little help picking up the trail

[Chicken Little]

Good activity in last 36 hours...Big 6 walked in 10 yd behind me and finally winded me tonite about 6:10...grunted and rattled to try to get it back to no avail, but the grunting pulled in a spike 3 minutes later to less than 20 yds perfectly broadside, slowly walking, so I shot and thought I hit true...maybe a little back as it was walking, but I saw the lit knock disappear with no pass through, he turned and ran back where he came from.

Barnett Panzer V recurve with 125gr Easton Bolts tipped with Rage broadheads.

 

I sat about 15 minutes and looked for arrow..nothing...no blood either. Sat until after dark and then went to where I saw him disappear under the holly bushes and thick undercover. Found the trail I believe he walked in on and abut 50 yds away I find turds, slight diarrhea and more turds...VERY fresh, so I follow that trail and see droplets of fire engine red blood and then more and then enough to follow almost walking normally. no bubbles, drops directly below trail...no spray, just steady drops and occasional puddles about the size of a paper plate.follow for 75 yds or so and then it stopped...still no arrow or any sign of the lit knock in the dark woods. I circled within 10 yds of last blood, but cannot tell where it goes...mix of hardwoods and low holly bushes.

 

Will go back in AM with my boy...

Liver shot?

Cold enough tonight if I let it be until morning? Low in mid to upper 30's I believe.

 

Any opinion appreciated

[BowhunterNJ]

Bright blood is often muscle, liver would be darker, but it's not uncommon to see bright blood as you have to go through some muscle to get to vitals.

Good idea backing out.  I'd start off where you saw last blood and go from there, you might be able to see a better/likely route of the deer in daylight.

Did you see the deer run off with the arrow in it, or just didn't see the nock where you shot?  Possibly it might have gone under some leaves buried to the nock in the ground?  

Being a recurve might not have enough energy to go through and bury into the ground that deep, but might be worth a look.

 

Where are you located?  Do you need/want more help looking?

 

FWIW, the buck I shot a couple weeks ago didn't show any signs of bubbles in the blood until he got about 100-120 yards...up until then it was just drops of blood.

So hopefully the shot is good, but either way best to back out if you're unsure

[Chicken Little]

Thanks for the offer...my boy is 16 and has helped track several deer, so I think we will be fine.

I am in Z55 CC Woods in Gloucester County.

I am in a ground blind

I did search and am pretty sure it must still be lodged in the deer...I saw it hit and expected pass through like the deer last night in the exact same spot...which passed though and lodged in a tree 10 feet behind last night...245 fps at less than 20 yds, is usually plenty.  I have green lighted knocks and they are really bright, but searched 5 or 10 minutes for arrow before and after dark.

Hopefully morning light will reveal more clues.

[Matty]

Agree with everything BowhunterNJ said.

 

I also have a couple questions:

 

How did the deer react to the shot? High rear leg kick? hunch up? run like it's on fire? Snow plow? Tail tucked? Run hard and slow to a walk?

 

How did the hit sound? Hollow thump? Hard crack like snapping a board?

 

Did you hear any crashing sounds after it ran off?

 

It's definitely cold enough to let it lay and that would be the best course of action at this point. As long as you can easily return to last blood, just wait for morning and get in there right before light. I actually find it easier to follow blood with flashlights most of the time, but since you're not sure of the hit, you have to give it time.

[Chicken Little]

I marked the blood trail with pieces of toilet paper every 10 yds or so...I find it helps tremendously and makes it easier to visualize where it is headed.

He did the classic drop and spin to his left away from me and I heard more of a thud. I saw him run for about 40-50 yds and then he disappeared into to brush and not too much noise.

He was hauling, tail up and a bouncing run...no tail tuck...it was fairly quiet, but I never heard a crash or anything, which made me wonder if I missed all together as I saw him drop, but at 18 yds or so, he did not have much time to drop too far.

[Axiom]

 

follow for 75 yds or so and then it stopped

 

I hate that.,,  ...My experience tells me if you dont find a dead deer within 10 or 20 yards of where the blood trail stops, you'll never find'um..

 

Good luck..

[Chicken Little]

I hate that.,,  ...My experience tells me if you dont find a dead deer within 10 or 20 yards of where the blood trail stops, you'll never find'um..

 

Good luck..

Had that happen a time or two and it is frustrating, especially as I hunt for food and big antlers are nice, but not necessary.

It is like they grab a vine and swing out of the area without a trace

[Matty]

I wasn't there, but I'm thinking a muscle hit in front of the vitals (brisket) or high above the spine (backstraps). 

 

Hopefully not though. Reactions to a hit aren't always the same, and I've tracked enough deer with other people to know that one mans definition of "bright red blood" is not always the same as mine or yours. Muscle blood is usually very bright red...like sports car red and not as "thick"...more watery if you will.

 

So go back in the morning and give it your best shot. Maybe even see if you can get a tracking dog in there before going any further. The less you taint the "scene" the easier time the dog will have.

 

I agree, losing the blood trail is never a good thing, but don't let it deter you. I've helped find a fair number of deer even without a drop of blood. Go off of everything, scuffed leaves, tracks, just a gut feeling, whatever....You have to at least try. 

 

Good luck.

[Chicken Little]

I wasn't there, but I'm thinking a muscle hit in front of the vitals (brisket) or high above the spine (backstraps). 

 

Hopefully not though. Reactions to a hit aren't always the same, and I've tracked enough deer with other people to know that one mans definition of "bright red blood" is not always the same as mine or yours. Muscle blood is usually very bright red...like sports car red and not as "thick"...more watery if you will.

 

So go back in the morning and give it your best shot. Maybe even see if you can get a tracking dog in there before going any further. The less you taint the "scene" the easier time the dog will have.

 

I agree, losing the blood trail is never a good thing, but don't let it deter you. I've helped find a fair number of deer even without a drop of blood. Go off of everything, scuffed leaves, tracks, just a gut feeling, whatever....You have to at least try. 

 

Good luck.

It appeared thick no bubbles at all...you are right,"bright" or "dark" is subjective...looked nice and thick though, not watery at all.

The shot in my mind was center mass behind shoulder, but I could see him dropping and then the arrow "disappeared"...sure wish I had a camera in slow mo to review the shot like theTV guys!

[Chicken Little]

http://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/shot-placement-on-deer

This seems to perfectly describe what I saw for a liver hit...hopefully this holds true

The initial reaction will be similar to that of a lung-shot deer, but the whitetail will likely slow to a walk after running a short distance. This deer may travel a quarter mile before bedding down, although 200 yards is more common.

Your arrow will be soaked with dark red blood. There will be a decent blood trail initially, but it will typically decline in quality as the trail goes on. Blood will be a deep red, and will be found in droplets, rather than spray.

Wait three to five hours before taking up the trail, and don’t give up if the blood gets sparse. This is to be expected with a liver shot, but a deer hit here will not survive.

Hint: It’s paramount not to push a liver-hit deer. It is much easier to find a whitetail in its first bed than its second or third.

 

 

[Rusty]

Hopefully you're right and you find him tomorrow, good luck.  It's plenty cold enough so the deer will be fine.  

[Rdfhunter]

I'll be in 55 in the am if you need help

[Chicken Little]

good to know...best of luck...they are moving out there for about 3 days now finally

[Jerseygsp]

I'm heading to 55 to run my dog if you need help let me know

[Chicken Little]

3 hrs of searching...picked up blood and trailed for 300 to 400 yds...sparce but discernable trail...finally jumped him from a bed. Bed looked like he was there all night but only a tablespoon of blood and an imprint of an arrow tip. He was bounding away tail up...found 1 more drop of blodd and then nothing. He gone