Ohio Game Fishing banner

confused & frusterated

3.1K views 29 replies 15 participants last post by  Bluewalleye  
#1 ·
So after a lomg season of not seeing deer I finally got a shot tonight. Doe broadside at 15 yards. Because. Of the high angle I wasshooting from out of my stand and she was at the bottom of a small hill maybe 25 feet of total elevvation I chose to hit her slightly high, so the arrow would exit low on the other side and going through heart or lungs in between. Made my shot. She dropped like a stone in her tracks rolled around for a minute got up and slowly wandered off. I got out of my stand found large amounts of bright red blood at the impact point and thought I am golden. Let her lay for an hour and began to trail her. Followed the best blood trail I have ever seen for 75yds and it just stopped. Followed a speck here a dot there for another 3 hours until the flashlights started dying without locating her. Gonna go out in the morning and see if I can get lucky but I don't know what went wrong. Anybody got any ideas.
 
#5 ·
Went out this morning. No luck gonna go try again this evening. Didn't find my arrow. The blood trail was nice and bright red, not a lot of foam that I could see. Anybody got a dog that wants to join the party tonight? Wondering if I caught liver. Who knows gonna keep at it though
 
#8 ·
Did not find the arrow. Both front legs were working fine. If anything I may have been too far back its the amount of blood that is confusing me. Of all the deer I have tracked ( not a lot but probably 15-20)I have never seen a blood trail this gnarly. It looked like there was a bright red stripe painted on the forest floor. Trying to post pics but can't seem to from my phone. All I know is I am pretty sick bout the whole thing.
 
#9 ·
The initial blood trail from a shoulder shot can be just like you describe, it may look like someone emptied a bucket of red paint. But it’s just muscle blood and short lived, usually less than 200 yards. Dropping at impact but getting back up is what makes my think shoulder shot, but I wasn’t there to see the shot. Perhaps it went through the backstrap, but close enough to shock the spinal cord for a few seconds. Lots of possibilities I suppose.
 
#10 ·
If someone will give me an email address I will email blood trail pics to post
 
#11 ·
Just keep on searching,you seem like the ethical hunter. Now find your deer,make sure you check in and around all weed edges and briar patches. Maybe you can get someone to lend a hand...Bit to far for me you being in the Dayton area..At least that 's what it says by the name.
 
#12 ·
Go to the last place you saw blood. Stand and look around 360 degrees at ground level. Find the path of least resistance (usually down hill) and slowly walk this path looking around for white. You will eventually find her. If you had good blood at one point, the deer will most likely have laid down and either died or healed up a superficial wound. No digested matter in any of the blood? If it was bright red and plentiful, you hit something good. A liver hit would have given you VERY dark red blood.
 
#17 ·
any blood on leaves or branches above the ground? Was the blood to the side of the trail or in the middle? A deflected arrow hitting the brisket will leave a lot of initial blood in the center of the trail then peter out completely. Anything on the side of the body will also be to one side or the other and on brush leaves.
 
#18 ·
lots of blood on trees and branches above ground level initially. Opposite side of the impact
 
#23 ·
Went out tonight and worked for another 4 hours. Found the business half or my arrow broken off 10 yds from where I shot her. Worked on hands and knees for another 300 yds one drop at a time until we ran out of blood and light and hadn't found a spot for 75 yds. Been 24 hours and have put over 20 man hours into the search.....
 
#25 ·
Went out tonight and worked for another 4 hours. Found the business half or my arrow broken off 10 yds from where I shot her. Worked on hands and knees for another 300 yds one drop at a time until we ran out of blood and light and hadn't found a spot for 75 yds. Been 24 hours and have put over 20 man hours into the search.....
Most Hunters would not have put as much effort into the search (In My Opinion) as you have - so be proud of yourself and of your ethics.