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[Lphunsjr]

Third year hunting and have yet to harvest a buck. A friend of mine set me up in a nice spot in z14, so I did pass on some smaller ones this year. Actually saw some rut action for the first time which was cool to watch. Last year, I shot a nice 8 in the brisket only to live another day. This year, I have been putting in lots of time, trying to get one of the real nice bucks coming in pretty steady. Well today I felt the morning was going to be perfect with the weather conditions and I had the perfect wind. Got in stand around 6:30 but early morning was pretty slow. I only saw 1 doe and a small buck. Around 9:00, lots of action. Had a couple 6 pointers running some does. Both get a pass. Then I see one of the deer I'm after. A mature 7 pointer w a crab claw. Cool dark rack, a real nice buck. He comes in nose to ground heading the other way so I gave him a soft grunt. He looks back for a minute but then carries on. I hit him with another grunt which he couldn't ignore. He's coming right at me and my heart is pounding. I lift the crossbow and get it ready as he is right behind a tree. He steps out and I hit him with the meehhh. I squeeze the trigger which I thought would have been the perfect placement. I hear a LOUD crack. My first thought was that I missed and hit a tree. Then I look and see him running with my bolt sticking out of his shoulder. Zero blood, looked around for over an hour. Looks like another buck got the best of me. I think it's time for another sport as I am more than disappointed.

[Jerseybassnbow]

Get a tracking dog to nose around.

 

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[LPJR]

Make a mental note of the last spot you saw him and look tomorrow. He very well may be dead, especially with the broadhead in him.

 

Keep on him..  

[Bully]

That sucks.  Sorry.  

 

I'm in my third season and took my first just a few weeks ago.  Last week, took a shot at a doe and I would have sworn she was meat in the freezer.  However it was a swing and a miss.  I, in my deer fever, used the wrong pin and put it over her back.  For me, it was a clean miss, which I'm happy about.  

 

Check your scope.  Double-triple check your yardage.  Take a breath.  Get back at it.

 

C

[Lphunsjr]

With zero blood from shot to where we last saw him, my friend feels he is definitely alive. We checked where they usually bed and circled back thru. Couldn't even find the bolt

[SlugsnArrows]

With zero blood from shot to where we last saw him, my friend feels he is definitely alive. We checked where they usually bed and circled back thru. Couldn't even find the bolt

You owe it to this animal to go back tomorrow and track it. A tracking dog is an option. Depending on the crossbow you are using, the bolts and broadhead the kinetic energy you produced for a shoulder shot could hit vitals and put this deer down but it may take time.

 

Listen you are only hunting 3 years and you have deer around you! My first 3 years I almost never saw deer! You need to take shots and miss and hit to learn! Remember each shot and what you did right and wrong and adjust! I have lost a few deer myself no one has a 100% rate of success. That is why it is called hunting!

 

But don't give up on the sport or this deer! Get down on the ground and search for drops of blood and search till your hands and knees are raw! It will make either recovering that animal worth even more to you OR if you can't recover it then you can at least say you did EVERYTHING you could and it will ease your mind!

 

 

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[Haskell_Hunter]

I shot a buck this year, complete pass thru, and it ran 40 yards without leaving a drop of blood.  So no bloody doesn't always mean you didn't hit a vital.  My shot was a heart shot, and it bled out internally.

[Lphunsjr]

Area is not that big and could have only gone the direction he did. While I feel it is a longshot, I do owe it to him to go give anther look in the morning. Not confident, but appreciate the replies. Really bummed but wont give up. Gotta get back in a tree. Unfortunately, it will be after my Florida vacation with the family,,,,,,,,bad week to go away!

[Kype]

depending on broadhead, shot placement and other factors, a lot of times deer will bleed internally and only leave very little blood on the trail. go back and look. start at the last spot you saw him and really take you're time. make sure anyone helping is not walking on the trail the deer may have run.

 

one year i had a leaf stuck on my friends boot that was fasten with blood. it is very important not to walk on the blood trail. walk just inches of the trail left or right and step over the blood trail if you need to cross. the last sign of blood is golden. look for very thick brush and water.

 

for example: I went to back at midnight on  Halloween night. it was the first time I shot a deer. good blood, no blood, good blood, no blood. I got all discouraged only to find him a few feet away from the last blood. it was hard to see because he jumped into very thick brush

[Lphunsjr]

No luck,,,,,,,went back this morning to find this buck. I appreciate the suggestions. Like some have said; another learning experience. Can only make me a better hunter.

[3Blade]

Better luck on the next one! No way to avoid it, happens to everyone eventually. Only thing you can do is keep hunting and keep practicing to limit it! There is plenty of season left to try for another one.

[VFL]

Same thing happened to me yesterday - arrow deflected off a twig and arrow smacked into his shoulder. He was a nice 8 I rattled in from 150-200 yds out. Only got about 2-3 inches of penetration and the broadhead is stuck in him. He ran away on three legs, no blood, 4 hours of searching - no sign at all. Went to creeks, beds, you name it. Unfortunately, it happens. Hopefully he makes it. Hang in there - we're in the same boat.

[Lphunsjr]

Friend just sent me a pic of a nice 7 w a limp. Glad to see the buck I shot made it! Hope I get another crack at him

[JHbowhunter]

Will be a much smarter buck next season. You need some kills under your belt to gain confidence, before you start "holding out" for bigger deer. The one thing I preach is shot placement and understanding angles... This diagram is about the best - always try to INTERSECT the green dot. By "intersect" I mean factor in your height above the deer, and the angle of which is it quartering. Avoid quartering "to" shots at all costs, unless its very very slight angle. Quartering away - much more room for error, and probably one of the more lethal shots. Just look at how much lung area there really is. Remember that the further back you hit the higher up you want to be, based on how the lungs taper up.  Good luck and stay with it.

Edited January 31, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[rgw]

u shooting mechanical broad heads, if so go to fixed blade