No blood trail

[JHbowhunter]

also read blood splatter - it splatters TOWARD the direction it is running.  i.e. - you see a large droplet, and there are a few tiny specks East of droplet - the deer is running EAST.  Or if a droplet is like a tear drop, I believe the thicker side of the droplet is the direction it was heading.  (liquid hits ground with momentum, which forces liquid to roll in direction of that momentum, thus forcing it to collect more on that side before it's momentum ceases)

Edited January 5, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[Integracingsr]

Good luck.  Hoping you recover it.  Keep us updated.

[TroutandBucks]

Good luck! hope you find the deer 

[kevinh9189]

Still haven't found a single drop of blood after where the arrow broke off

 

 

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[jerseyhunter]

wish I was there. Good luck.

[BowhunterNJ]

Sometimes it takes hands and knees crawling to see the little pin drops of blood.

If you're traveled more than 50-75 yards with zero blood, I would backtrack to the last blood and start looking on hands and knees for the next spot.

Moving in small increments is well worth it and gives you an idea on general direction.

As others have said, put TP in every spot you find blood to have a visual reference as you move along to show the direction the deer is going, turning, etc.

[vdep217]

I would say that broken branch was broken from the opposite direction so if your going the way of the deer is not him

[kevinh9189]

I found him, he was bedded down, couldn't get another shot but I saw the arrow in his front shoulder. He will live. I'm very happy about finding him.

 

The arrow must have broken on a branch. Thank you to all of those who provided advice. I do not know why the blood was so dark but upon examination I found some muscle in the blood that he did leave.

 

I took what I believed to be the best shot possible. He turned at the release and it must have been just enough to save his life. That being said I have been learning to hunt on my own for 3 years. If anyone in the Monmouth/ ocean county area. Especially farmingdale where I hunt want to meet up to talk hunting I'm always trying to learn. Thank you to everyone and I'm glad I didn't give up on the deer.

 

Also you guys were right he was the other direction of the broken branch

 

 

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[JHbowhunter]

Glad you found him but you owe it to that buck to put him out of his misery by any means possible.  While I have seen plenty of examples of this type of hit surviving a year or more, he could also be dead by tomorrow or a week or a month from now. We just can't know for sure. .  Good job sticking with it, but I respectfully suggest your work is not done.  Did he run off?  Is he still bedded?  Is shotgun or muzzleloader open in your zone? If so - ask for someone with a permit to come and try and shoot him in his bed if you can't with the bow.

 

Final question - how can you see arrow in shoulder if it broke and dropped 15 yards from the impact site?  I implore you to not give up - try and get back at it tomorrow.

[Buck154]

I found him, he was bedded down, couldn't get another shot but I saw the arrow in his front shoulder. He will live. I'm very happy about finding him.

The arrow must have broken on a branch.

I'm confused. If you found and walked up on him then he is hurting. You have over 8 inches of arrow missing in the deer. If this would be your first buck then how do you know he will live? You need and owe it to the buck to keep after him to make sure he don't suffer. They are very tough. Edited January 5, 2017 by Buck154

[kevinh9189]

I'm confused. If you found and walked up on him then he is hurting. You have over 8 inches of arrow missing in the deer. If this would be your first buck then how do you know he will live? You need and owe it to the buck to keep after him to make sure he don't suffer. They are very tough.

It looked like several inches of the broken arrow was sticking out. It must not have penetrated to the point that it broke at, he stood up about 50 yards out and took off running. I can't be positive he will live but I am 99% sure it didn't reach the vitals. Obviously I'm upset I hurt the deer but I believe there's a good chance he will survive from what I have read

 

 

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[NorthNJHunter]

Keep hunting him!!

[buckhound]

you need to keep on it if you have an arrow in the shoulder every time that deer moves the broad head is probably cutting and ripping......

[kevinh9189]

Keep hunting him!!

I'm going to, there is good food and water on the property I believe he will stay local. Now that I found his bedding and possibly the route he takes in and out I will use the climber this weekend to position myself accordingly.

 

 

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[kevinh9189]

you need to keep on it if you have an arrow in the shoulder every time that deer moves the broad head is probably cutting and ripping......

He took off and I felt stalking him would push him across the street on to private property where the owner is not too friendly.... he wouldn't let me track I am sure of it... he has not let another guy who hunts the property retrieve his deer even though he could see it from the street

 

 

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