I took a shot on my first buck today from about 20' up in my climber. It was about a 20 yard shot broadside. I believe I hit the shoulder instead of right behind it because as it ran away my arrow was still stuck in it. My first deer I took was a pass through from about the same distance with a slower shooting bow. The buck ran off. No blood trail. I saw the arrow in it and heard the impact so I know there was definite contact. I'm shooting a 2013 bear legion 29.5" draw at 72lbs. I'm using decent arrows and switch blade mechanical broad heads. I called a buddy to help me out but by time I waited and got out of my stand it was dark. We searched for about an hour. No blood. What to do now? Just search the woods in the direction I saw him run and hope I find him? I feel really bad that my shot placement was possibly off a bit and he didn't expire quickly. Any advice will help, I know i screwed up so telling me that won't help
First buck and I think I made a mistake
SJHunter350
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They usually go towards water with a liver or gut shot... They get a fever and go there to cool down I believe.
I've seen arrows hit the opposite shoulder and bounce back making it look like it didn't get penetration when it actually did.. But if you hit the front shoulder odds are he has a limp but will live..
If you hit him high and forward your arrow usually does not penetrate either due to a "hollow spot" that when hit absorbs the arrow impact and doesn't let it penetrate- that's another case where you are out of luck 99% of the time....
Good luck tho- hope for the first scenario (although if that was the case you usually have some blood to follow....)
I've seen arrows hit the opposite shoulder and bounce back making it look like it didn't get penetration when it actually did.. But if you hit the front shoulder odds are he has a limp but will live..
If you hit him high and forward your arrow usually does not penetrate either due to a "hollow spot" that when hit absorbs the arrow impact and doesn't let it penetrate- that's another case where you are out of luck 99% of the time....
Good luck tho- hope for the first scenario (although if that was the case you usually have some blood to follow....)
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Mistake was using a mechanical not a fixed blade. Hey it happens to the best of us keep your chin up.
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HAH and my buddy said "this wouldn't have happened if you used a RAGE broad head -_- !
Thank you to everyone offering advice and even offering to come out and help me look for this guy in the rain! Seriously thank you. I have a group coming out with me in the AM to attempt to find this guy.
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Take your time and look hard.youll f in d him and it happens sooner or later it's gonna happen to anyone
Bud, if you hit the close shoulder you WILL find the arrow. All of it. Even with the rain you could possibly get some sign off that. Now seems you haven't shot a ton of deer that's ok but even for guys doing this a while, sometimes your eyes can deceive you. If you went through and hit the far shoulder, the arrow stayed in and with the downward angle the deer would need to fill with blood before it leaked. Sometimes that can be a little way out there. In the morning, go back to your tree w a friend or two. Climb back up. Replay in your mind where he was at shot, and where he ran and was last seen,. If hit that way he would not have gone far. Last night looking in the dark you could have just gone the wrong way. Again find that arrow you find half missing keep looking. Good luck
A shot in the shoulder is a shot in the shoulder. It wouldn't have have happened if you used a gun. Don't listen to bad advise. Sometimes a fixed blade could punch in a touch further if the shot was marginally touching bone. Blades opening do rob a bit of energy but there's pros and cons on everything. Don't let everyone tell you something dif and mess with your head
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Give it a good look this morning by the sounds of it that deer is walking around with a limp you will see him again. You cant get discouraged because of this though it sucks its part of hunting if you give it a good look this morning and not just a half hr look and feel and the signs show most likely he is still alive you done your part as a hunter. Good Luck
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Not that it will be any help at this point but, my SOP after hitting a deer with an arrow is this: First I take a reverse compass bearing on the last place I could see the animal. Then I measure that distance with my range finder. I always have a waypoint on my GPS set for the tree I am in. I set the GPS as a "go to" to the tree stand. Then the GPS will give me the bearing and distance back to the treestand so I can match that information with the information from the magnetic compass and range finder. This way I can go to the exact spot I last saw the deer to start blood trailing. Many times I have gone to that spot and found the deer a short distance from there, often visible from that spot.
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X2.
X2.
Mechanical + Shoulder + Lack of penetration = deer is still alive---most likely.
Regardless, good luck looking.
Live and learn...and listen to your buddy.
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if you penetrated scapula, every step he takes it's tearing him up inside if you shoot a fixed blade, which would also give you a lot more bone penetration than a mechanical.
That being said, all good advice listed above. You have to do a grid search with as much help as possible. Good luck
That being said, all good advice listed above. You have to do a grid search with as much help as possible. Good luck
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65# for me - I can't even draw it unless I use some vagisil first....
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You'll encounter this buck again in a couple of weeks, look for a limping deer
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you should look into those tracking dogs. they will find the buck. good luck
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text me man if you need help im not going out til the pm
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