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HELP!! Can't Find Em?

Justhunt87

Justhunt87

PMA Member
Well guys Friday night i smoked a monster at 50yds. Dont know where i hit him at? Shot He ran like hell tail down and ran right through a fence. I went over to the fence and found my arrow and it was soaked in blood! So i waited about an hour or so for a buddy to get there so we could track him. We followed blood for 400yds! Solid bleeding the whole time! We found about 10 pools of blood that were prolly about 12" wide. He ran over several trees with blood all over the trees. We came up to a fence and it just stopped bleeding. The blood was pretty watery and bright red what would that indicate. I've spent hours looking for him and nothing? Any suggestions??
 
Wow 50 yds is outside my comfort zone. Its hard to see where the arrow hit at that range too. If this was friday I'd say the yotes have him eaten by now if he didnt make it. I'd say check by all the water sources.
 
Did the deer "hump" his back after the shot?

Was there any hair on the arrow or hair at the spot of the hit? What did it look like?

Did the deer cross the fence where you lost blood?

Was there any stomach material in the blood? Brown or green color? Smell?

What did the arrow sound like when it hit?

How much penetration did you get on the arrow?
 
A couple of years ago my dad shot a nice 8. It looked like a pretty good shot but maybe a tad low. We followed a blood trail that looked like a running blood faucet for a few hundred yards and just dried up. Come to find out, my buddy has sheds from the last two years from the buck a mile away!
 
Lots of questions that need to get answered here. See Ghosts post.

Unfortantley the scenario is history. IMO it sounds like a liver shot and you should have maybe waited until morning to go look for him. Kind of sounds like you were pushing him and kept bumping him. This is strictly my opinion and an educated guess based on what you said. I was not there so I don't know for sure. You may have to travel several hundred yards from where you backed out. Check water sources and for crows. Good luck and let us know what you find out.
 
No he didnt hump after the shot. Brown hair on the arrow. Lost blood right in front of the fence. Solid blood on the arrow smelled like blood. He carryed the arrow for 50yds then dropped it.
 
You don't know where you hit him and you followed up trailing 400 yards in only one hour....doesn't sound to good to me. If I had to guess based on your limited explanation. Sounds like and Arse shot(minus the watery description)...but do answer the questions and help will be provided!

Good luck!
 
I hit one a bit low two years ago and knew it so I backed out and waited nearly 6 hours before the track. Blood was as you described everywhere, got a little watery at the end of the blood trail (I think this may be due to it drying up but not sure). Anyhow, as I approach a thicket I can see my deer, alive watching me. I backed out and the next morning found him about 100yds. from the last sighting, I felt terrible but was able to recover him. Keep looking, get some buddies to help grid it out, did you ever find a spot where he bedded down???? It sounds as if you bumped him a few times with the pools of blood, good luck!
 
If you could not find blood on the other side of the fence, I would start looking up and down the fence line. It sounds like he may have been to weak to jump the fence. My guess is if you follow the fence line you will pick up the trail again, or stumble upon him.
 
Does it look like he bedded down next to the fence? If you gut shot him, part of the stomach or intestines could have plugged up the hole and that's why you're not seeing more blood. Also, check to see if it looks like someone could have drug the deer out of there.
We had an issue one shotgun season with someone trying to take a buck we had been trailing for the better part of the day. Since the deer ran onto their land, they thought it was theirs to claim. However, once we mentioned calling DNR to sort things out, they were more than willing to let us have our deer back.
Best thing to do is check water sources, and every deadfall and ravine within a 1/2 mile of where the blood stopped.
 
If you bumped him a couple of times, he may have doubled back. And could be back past closer to where you shot him. If you have not looked anywhere before the blood ended, you might give it a shot.
 
50 yard shot? Is this normal with the new bows and new technology? If you're comfortable out that far more power to ya, don't mean to hijack the thread, I really hope you find him, but how many of you guys really shoot that far? I'm thinking 35 yards would be my absolute max (and that's considering EVERYTHING is right) but 30 is probably a better max for me on the jumpiest game animal in North America.
 
I don't care what anyone says, or how good a shot someone thinks they are- 50 yards is too far. The arrow is in the air a long time, and a deer can easily move. Judging the exact range at that distance is also an issue. Too many variables make for an unethical shot. We owe it to the deer and our sport to be responsible.

I don't mean to be too critical, but enough can happen inside of 25 yards, let alone 50, which is why its best not to take questionable shots. Better to wait and take a certain shot than to be sick because you got a bad hit or can't find it.

Its hard to say what happened, but at this point, best thing to do is go out early in the morning and sit in the area you last saw him and listen for a flock of bickering crows. That ought to lead you to the carcass, if indeed he's down.
 
Its all in the person. If you are comfortable with the shot then you are comfortable with the shot. I know guys that can shoot 50 yards. They probably wouldn't try it all that much, but if the situation was right, they might. You can't say it was unethical when you don't know all the factors involved.
 
I wouldn't diss a guy for taking a 50 yard shot unless I knew all the circumstances. I have shot a deer at 50 yards but I only would take that shot on a deer that is relaxed and not looking at me, and there is little to no wind. Today's bows are capable of those shots, but most bowhunters aren't. Takes a lot of practice to do it and I haven't taken a shot like that for quite a few years but if the situation came up tomorrow I would consider it if the situation was right for it.

I know guys who routinely take 50+ shots on elk, mule deer and antelope, but it is rare to find yourself in a situation for a shot like that on a whitetail. I don't have that kind of confidence in my ability. Everything would have to be right.

I don't like to see people making a judgement without knowing all the facts. I hope you find your deer and learn something from this whether you find it or not.
 
50 yards isnt nothing if the right situation presents itself. The only doe I have lost this year was on a shot that was under 50 yards.
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Hope you find your buck, dont give up on him. The shot wasnt the mistake, it was tracking him a hour after the shot when you didnt know where you hit him. Always let deer like that go overnight. I have never had good success recovering deer once I have started to push them. At this point your best bet is to just start doing a body search. Good luck man!
 
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