[pierce652]

Went out 5am for my first hunt. Ive been shooting for over a year and was pumped. In the ground blind by 5:30. Saw 3 deer, a doe that never got into the clearing thanks to the squirrels, another doe way out of range and then a spike at 40 yards. Had a clear broadside shot and took it. Lined up and took the shot. Upon release the deer jumped forward and then sprinted forward as I heard the arrow bang off a fallen tree behind. My buddy thought I missed, I couldnt figure how. Found the arrow, it passed right through, not a drop of blood, only fatty tissue. The spike ran, not too alarmed, off into the woods.

I think I hit him in the butt and despite searching for over an hour we couldnt even find a drop of blood.

I would never have taken the shot if I thought I would have missed. I didnt think he'd jump like that. I believe in one shot one kill.

I feel like crap.

Nonetheless I will be out again...maybe tonight.

 

[bowhunterdave]

shot him in the guts..its out there dead.

 

[waterfordarcher]

whatd the arrow smell like?

 

[King]

Is this your first hunt ever or just for the season? I'm not asking to be smart.

 

[oldmanperry]

All fat, no blood, you probably hit real low in the brisket. I'd bet he makes it to see another day. I Had a nearly identical experience the first time I shot at a deer. Don't let it get you down, there's only one way to gain experience shooting at a live deer. Look on the bright side, a lot of guys go several years with out even seeing a deer. Get back out there and now you know more than you did before. It's the only way to learn.
:darkbeer:
Matt

 

[ttteg]

Sounds like he jumped the string. I was always taught when the deer comes in to watch them and see how they are acting. If they come in on alert I personally never shoot and most people will aim low because of the deer jumping the string. If the deer comes in relaxed and unsuspecting at 40 yards I personally would then take the shot. The thing is you have to remember that it is hunting and the emotions are all part of it and that is what makes it great.

 

[18javelin]

shot him in the guts..its out there dead.

Ditto right in front of the hind quarters.


If it was Brisquit it would have Light pink frothy blood.

Deer is dead somewhere by tomorrow morn.

 

[bowhunterdave]

Ditto right in front of the hind quarters.


If it was Brisquit it would have Light pink frothy blood.

Deer is dead somewhere by tomorrow morn.

Exactly.... Been there... I wouldnt go hunting again till I found this one. Took day and a half to find my last doe I shot...but it was recovered.

 

[MNHOYT]

Yup deer is dead!

 

[pierce652]

Thanks guys...

THe first thing I did was smell the arrow. Smelled like nothing. A few black hairs and fat. The guy I was hunting with, who has hunted since a kid, while concerned said that more likely than not it wasnt a fatal shot. He definately jumped the string. Next time I will aim a bit lower at that yardage.

The deer was alert, he busted us about 15 minutes before and started blowing and stomping. I will keep the disposition of the deer in mind next time. Perhaps I should have either let it pass or taken the two seconds more to think it through.

It was my first hunt ever. And the guy I went with couldnt believe the activity, especially with the moon phase. This is 50 acres that has never been hunted before, at least legally. He's begging me to have the land owner sign his slip.

I just think that in todays day honor is first. I feel priviliged to be able to hunt where I have permission and want to be respectful. If there was a doubt I wouldnt have taken the shot. I believe I will see him again, and next time he will be mine. I just dont want some screaming liberal to be looking out their window to see a wounded deer run by.

 

[bowhunterdave]

how long did you look for it?

 

[oldmanperry]

THe first thing I did was smell the arrow. Smelled like nothing. A few black hairs and fat.

No smell, no muddy gritty gut stuff, probably not a gut shot. Fatty tissue and Dark hair, I'm sticking with non lethal shallow brisket shot. I would agree with your friend. That said, if it we're me, I'd want to to really look the area over for my own peace of mind.
:darkbeer:
Matt

 

[IL-Gutpile]

THe first thing I did was smell the arrow. Smelled like nothing. A few black hairs and fat.

No smell, no muddy gritty gut stuff, probably not a gut shot. Fatty tissue and Dark hair, I'm sticking with non lethal shallow brisket shot. I would agree with your friend. That said, if it we're me, I'd want to to really look the area over for my own peace of mind.
:darkbeer:
Matt

Hmmm...at first I was more in agreement with gut shot....but with the 2 deer that I've gut shot there was a small amount of blood and then....I would describe more as mucous slime than "FAT".
I wish we had more information. Did the shooter see the arrow at all? I can see not seeing the arrow at all if it were a 10 yard shot, but a 40 yard shot? Normally you see the trajectory of the arrow. I'm thinking first time hunter....
NO OFFENSE....first of all. I don't want you to think I'm assuming you screwed up. But a very common thing when people first start hunting is that you are so anxious to see the shot that as soon as you release you drop your arm so that you can see the shot. This lack of follow through on the shot often results in low shots. I didn't agree with the brisket shot at first because usually on a brisket shot you will also clip the flank muscle and that usually bleeds like a stuck pig for a 100 yards or so and then dries up....but black hair and fat....I'm thinking you just grazed him in the brisket.
I don't think the evidence is consistent with gut shot and dead deer.
Every gut shot arrow I've smelled had at least some FUNK to it.
Either way, you owe it to yourself and to the animal to get out there and comb the area and make every effort to find the deer.

 

[BOHO]

on a gut shot, always slip out and come back about 8 hours later. make sure to be quiet even when looking for blood. never want to bump a down deer. usually a gut shot deer wont run that far and lay down. if you dont push it you'll find him there dead but it will take some time. if ya'll have walked all over the woods you prolly bumped him and he might have gone a mile before laying back down. I'd just start searching in the direction he ran off. check around water sources and thickets. sometimes I'll also make a big loops downwind of the area. you might get lucky and smell him.

 

[18javelin]

THe first thing I did was smell the arrow. Smelled like nothing. A few black hairs and fat.

No smell, no muddy gritty gut stuff, probably not a gut shot. Fatty tissue and Dark hair, I'm sticking with non lethal shallow brisket shot. I would agree with your friend. That said, if it we're me, I'd want to to really look the area over for my own peace of mind.
:darkbeer:
Matt

I shot a doe walking last year that i couldnt stop at 30 yards and that where i shot here and guess what NO SMELL. right in front of the Hind Hocks. Guts are closer to the Stomach but back in the back is where most Fat is stored. heck it could have been the Bris. But i think it would have have watery pink blood up front.

heck i have Bow Hunted for 21 years and this Crap still happens every now and then. i shot 3 deer before her last year and all were PERFECT shots. Dont let it get ya Down its a Learning Circle Learn from it.

 

[Extreme vft17]

brisket

i have to agree with some of the others on a brisket shot.

 

[Cornraker]

yea right if it was gut then you would see brownish green crap on the arrow or something. fat on the arrow means a brisket shot most likely

 

[Charman03]

I'd get back out and do a grid search. 40 yds is a long shot for your first shot on a live animal, especially since it was alert. I know many veteran hunters who will not take a shot that far. Goodluck in finding that deer.

 

[383bull]

Just my two cents, I once hit a whitetail perfectly for a slight quartering away shot, I found the arrow and it was all white covered with what looked like fat, I was discouraged, waited 8 hours came back and couldn't find a thing, woke up the next morning and went up in my fathers powered parachute and sure enough I spotted the buck right away, after an autopsy I found that I hit the deer right behind his left shoulder and passed through out the brisket in front of his right shoulder, the deer went about 80 yards total, but at night with no blood it was tough, so from then on I don't judge the hit on what the arrow looks like, I'm sure my arrow was blood covered until it went through the brisket and the fatty tissue wiped it clean, not saying thats what happened to you because you said you deer was broadside but just something else to think about maybe next time. Good luck the rest of the year.

 

[CAPTJJ]

As a new bowhunter, I think you might be better off waiting till you get a deer inside of 30 yards, 20 would be even better; a lot can happen after the shot if they are further away. One shot one kill is much easier on a close animal. I like to set up on tight funnels and I usually get pretty close shots. Take this opportunity to use this as a learning experience, good luck.