From high to very low, just like that...

[VA Elite]

I took a broadside shot at about 16 yards on a doe. shot looked good, look to be behind the shoulder. at the shot she did duck but still looked solid. clean pass thru. she ran in a loop, out of sight but I heard her stop and then fall. I waited about 15 mins, packed up and came down the tree. put everything together and then walked over to my arrow. arrow was smothered in blood and there was blood on the ground. I looked out and thought I saw her down, so I eased over there about 40 yards it wasn't her. At that moment I heard a deer going away from me. so I walked back to my tree and waited for help. help came and we picked up the trail. bright blood with small bubbles. Not a lot of it but enough to keep my spirits up. we went very slowly, tracked for about 50 yards and blood just stopped. I did notice blood up high on the saplings. when the blood stopped we stopped. I didn't want to push her anymore, if in fact the deer that ran away was her. the arrow looked better than most of the arrows I have ever shot after a pass thru. all in all, we probably went about 80 yards from where she was shot. I will get out there at day break with better light, but honestly I just don't feel real good about it.. there were no guts or gut smell, but it doesn't appear to bea double lung hit either.


  http://s782.photobucket.com/user/Vabowman/media/arrow.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[woodchucker]

Bright Red Blood, with bubbles... Is a lung shot, as you well know. However... I deciding factor, is how high she was hit??? If the entrance & exit wounds are up high, the body cavity must fill with blood before it can leak out. (unless she's being pushed) Which I would assume, would explain the sparse blood trail. My guess is, she's close to where you bumped her. (probly within 100 yrds)

GOOD LUCK!!!!! Keep us posted...

[VA Elite]

it certainly looked like lung blood, I have seen many of them. But like I said, my usual double lung hits equals a dead deer pretty quickly. Im not one of those guys that swears a double lung hit yet has no deer to show for it. I realized that it was NOT a square double lung hit. I believe she is hit high. Blood was spattered at the impact spot. she ran out into the swamp with water for about 25 yards or so and then back on dry land. I did not pick up the blood until we got back on dry land of course. So from where I shot to where I picked up the trail was about 50 yards. I so confident in the shot that I really thought I saw her white belly about 45 yards from the impact. Of course it wasn't. My heart sank when I heard that deer run away from. I do believe it was her. it's really thick in there, so I will have my work cut out for me.

[Doc Nock]

Good luck, Bro!!!

I once helped a friend track a sika in Blackwater Refuge on MD's Eastern Shore...we tracked by tiny drops of blood on floating pine needle here and there...

We found it...still alive but very not good...

Walked a mile back to rig to get bow but best part was as we turned to go back (I was doing the bent over trailing & he was to mark each blood found, I look and there is NO flagging back out of the swamp!

   :eek:  I had to track us back OUT of the mess to the flooded old logging road!  IT WAS flagged perfectly on the way OUT... he wanted his deer.

Turned out it was just ONE lung... died shortly after we started back out... I thought I heard it but we didn't want to risk going back after without a weapon to finish it.  It was dead when w e got back.

flag your trail in and OUT!  

I hope you return tomorrow with a big GRIN on your Chin and story to tell!

[Jake Scott]

Stay on her, you have my best wishes.  I've been right where you're at.

Jake

[A.S.]

I'm pulling for you Landon!  I hope you find her in the morning.

[VA Elite]

unfortunately I have been here before. I am very shocked that I did not find her fairly close. But like I said, obviously the shot was not as good as I thought or appeared to be. I just finished talking to my brother who was helping me. He confirmed that what he saw was bright red blood with air bubbles.there were about 4-5 spots the size of two hands with thick bright red blood. and then it would go to being about a 1/4 of that then to just small spatters. then some solid drops, then nothing. he says we tracked her for about 70-80 yards.

[kennym]

Hope it goes well in the morning for you. I shot one tonite, great double lung, and she didn't bleed a drop til she fell. Hoping your deer isn't far ,bro!

[SAM E. STEPHENS]

Hope you get her , best of luck...

,,,Sam,,,

[South MS Bowhunter]

Stick with it, persistent will pay off!

I got my fingers crossed for you!

Good luck in the morning, and I'll be checking back in to hear the outcome.

Bisch

[30coupe]

They can go a ways on one lung, but eventually they still bleed to death. Good luck in the morning. I know it will be a long night, but hopefully things will work out for you.

[goingoldskool]

I will be waiting for the outcome,  brother.

Good luck!

God bless,

Rodd

[Ouchigan72]

Sounds like a lung hit....Good luck locating it.

[paradocs]

Hope you find her.  Anyone at the club using a recovery dog?
.

[VA Elite]

no dog that I know of. I'm waiting for light now. been praying all night and all morning that the Lord will lead me to her. if it is his will this will turn out well, if not, then he is still good and blessed me with a shot. the lesson either way, even if you know it's a good hit let it be for at 30 mins. I was so sure of the hit I truly believed I was going to find her with out even having to follow a blood trail. over confident for sure.

[Marc B.]

Good Luck! I hope you find her fast.

[KAZ]

Good Providence! You may have got one lung & liver, etc.. Either way, be persistent as it is highly likely that she has expired. Probably within 200 yards. Search every nook & cranny as though you "know" she's there somewhere just have to find the where.... Again, Good Providence!

[Nantahala Nut]

Good luck! I know your probably kicking yourself but keep your chin up and keep after it.  I lost one when I was younger because I pushed it too soon after seeing a lot of lung blood.

I'm sure that deer is down.  Try grid searching if it comes to it.  Use flagging ribbon to mark the lines you walk. I had my grandpas knife from ww2 slide out of its sheath while scouting this year.  Thought I would never find it but I flagged my lines of travel and grid searched and I found it.

[VA Elite]

Im back. I did not find her. I found no more blood. not a trace. I looked for 2.5 hours..on my knees, combing and circling. I have to teach Sunday school this morning so I had retreat and come home. So this is what I take from the whole experience:
1. I believe I hit one lung high.
2. I believe she is dead, but finding her in that thick cutover is job for more than one person.
3.I thank the Lord and Savior for the opportunity of the shot.
4.Although once again the Lord tells me no, not now, and I disagree with HIS will, it is HIS will that I follow.
5. My two boys, 8 and 10 were so excited that daddy shot one, they know how hard I have worked. I am truly sorry I let those little boys down. Daddy did not get it done.
6. My bow and arrow set up was flawless, it's all on me.
7. It may sound silly, but I do feel like I let some of you guys down as well. The many folks that helped me get to this point.
8. My drive and determination is not gone, ego maybe hurt, but I have been bowhunting for many years, this is not the first deer I have lost, I will keep moving forward, God knows when it's my turn, I must be patient.
9. Mike Mitten once said, " nothing goes to waste in nature" I hold this close to me at this very moment, it is the only thing that allows me to move through this journey.