Rage...

[Sean952]

So I had a shot on a buck at this morning 16 1/2 yards. The deer was on guard but not spooked dropped a bit on the shot but the lumenok showed I was in front shoulder and stuck in off shoulder. Deer walked 15yards back on trail it came from then took off at a dead sprint. Arrow never fell out or broke off. Waited 30 min got down packed up stand and sticks quietly. Walked over to the spot the deer was standing, no blood. Walked the deer trail it ran off on over 100 yards no blood no arrow broken or otherwise. Not sure what to do. Also walked all the deer trails I could find on the island... nothing. I’m never shooting expandables again and it kills me I have no idea how to find this deer... it had to be a lethal shot.

[AJB]

It sounds like you hit the shoulder knuckle and got poor penetration. If it was lodged in the offside shoulder the arrow should have been broken off and he would have been bleeding more than what you found.

[wiscbowhntr]

If your arrow was lodged in the offside shoulder the deer would be dead. Sounds like you hit the knuckle and didnt get any penetration. A fixed blade would have given you the same result.

[Sean952]

As the deer stood there and walked off I could tell I had at least 8” of penitration from where the factory wrap was in relation to the side

[Horizontal Hunter]

I agree with the other posters.

The only thing I can think of is a tracking dog.

Bob

[Jeff25]

Was the deer quartering too, away, or broadside?

[rfickes87]

Did you hear a real loud smack/crack sound? I made this same shot once on a buck. Never found him. Tracked him over a mile. They can survive thay shot.

[Jeff25]

It could just be that the entrance hole is high, and no exit hole, therefore no blood trail. Get a tracking dog

[Jeff25]

If you truely got 8" of penetration it is a dead deer

[Buckbreath]

It could just be that the entrance hole is high, and no exit hole, therefore no blood trail. Get a tracking dog

yep

[Kraftd]

I agree, not sure how this is a broadhead issue. Its a shot placement issue. If you are in the cage and got 8 inches, probably a one lung deal, could be a long track. If high hit, could be little to no blood, especially with a lot of fat on the deer to close holes up now. Any chance you were further forward into the brisket? What's your bow/arrow set-up?

[Bigburner]

I lost a clean 160" a couple years ago with a forward shoulder hit. About the same amount of penetration as you. Loudest crack I ever heard and he dropped in his tracks and I thought I had him. 30 seconds later he got up and shook it off with an obliterated scapula. No blood and found the arrow 600 yards away. Long story short bumped him the next morning out of his bed and he made as scrape about 100 yards a way. Bounding around like nothing happened . It bent the furrell about 20 degrees on a wasp jackhammer . A rage doesn't fair well on a shoulder hit. I would push that deer on a shoulder hit. Best chance for blood loss otherwise he's laying and clotting. Do yourself a favor and find a nice strong steel furelled compact head that with penetrate deep. Like a wasp drone, slick trick ,exodus, muzzy or a VPA and gear up for the worst case scenario not for the best. On a shoulder penetration is everything on a game of inches shot like that. Just my 2 cents from a hard learned lesson. On the broad head and the track.

[Sean952]

28” draw with 60lbs limbs maxed out moving my hunting set up at 278fps. Arrows are goldtip hunter xt 340s 28 1/2”. Tip was rage 100grn 2 blade chisel tip. At impact sounded like the thud of a body shot not the crack of bone. Hi impact steep angle. He also had to run off through a lot of blow downs and thick cover if it was a lack of penitration wouldn’t the brush have pulled the arrow out or broken it easier? Just trying to learn all I can from this so it doesn’t happen again. Thoughts on switching to my fixed blades is just to get more penitration.

[wiscbowhntr]

28” draw with 60lbs limbs maxed out moving my hunting set up at 278fps. Arrows are goldtip hunter xt 340s 28 1/2”. Tip was rage 100grn 2 blade chisel tip. At impact sounded like the thud of a body shot not the crack of bone. Hi impact steep angle. He also had to run off through a lot of blow downs and thick cover if it was a lack of penitration wouldn’t the brush have pulled the arrow out or broken it easier? Just trying to learn all I can from this so it doesn’t happen again. Thoughts on switching to my fixed blades is just to get more penitration.

I would say you are a little light on poundage with a 28" draw and using expandables. You're thought of using a fixed for more penetration is spot on. The fixed blades reccomended a couple posts up are spot on IMO. i am surprised the arrow didnt snap or pull out in the blow downs/thick stuff. High and forward is never a good combo and a steep shooting angle can be tricky as well. Much better chance of a single lung hit with steep angles.

[Ghost Hunter]

Any time you bury an arrow up in shoulders. Muscle for most part seals entrance an exit. What bleeding is done is on inside. Deer blood clot super fast because of make up of their blood. Plus shot being meat an not vitals most likely. I suppose its possible it could be laying out there somewhere. Just tough all way around with bow. Broadhead type I feel has little to do with results or like of with this shot.