Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer Bow Talk Wounded deer

Well I had my first chance to harvest a deer this afternoon. I had an old doe come in eating white oak acorns right under my stand. I took my shot which I thought was clear but my arrow was deflected by a small branch that I didnt notice. I saw the arrow sticking out the side of the doe as she turned to run. It looked to me like it was really far back and could have possibly been near the rear hip. I left her overnight because I was unsure of how good the hit was and it is a really swampy area that would be hard to find blood in. I feel terrible. I know its gonna be a long night. Have any of you recovered a deer after such a terrible shot?

just to clear it up. the shot was about 30 yards. so i didnt have a poor angle directly under the stand like it may have sounded in my first post.

I stuck 1 in the back hip last year and just backed out and went home. Came back the next morning and found her not even 100 yards from where i shot her. She will probably bed down and expire if you didnt go after her when you got down.

i just got down about an hour later and left. i tried to be very quiet and didnt hear anything get up or run off.

Maybe you got lucky and hit a major artery.

Please don't use the word "harvest."

You had a chance to kill a deer. Animals die. Kill is appropriate.

Sometimes those twigs we don't see get in the way. That's part of bow hunting.

You harvest crops not deer. You KILL deer. Harvest is just a politically correct word we been duped into using cause its less offensive than the word kill. Anyway, hope you find that deer.

What did the arrow look like? Did it stink? Was there a lot of blood? What color was the blood? You may have lucked out and hit the femoral artery. The meat should be fine in the morning, you may want to gut her where she is laying though if you paunch shot her. Good luck!

Well just to update everyone. I did "kill" the deer. My first one with a bow. I got really lucky cuz the arrow hit her in the back hip. I'll post pictures when I get a chance.

good job, congrats

According to Chuck Adams and from my experience with my first deer, a shot into the hindquarter with an arrow will kill a deer graveyard dead. In fact, they will bleed out alot faster than you would think.

I'm not advocating taking this shot, like Adams seems to do in his book, but if an accident occurs, it will turn out alright. your case is further proof.

Congrats.... The first one is the hardest.

Only deer I ever hit like that...blood everywhere dead within 60. shot was not intentional but I was shocked at the shear amount of blood.

Harvest or kill WHATEVER, dead is dead beleive it!