Need advice about shot today!

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admiral04
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Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby admiral04 » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:23 pm

Shot at a buck at about 4 o'clock today that I was able to sneak up on. He was 28 yds and i was on my knees waiting for him to stand up. When he did i drew back and waited for a broadside shot which he did offer and i let it fly. I lost sight of my arrow as it got to him and i heard a loud "smack" like it hit stick or bone. Not the usual hollow sound of a perfect shot. behind the deer was a gradual bank and alot of branches. After i shot he dropped over a bank not in a huge hurry and i do not remember his tail being up and i lost sight of him. Went to where i shot him and found no blood or my arrow. A friend and i searched for my arrow until dark without finding out however i tracked the deers kicked up leaves for about 125yds with not a drop of blood or a broken or backed out arrow. I really don't know what to think. i feel like if the noise i heard was branches i would have found arrow, not to mention there was a bank behind him to stop it, however, how do you explain not finding any blood especially if the arrow is deep enough to not back out. I didn't go further than 125yds. What do you guys think?could he be bleeding inward? could he have jumped the string and turned enough for my arrow to be buried length-wise? please help as i am clueless.


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virginiashadow
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby virginiashadow » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:28 pm

In my humble opinion, you did not hit him and your arrow deflected off something and is lost out there somewhere.
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby Casper » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:33 pm

Sounds like you missed or hit shoulder. I'd still make a full effort in finding the arrow or buck tomorrow morning. Good luck

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rack addict
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby rack addict » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:37 pm

This may sound stupid but did you look to see if maybe it was stuck in the tree? Normally when you hit a deer there tail is usually down if its a good hit.
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Pullintoobs
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby Pullintoobs » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:46 pm

I would guess a miss if you tracked that far without some sort of indication of a hit. Arrows can end up in laying in spots you would never think they would be on a deflection....
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admiral04
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby admiral04 » Fri Nov 02, 2012 12:54 pm

yes checked the trees and every random spot we could think of with no luck. i have fluorescent green wraps on my arrows that are very bright. his tail was not up when he ran
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xpauliber
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby xpauliber » Fri Nov 02, 2012 3:23 pm

I think a big mistake a lot of people make is that they rush right up to where they think the shot was without mentally picking out a log or tree that the deer was standing by to check for signs of a hit. I used to be guilty of this, but I've gotten better. If you hit the deer, there WILL be hair at the point of impact. I don't care where you hit it.

I have shot several deer with a gun that didn't leave a speck of blood that I could find, but there was a clump of hair at the point of impact. After I followed the tracks, I recovered the deer a short while later and found the body cavity completely filled up with blood.

With that being said, I would go back tomorrow in daylight and start at the exact spot the buck was standing when you shot (if you can find it) and look for hair that would indicate a hit. The arrow is the next biggest piece of the puzzle because it will tell you where you hit, if at all.

Good luck!

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James
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby James » Fri Nov 02, 2012 3:29 pm

Sounds to me like that arrow is stuck up in a tree, however you should really get back in there and verify this.

Thinking through deer I have shot it seems that almost 50% of them carried the arrow from a few yards to 20+ yards
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby phade » Sat Nov 03, 2012 12:09 am

I once shot a deer through the lungs and the arrow ended up 10 feet off the ground in an oak.

I still can't tell you how it did that as we found no spot where it impacted the ground or log, but there it was, not even stuck in the tree, just wedged up on some branches mixed in between the trunks. I was 15 ft. off the ground, so that arrow when down and back up in about 30 yards. My only guess is that somehow the arrow hit something upon exit or the deer kicked (which it did) at the right moment to toss the arrow.

Was it light when you were tracking the disturbed leaves?
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby NatureBoy » Sat Nov 03, 2012 1:29 am

Man, that's a sinking feeling. I wish you the best on detecting what happened.
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admiral04
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Re: Need advice about shot today!

Unread postby admiral04 » Sat Nov 03, 2012 1:39 am

Yes it was light when tracking the leaves. Im clueless. I feel like if i would have messed my shot up bad enough at 28 yds to completely miss i would have know as soon as i shot. Plus i heard the loud smack so i feel if i missed and hit branches my arow would be in that area considering it was somewhat thick plus with a bank going upward behind where the deer was. Hiwever if my arrow hit, it was still in him after 125yds and u would think he would be bleeding. Another thing that gets me is i dot recall his tail being up. Its all contradictory but reguardless ill be searching after work. Hopefully it was a freak thing and he is bleeding inward

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