Shot through the neck--advice

[jojotater]

I just shot a buck through the neck with a woodsman. It was a pass through just in front of the shoulder. I shot too fast, but it's done now.

I saw the buck stop and stand for a long time about a 100 yards from me. He was still there as it grew too dark to see. I retrieved my arrow and eased out of there.

Have any of you shot one in the neck like this? I'm thinking of waiting until morning to look for him, but the last time I did that the coyotes got there first.

[BMOELLER]

Did you see any blood on the ground, on the deer as he ran away?  Kinda souds like a superficial wound unless you caught some artery.  Go back out later tonight if you can and look where he was standing to see how much is on the ground.

[northener]

Your arrow will give you some answers.What did the arrow look like? Any blood, or just fatty tissue.
Bloody arrow, He probably is down right now.

Fatty tissue, He probably needs some time but could be a very hard trail to follow.

[pintail_drake2004]

get the dogs on him. He prolly didnt go far, but the blood will be lacking. Learned early on that when it happens, just get the trackers out and they usually find him quick.

[2 dogs]

what northener said,give him a couple hours he will bleed out.

[ChuckC]

Could be a dead deer.  Give it hours, maybe overnight and you have a chance at finding it right where you last saw it.
ChuckC

[owlbait]

The neck can be a feast or famine shot. Don't automtically assume either. If you hit the windpipe that deer should die. If you hit an artery that deer will die. Muscles and hide and your deer has a sore neck. Give the deer some time and get after it.

[sticshooter]

Owl hit it on the head.<><

[jojotater]

Found where he was standing. There was very little blood. Another 75 yards, found another few drops where he stopped again, then no more. I'm going to look again in the morning, but I think the shot was not fatal. I've seen nose bleeds with more blood.

[2 dogs]

that sux live and learn better luck next shot.

[Jason Jelinek]

I shot further ahead of where I was looking last year.  I saw the deer run off over 150 yards then duck into some trees.  It died 25 yards into the trees and sprayed blood as it got in the trees, very little blood in the field and it only lived about 25 seconds after it was hit.  When standing and running it didn't look like it was hit.

Jason

[Brian Krebs]

I hope you find the deer; but a shot like you described can be less than fatal. Good thing is that with a pass-through; if the deer doesn't die it will most probably survive for its normal life span.
  Good luck with your tracking- let us know what the blood trail looked like- if any.
  I did the same thing this year; and actively followed the deer for about 5 hours; and it was doing just fine when I had to give up.
  You didn't shoot it to just wound it; these things happen......

[Bonebuster]

I agree with owlbait. Feast or famine.

Lack of blood where you saw him standing is an indication of a superficial wound.

Never let anything sway you to stop searching until all possibilities have been exhausted.

Good luck.

[jojotater]

My son went back this morning to look. He found no more blood.

We have tracked many, many deer, but this is the first one I've shot with a recurve. It is the first one that I stuck in the neck with an arrow. I'm sure the deer survived. There was very little blood.

Back in 1980 when I was in college I did a speech on bowhunting. While prepareing the night before, I cut my thumb with a satalite broadhead. It bled a hell of a lot more than what I drew last night.

I must concentrate harder before I let that string loose. It was a bad shot, and I can shoot better than that.

Thank y'all a lot for your input.