Bad shot on a deer story #2

Decided to hunt this morning despite the 20-30 mph winds posted and the storm that was suppose to come in at 8 thanks to Coosa1. First light was 6:30, sunrise at 7. I Got in my tree and set up around 6:45. I was going to set up 75 yards north of the scrape I found the day before but I came across a even fresher scrape before I could get there. This was only about 200 yards from the road. As soon as I got all set up flurries happened (on set of a migraine). I put some droplets in my eye to no avail. Just then a buck made a B line straight to my tree, stopping 10 yards to my left. I made a reach for my bow as the deer hopped behind me to about 30 yards. I turned and fixed my eyes on my target. The deer paused. I let the arrow fly. As soon as I let go the deer, who was already slightly quartered away, turned even further away. The shot sounded loud like a bone was hit. Znritchie, my wife and dog were on their way. Zach and I gave the deer a couple hours before we tracked light blood 50 yards and couldn’t pick up anymore. We backed out and my wife and dog collie were up. Collie did real well at doubling over where we had already found blood but got a little confused at the last spot we found good blood. We decided to push through and check across the bedding. Allison picked up on some blood. Collie then successfully linked the new found blood and tracked it back to the old blood. There wasn’t much for blood between the two. Going back to the farthest blood spot I discovered a slice of skin and attached hair. I am under the belief that I most likely lanced the deer and cut him non lethally. I am disappointed in the poor shot and plan to take it as a learning point. What’s y’all thoughts? The skin was found 185 yds from the shot site. It appears the deer might have them crossed the creek. I backed out and might go stomping around tomorrow. I was sick from the migraine today and was pretty worthless with the throwing up.

It happens...wonder you didn't get tangled up in all them mess of ropes and prussiks and knots in that tree and hang yourself...from the looks of the arrow that is probably a brisket shot and that deer probably survive
Hate it for you stay afterem you'll get him

Haha yea lots of ropes with these saddle set ups. Bunch of death traps. Thanks man I hope he is ok, and I’m not worried I know I’ll get more opportunities. At the bare minimum all the walking around I did help me discover a lot of great deer sign. It was covered in scrapes rubs and droppings. Definitely other deer in there.

Migraines are the devil.

Seems like a lot of blood on the arrow for just a grazing shot, haven’t ever seen a skin flap like that

My thoughts too

Most likely got a dead deer either now or an ultimately fatal wound

Lot of blood the fletching to be a flesh wound

Is that paracord holding attached to the carabiner?

I’m gonna look for it again in the morning when I’m worth a darn, hoping it didn’t cross the creek.

No dude

I think you got a dead deer with all that blood on the arrow. Good luck finding him gcr.

No doubt

Man y’all got me second guessing myself. Gonna have to give it the ole graph survey tomorrow and cover all ground. Here’s a question, if I find the deer tomorrow (when hunting isn’t allowed) what trouble am I in for?

Could be a single lung shot with him quartering that much away from you. What throws me off is the damn chunk of skin. I've never seen that before and I have killed lots of deer with a bow. What broadhead we're you using?

Great question JC, I was just about to ask him which broadhead...

Appears to be a 3 blade of some sort.

God Bless,
David B.

Baffles me as well. You’re correct BOFF, it’s a G5 Montec

Znritchie though there were small bubbles on the fletchings. I wasn’t so sure. Very well could be. What sucks is I had an identical shot on a doe two weeks back that I drilled in the prefect spot grabbing both lungs.

Here is a quick look at the track we did. As you can tell from the satellite there is a creek directly north. I am confident though that if he went across the creek I should be able to graph it out and find him. I’m going to start with the pine thicket first though.

Question I had a pretty shallow angle shot. If the in and out hole are practically flat, wouldn’t that affect how much blood he actually drops? I guess what I’m saying if the out hole isn’t pointing down would his vital cavity just fill with blood?

I hunt on ground and always had good blood with flat shots.. usually hear em fall..the last deer i shot with 308 didn't bleed at all I tore his shoulder up bad on the inside so I guess u can never tell

Ok just covering the basics, just thinking

He just sliced a chunk on the briscet boys dont get him exited

I should just take a poll.
Right now we are at:
2 for brisket deer is fine (probably)
4 for a lot of blood on arrow
2 for dead deer?

I’m not getting excited, but if there is a consensus that the deer is more likely to be dead than alive then I want to go back out and give it a fair shot at finding him.

Sounded like a hit and quartering away....doesn't sound like a sliced brisket to me i have no consensus if dead or alive but ive i had to pick id check further

In my opinion, you shot it, you have an obligation to do what you can to try and find it

That looks like low brisket shot probably right between front legs. Also forgive my ignorance of tree saddles but that string holding you up seems awfully small. Be careful not to hit that with a broadhead or knife.

No it’s a completely reasonably question. It is a tether with a prussic knot as someone mentioned above. This rope is extremely thin 1/4” compared to my other prussics; however, this is the rope that the manufacturer included in the kit I recently got. It is rated to 2400lb I believe. I’m 200 lbs and I’m only using it statically so I’m comfortable using it. Also, I’m never in a situation where I would come anywhere near cutting it. Also check out g2outdoors on YouTube if you’re interested, he recently did a video testing different tethers against broadheads cutting them. It’s a pretty cool video.

Yea man I already said that. I agree.

For comparison you can look in the background where I’m hanging my bow and see the difference in prussic material thickness. With rope though it’s more about material design and composition to a degree. There is 1/2” rope at Walmart that is only rated to 120lbs, if that makes sense.

Where did you find the arrow? Was it a pass thru ?

I once shot low on a buck and bounced the broadhead off his breastbone. Very similar looking fur to what you have. The arrow just smacked off and never entered the body cavity. Deer just walked off barely hurt.

Ok
1.how did the deer react to the shoot? Run hard tail up tail down humped up walk off?
2.how long did you wait before looking?
3.was the hide patch at the hit site or found along the blood trail?
4. Was the shot a pass thru
5. How far was the shot, what type of broadhead, and what is total arrow weight?
6. While you were tracking did you jump the deer or find any places where he laid down?

1. Ran hard tail down
2. 2 hours, it was raining and thought that might wash the blood out
3. Hide patch was 4 ft from a blood patch ~185 yards away from arrow (seen in the top right map above)
4. The whole arrow was bloodied as seen in the picture, has to be a pass through
5. 30 yard shot, fixed 3 blade g5 Montec 125 grain I believe, no clue on weight
6. No jumps, no patches indicative of a stopped bedded deer. Found no blood between that last and second to last blood.
Perch: arrow was found on the ground as shown

I had the same thing happen with a quartered to Deer last year.

Hard quartering away shot I'm saying low where the leg comes up into the shoulder and or brisket it's possible you got one lung and brisket

I guess what I’m saying if the out hole isn’t pointing down would his vital cavity just fill with blood?

An exit hole can fill with tissue and prevent blood from flowing out of body. This happens a lot on stomach hits. I'd bet you hit one lung.With that much blood no way it didn't pass thru the body. I wondered it it wasn't a pass thru and the head way just under the skin and cut the chuck out while running.

Found a deer, just not mine
Maybe the skin was from this deer. The blood by it was fresh though yesterday

Sounds like you have done just about all you could. Sometimes muscle wounds can put a lot of blood on the arrow. From the picture (which is tough to judge by) it just doesn't look dark enough to be guts and not light enough (or airy) to be lung. That leaves a lot of questions but hope your deer survives.

I shot one through both hams (hit a branch) several years back. Tracked it off and on for 3 days before I jumped it and saw he was not gonna be caught. Somebody shot that buck 2 months later (completely healed over). Still kicking myself though...it scored 147.

How far from the dead deer was the skin? LooKS like the hair was slipping on it already so it could have been from the dead one.

10 yards from the dead deer was the skin so pretty confident the skin was from him

Have you thought about getting a dog in there? Well, the trail may be too cold now though.

4 miles graphing, calling it off. Thanks for all the suggestions.