and heard a loud thud. It was starting to get dark so I wasn't sure if I had a clean hit. Found the arrow on the trail covered in blood all the way to the back. I was pumped...seemed like a pass through. It took 15 minutes to find the blood trail as we started in the wrong direction. Once we found it it was bright red blood...some places were huge. But after looking for what seemed 200 yards in thick woods it got dark and we came home. Blood trail just stopped. An old hunter we know said the fat can sometimes plug the hole.

I sure hope i can find her tomorrow and the Yotes don't get her. I will post pics if I find her.

Don't be bummed just yet, I have shot several deer and had to track them the next day. Hopefully no rain tonight to wash the blood away! Good luck finding her tomorrow.

 

[redneckmedic]

Don't loose hope, a lot of hunters believe that if you don't see em drop with a bow you should wait 12 hrs anyhow. BTW, look into this... By Gerber

 

[clt46910]

I agree. Many times you will find them the next morning. Get up early and start where you left off this evening.

 

[jmiller676]

If all else fails mark the last blood spot and search out in a circle. I should have done this 2 years ago with my 7pt but waited until the next morning (it was a hot night) I found him 45 yds from the last spot of blood in weeds on a river bank. Don't give up hope if you tracked her for 200yds she is still bleeding internally she has to be around there close.

 

[cue7467]

Good luck and keep us updated....
Congrats either way...

 

[HICKMAN]

keep searching, I'm sure with all that blood down you'll find it.

 

[243rem700]

You should be able to find it. Just start off where you last saw blood. If you don't find any more blood look around the area.

 

[XFCTR]

Don't give up hope. Been there myself. Course in my case its either the coyotes or some other hunter that got my prey but at least I know what happened to them.

 

[clfergus]

Well my dad and I searched for 4 hours this morning with no luck. We were able to pick up the blood trail but it eventually ran dry.

I think I was able to figure out the path the deer took. This property is only 30 acres that buts up to a neighbors property of 275 acres. There is a large but somewhat dry creeek bed that runs through both properties. The land on both sides tends to slope down toward the creek bed.

I hit her on the left side, she was corned ever so slightly but not much. The last thing I wanted to do was take a bad shot...I have been prepping for this for 5 months.

In any case the deer hunched down and spun around and took off into the woods on the right. I didn't see a blood trail until we got back on the path. It appears the deer came back across the path a little way down. So we followed it. firt it led down the hill toward the creek bed so i was sure thats where we find her. But then it started going up the opposite slope. The deer continued go up to what we believe is the area where the bed down. We followed the blood and in some spots there was a good amount of bright red blood. I was thinking maybe one lung. Found one area where it looked like she rested. With the amount of blood we saw I was sure we would come on her. But as we started climbing the hill which is fairly steep and had gone maybe 300 yards on to the adjacent property, the trail turned into a smaller drops the led up to a old logging dirt road at the top of the hill. Pretty nice wide dirt road. After that we couldnt find anymore blood. We searched for an hour for blood and then combed the hilltop which was thick wood and brush. We backtracked wondering if she got to the top of the hill and decided to go back down but no luck.

I wished we had a dog to help us. I looked at the arrow again and the shaft, fletching and nock are covered in blood and a white fatty substance. I can only assume it went through but maybe I hit her and it went in and across the ribs and out her rear...who knows.

I had to come back to Indy but my dad is going to go back out one more time and look. I wonder if she got 50 yards off the path in the thick brush and briars and we just didn't see her...or maybe I didn't hit her with a kill shot. Would they blled that much though?

I learned one valuable lesson which was wait a few hours before going to look for the deer. I wonder if we pushed her last night when she would have laid down and died. In anycase, my first time deer hunting and I was able to place my stand on a trail, see a nice deer and patiently wait 30 minutes until in range. I hit her I just hope that she isn't suffering someplace...thats my biggest fear.

I was shocked at how my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw her. I played sports, give speaches at work to large crowds and nothing compared to that feeling. I had to really focus to regain my composure intially. Breath out my nose and not my mouth..ha!

I would love to hear any theories and suggestions that will make me a better hunter.

 

[HICKMAN]

yup, always got to wait.

One reason is to get them to lay down, because they will feel sleepy while dying out.

Second, you don't want them to pump adrenaline through their bodies, it will keep them moving and also change the taste of the meet.

 

[Field King]

To help u calm down and take good shots u have to be willing to let the deer walk! While it was coming, gather your thoughts and focus, look beyond the first deer for other deer, look between the ears, focus on your kill zone options, going thru a few pre determined checks will calm u down enough to wait for the best shot! NEVER take a MAYBE shot, if u cannot clearly see the vitals for a shot, PASS and wait! Believe me it took me a long time to learn patience in the deer woods, but if u are willing to pass up the questionable shots the kills will come!

 

[Hemingway]

First deer I ever shot, I never recovered. I learned a lesson about patience. I got a good hit with buckshot but it didn't drop right away. It sort of lumbered off into the woods. There was about 6 inches of snow down so I knew with the blood trail, I'd definitely find it. Unfortunately, I didn't wait. Being 16 and excited, after about 3 minutes I took off after it. About 25 yards down the trail, I saw where it had bedded down and was starting to bleed out. But my noise through the woods stirred it up again and it took off before I got there. It went across a creek into some private land where the landowner would not allow any hunters.

Bottom line: if I had just waited 30 minutes, it would have bled out just yards from me. As it was, I never recovered it.

Although every one knows that patience is a huge part of hunting, it's sometimes difficult to practice. I agree with the previous poster: you gotta be willing to let the deer walk. It can help avoid several problems and it helps you remain calm.

 

[clfergus]

Yeah..I think thats most likely what happened. I did wait 30 minutes or so but I should have just came back this morning.

Lesson learned...I am pretty bummed but at least I have my feet wet.

I enjoyed the time in the stand. I saw 100 squirrels it seemed, a skinny looking fox, chipmunks and had a few finches hanging out by me. Once almost flew into my face. When I get some time tonight I am gonna take some snaps of the arrow and post them. Interested in thoughts

 

[DHolder]

Archery season is tough, I've had to pass on questionable shots plenty of times. If you cant get a clean kill shot let it pass, come back, be paitent. A deer that wanders off to become yote meat, well, is a bummer.

Congrats on the set up +1, sounds like you have a bright future as a hunter, it takes time. Keep us posted on the rest of the season, and GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!! Don

 

[clt46910]

Many years back, had a guy that was new to hunting wanted to try bow hunting. He did everything right. Got good equipment, practiced with it, read how to clean the deer, and actually became a good shot with his bow.

Late Afternoon on opening day, he shows up with a nice sized buck in the back of his pickup. I was running my Dad's deer check in station at the time. The thing was full of holes. I asked him what happened to the deer.

He told me he got a good shot from the blind he was in. After the shot, he seen the deer run about thirty yards and lay down in the grass. He climbed down from his blind and went to get his deer. It jumped up and took off on him. He happened to have another arrow nocked just in case it was not all the way dead yet. He got it as it got up with a second arrow. He continued to follow it and the same thing happened again. He shot it with another arrow. I believe this happened about four more times. He shot it with a total of four arrows before it was just to full of arrows to run anymore...LOL

Nobody in all that time told him to wait for he deer to bleed out when bowhunting. He learned a lot that first time and has a great story to tell people.

 

[SC_Shooter]

I could share a similar story about my first deer, but there are plenty of good examples here already. Patience after the shot is vital in my opinion, regardless of what you shot the deer with.

We are all VERY good at being patient before the shot, but not so much after it happens.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I am a little bummed tonight. My first year deer hunting at all, first time ever hunting with a bow. Sat in the stand all day today with my dad. About 7:30 a pretty dark brown mature doe started strolling down the trail. I watched it into about 18 yards which seemed like it to 30 minutes. I shot her and heard a loud thud. It was starting to get dark so I wasn't sure if I had a clean hit. Found the arrow on the trail covered in blood all the way to the back. I was pumped...seemed like a pass through. It took 15 minutes to find the blood trail as we started in the wrong direction. Once we found it it was bright red blood...some places were huge. But after looking for what seemed 200 yards in thick woods it got dark and we came home. Blood trail just stopped. An old hunter we know said the fat can sometimes plug the hole.

I sure hope i can find her tomorrow and the Yotes don't get her. I will post pics if I find her.

First know where the heart is from any direction, two thirds down in the center of the chest between the front legs if they are straight up and down. Always aim to put the arrow sticking through the heart no matter what angle you are shooting from. If the leg or shoulder is blocking it wait for a better shot.

At the point you are now, the deer has run beyond where you can see it laying from the treestand with what you think is a good hit from an arrow, it is evening and getting dark. Visually look from your stand at the exact spot you shot it and the last spot you could see it as it ran. Memorise those so you can walk straight to them when you get down. Get down quietly. Soon as you get down with your bow and your arrows walk straight to those two points and stick an arrow in the ground in both spots. Stay quiet, stay low. The deer is not far away at this point. Don not start chasing it all over the country side. Get all your stuff down you want to take home with you that night.

Walk back to the truck starting the farthest way as possible away from where you think the deer is probably laying. It will lay down as soon as it feels safe from what ever the heck that stinging thing was up in the trees, ie, where it doesn't see you, smell you, or hear you. It now feels safe unless you do one of those things to expand the distance it needs to move to feel safe. It wants to catch it's breath, calm down, and figure out WTF just like any one else would instead of just blundering in to another "one of those".

Regroup, get any extra sets of eyes that are with you, extra nose is handy a lot of times, get your Coleman lantern lit, you'll need it to field dress any way and it's the best light there is to see blood and it lights a wide area. If you are smart and have read much I've ever had to say on it, your arrows have reflective tape around them just right next to the nock. Pick up a couple more, one broad head and 2 or 3 with field points you can stick in the ground. One to kill it if you find it alive and the other two to mark blood as you find it on the ground. Just leap frog your arrows as you move along the little lights will keep you moving in the right direction.

Trust the blood and keep your nose working. Don't be surprised if it runs in a circle if it goes far and if you smell deer, mark that spot and search a 50 foot circle around it really really close, under brush, in little dips, search like you are trying to find a mouse.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Well my dad and I searched for 4 hours this morning with no luck. We were able to pick up the blood trail but it eventually ran dry.

I think I was able to figure out the path the deer took. This property is only 30 acres that buts up to a neighbors property of 275 acres. There is a large but somewhat dry creeek bed that runs through both properties. The land on both sides tends to slope down toward the creek bed.

I hit her on the left side, she was corned ever so slightly but not much. The last thing I wanted to do was take a bad shot...I have been prepping for this for 5 months.

In any case the deer hunched down and spun around and took off into the woods on the right. I didn't see a blood trail until we got back on the path. It appears the deer came back across the path a little way down. So we followed it. firt it led down the hill toward the creek bed so i was sure thats where we find her. But then it started going up the opposite slope. The deer continued go up to what we believe is the area where the bed down. We followed the blood and in some spots there was a good amount of bright red blood. I was thinking maybe one lung. Found one area where it looked like she rested. With the amount of blood we saw I was sure we would come on her. But as we started climbing the hill which is fairly steep and had gone maybe 300 yards on to the adjacent property, the trail turned into a smaller drops the led up to a old logging dirt road at the top of the hill. Pretty nice wide dirt road. After that we couldnt find anymore blood. We searched for an hour for blood and then combed the hilltop which was thick wood and brush. We backtracked wondering if she got to the top of the hill and decided to go back down but no luck.

I wished we had a dog to help us. I looked at the arrow again and the shaft, fletching and nock are covered in blood and a white fatty substance. I can only assume it went through but maybe I hit her and it went in and across the ribs and out her rear...who knows.

I had to come back to Indy but my dad is going to go back out one more time and look. I wonder if she got 50 yards off the path in the thick brush and briars and we just didn't see her...or maybe I didn't hit her with a kill shot. Would they blled that much though?

I learned one valuable lesson which was wait a few hours before going to look for the deer. I wonder if we pushed her last night when she would have laid down and died. In anycase, my first time deer hunting and I was able to place my stand on a trail, see a nice deer and patiently wait 30 minutes until in range. I hit her I just hope that she isn't suffering someplace...thats my biggest fear.

I was shocked at how my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw her. I played sports, give speaches at work to large crowds and nothing compared to that feeling. I had to really focus to regain my composure intially. Breath out my nose and not my mouth..ha!

I would love to hear any theories and suggestions that will make me a better hunter.

You know the saying about something like "it happens". That's why it's called hunting and not shooting. Live and learn, move on and make new mistakes next time not the same ones, we all make some kind of mistakes, some times it works out they matter sometimes they don't matter and we get away with it.

In my expirience, if it's not dead in an hour, it's not dead enough it will ever be found in edible condition. If it's laying down where you can see it, stay in the tree with an arrow nocked ready to shoot again if it get's up and watch it for 10 minutes or so. If it's out of sight, use the time to go get your gutting gear and take any thing you won't need back to the truck. A gun, treestand, food, bow arrows and then a dead deer all at once is a hassle to drag through the woods and you need to stay occupied any way.

 

[jmiller676]

You know the saying about something like "it happens". That's why it's called hunting and not shooting. Live and learn, move on and make new mistakes next time not the same ones, we all make some kind of mistakes, some times it works out they matter sometimes they don't matter and we get away with it.

In my expirience, if it's not dead in an hour, it's not dead enough it will ever be found in edible condition. If it's laying down where you can see it, stay in the tree with an arrow nocked ready to shoot again if it get's up and watch it for 10 minutes or so. If it's out of sight, use the time to go get your gutting gear and take any thing you won't need back to the truck. A gun, treestand, food, bow arrows and then a dead deer all at once is a hassle to drag through the woods and you need to stay occupied any way.