Won't be sleeping much tonight (update- did not find deer)

[stykbender]

Feel 4 you as the same happens to us all! If you don't sleep it means your heart is right! Exit hole high leaves minimum blood! There is a void above the lungs and below the spine which is no mans land! Friend shot one similiar and when found, the chest was full wiith NOTHING on the ground. I lost one several years back--shot by a gun later and we found the scars in and out. Deer recovered fine!

[Apex Predator]

Keep in mind the spine drops lower than most folks think.  I lost one a couple of years ago that skipped off the top of the spine, and I believe through the on-side shoulder blade.  There was a loud crack at impact.  After trailing this buck for 700 yards it was apparent that I was above the spine.  and just through the back straps.  If your arrow is good left to right and bellow the spine, you will get both lungs.  There is no "void".  I'm convinced these shots are all over the spine.  You can be 6-7" below the top of the back and still be above the spine on a mature buck.

[Bill Carlsen]

Anatomically Apex is correct....no void...and there is a major artery that runs under the spine. I hit that artery once and the deer was down in two leaps. Give me a multiblade head every time.

I hope you find the deer. Rain keeps me home...I've lost a couple due to over nite rain storms. Now I check weather.com every day and if heavy rain is in the forecast I am home.

[kat]

Good luck Dan.  Hang in there, and you will find him.

[bornagainbowhunter]

Guys, I am going to have to disagree with you, respectfully of course.  

There is a void in the body cavity.  It is not as large as some people will lead you to believe and is near impossible to hit from a tree, but it is there.  My family owned a meat processing house for years.  There have been hundreds of deer come in that have scar tissue from pass through shots from bows and guns that dont touch anything.  

Bill is correct when he talks about the large artery below the spine, it is as big as your thumb.  Right below that artery and above the lungs is nothing.  It is only about 2" average hight, but it is there.  Scar tissue don't lie.

God Bless,
Nathan

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

guys that void area info is a total myth.  Check out the  article in the most current deer and deer hunting issue written by an animal anatomy expert.  Any arrow through the chest high or low is a killing shot  Look at the photos of a dissected  deers chest. I always felt that story was incorrect now an expert shows why.

good luck to you crotch horn , hope you find him

[Chris Surtees]

Best of luck to ya today...as long as the rain was not heavy a little water will not dissipate the scent line even the blood may be gone.

Keep us updated.

C

[KSdan]

Check out the photo- deer hit off the ground.  That arrow centers the spine.  Anything above that is muscle.  No void, just lots of room above the spine- contrary to what most people think.

 

 

[buckeyebowhunter]

LittleBigMan Says it correctly, there is no void betweeen lung and spine, like he said the proof is in Deer and Deer Huntings "VITAL INFOMRATION" it is a very good tutorial cd, I own it and it is well worth the 15 or 20 dollars. But if you hit the chest cavity high you got lung no matter what. Good Luck Man! you will find him!

[KSdan]

Yet another-  This is a 220# field dressed whitetail.  That is a huge deer!  Anyway- I marked out the anatomy with actual measurements.  Notice the top line at 7" down is the spine. Below the spine is 6" then 2-3" for the sternum. That makes the vital area basically 7" x 7".  I can cover that with my hand! (Note: The elbow/shoulder is hanging forward- on a live deer the elbow touches the entry wound. By the way- heart shot!)

   

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I once shot a deer from the ground High but behind the shoulder. I thought "My first bowkill" after the shot.  She jumped after I left the woods I camer back 4 hours later and trailed her.  The blood looked good but dissipated fast after the bed where I jumped her.

I backed out and went back in the morning.  I was able to sneak up on the doe with her fawn who were in someones yard eating. she was licking her shoulder where there was an obvious wound but seemed otherwise fine.  

The shot placement looked good but a little high. There is no doubt in my mind she fully recovered.

I think you will find your deer though. This heavy rain doesnt help, but good luck and keep us posted.

Personally I think you will find your deer.

[KSdan]

Crotch horn- sorry, got caught up in the discussion. Certainly- Good Luck on the track.

Dan in KS

[huskyarcher]

Good luck finding your buck!
 i have to respectfully disagree with there not being a void, lost to many deer hitting "no mans land"

[30coupe]

Entrance wound:

 

Exit wound:

 

I wish I had taken pics of the lungs, but I can tell you the arrow was just about centered up and down on both lungs. It was just about centered front to back on the entrance side and about one rib ahead of that on the exit side.

I doubt there was more than a thimble full of blood between the arrow and where he finally crashed. He leaked out some once he was on his side, but the chest cavity was still pretty full of blood. He was 91 or 92 of my steps (well under a yard, my legs are short) from the spot of the hit. I'd guess it was around 80 yards. Fortunately, he was in an open pasture. I walked to my truck to shed some clothes and get my knife (I was in kind of a rush that morning and forgot it). On the way back, I could see him lying in the pasture.

If this is about where you hit your buck, he is dead!

[crotch horn]

Bad news guys. A couple of hours & nothing. No blood, arrow or deer. Dog never even got a read on him. Tons of rain last night made it worse. We both took swims in the swamp up to are armpits. That water was COLD!!! Not feeling very happy with myself right now. In over thirty years of hunting this is only my second deer that I know I killed and could not find. Both with trad gear. I guess I will hurt and sting for a while but I love it way to much to give up on it. A Big Thank You to all well wishers. Good luck to all and hopefully I will have better news next time.

[30coupe]

Sorry to hear that.   :(  

My guess, then, is you were more forward than you thought and above the spine. If that's the case, you may get another chance at that buck. There's not much there but meat (flesh wound), so his chances of survival are pretty good. See KSDan's pictures. Just above where the arrow is in those shots means no vitals contacted. Keep your chin up! It is part of hunting, no matter what equipment you use.

[Dave Bowers]

Rain makes it tough bro, even with the best dog. An almost exact thing happened to me this year as well.

[House]

Sorry to hear that man.

Not wanting to get caught up in the "void, no void" debate...but if you read my post on page 1, the buck that I eventually recovered had a hole going in and coming out that was below the spine and the broadhead didn't touch the lungs, or the main artery for that matter.  Not saying there is a large void in between the two...can say without a doubt it is possible to thread an arrow in there and come up empty.  Is it a likely thing, I don't know, I hope not, but it happened to me.  I hope that I was just very unlucky and won't soon repeat it!

Good luck to all

Travis

[Hookeye]

Sorry about your luck.

Some hits are other than where thought, without a body there's only a good guess to location (since it can't be verified).

Let the disappointment make you more determined.

I know many folks try to lessen the sting of such events, one I think is by the acceptance of the void myth.

If there is a void then Oprah is anorexic.

[Hookeye]

IMHO there is no debate: there is no void.

Missing the lungs and knicking them, that wound maybe being survivable in some instances...........two different things.