No blood trail

[Buck154]

7" of arrow broke off so that should be enough to hit the opposite shoulder. You said it took off hard and the arrow was broke off right there which usually means the shoulder blade on the side you shot snapped the arrow {good sign}. Or did he snap it off on a tree? Hopefully the shoulder did it then it is a dead deer. With only one hole going in up high you will not get a ton of blood which makes it harder to track. If you want another set of eyes let me know. I live in Jackson. Good Luck 

[jerseyhunter]

Since your a teacher I would have taken a personal day or sick day. Good luck with the recovery.  If no blood look for over turned leaves. I once hit a doe that jumped the string and spun around, couldn't find my arrow and no blood or hair. I followed the leaves for 70 yds and the only drop of blood was 3' from it with the arrow buried to the fletchings in it's bung hole.

[smoking gun]

call the dog

[JHbowhunter]

_{just reading this now - lots of good advice. My two scents - if the arrow snapped off close to area of impact, that had to be the scissor action of the scapula/shoulder cutting it off.  I can't see many other scenarios where any other part of the deer would cut the arrow that quickly.  The most "common" scenario in my 32 years of bowhunting experience is you pinned opposite shoulder entering just behind the scapula, all it takes is one step to shear off the arrow. I surmise the BH is still in deer so be careful when you gut it!}    

 

_{Ok that's just me being very optimistic, but if that is how it all went down, that buck isn't far and was dead within a minute for sure. Unless - you hit in the more forward part of the shoulder and away from the heart/lungs/arteries.   The scapula is an arrow cutter, and if you place the arrow ahead of scapula it will shear just as well if you hit behind it.  If you were on the forward side of shoulder, that deer will be hurting but may very well live for a while and possibly until next year.   Not a scenario any of us would like to envision as I can't imagine how that must feel.}

 

 

 _{Dark blood? As others have said, that does imply liver.  However - I can't recreate many scenarios if any where a pure BROADSIDE liver shot would A) bust an arrow and B ) not get full penetration.....  Except possibly just this one scenario...... As Jay said, you may have encountered some spinal bone but not close enough to the spinal chord to paralyze him, but enough to impede penetration, and possibly were far enough back to catch some liver. That shot in of itself would never shear off an arrow, but running through heavy brush "could" snap it off further down the trail, which brings me back to my original question of "how close to the point of impact was the main part of the arrow found"?}

 

_{Good luck on the recovery}

Edited January 5, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[Bbadrinath]

I think he said arrow section was 15 yards from shot location.

[JHbowhunter]

I think he said arrow section was 15 yards from shot location.

 

If that is case, and there was no heavy brush encountered then it had to be shoulder/scapula related I would think (or could apply same logic to hind quarter area since he had bad buck fever he may have shot it in the haunches and the leg power snapped it off)   Those arrows don't break off unless met with tremendous leverage, and the only "lever" capable of exerting such force is a leg.  

Edited January 5, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[smoking gun]

a shot into liver that arrow is zipping thru the deer completely a hit into shoulder plate I can see the arrow still being lodged and being busted off as it runs off or the hIGH hit aka NO MAN'S LAND

[JHbowhunter]

a shot into liver that arrow is zipping thru the deer completely a hit into shoulder plate I can see the arrow still being lodged and being busted off as it runs off or the hIGH hit aka NO MAN'S LAND

 

If the buck was quartering away enough to hit liver and draw liver blood and yet lodge into shoulder, that is the most lethal shot of all and one of my favorites because it also gets two lungs virtually guaranteed and possibly heart.  I have actually shot quartering away deer and hit liver, both lungs and top of heart.   I would argue it's IMPOSSIBLE to hit liver and opposite shoulder without getting at least ONE lung and most likely both.      He said deer was broadside so it had to be on or around either leg to shear the arrow within 15 yards.

Edited January 5, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[Haskell_Hunter]

I hope the deer is recovered so we can do some forensics on it and know exactly what kind of shot it was.

[smoking gun]

I decided not to hunt today I had a good season I would have helped dude out

[smoking gun]

If the buck was quartering away enough to hit liver and draw liver blood and yet lodge into shoulder, that is the most lethal shot of all and one of my favorites because it also gets two lungs virtually guaranteed and possibly heart.  I have actually shot quartering away deer and hit liver, both lungs and top of heart.   I would argue it's IMPOSSIBLE to hit liver and opposite shoulder without getting at least ONE lung and most likely both.      He said deer was broadside so it had to be on or around either leg to shear the arrow within 15 yards.

I hit them with 18 wheeler drop them gut skin and process in one shot

[JHbowhunter]

I decided not to hunt today I had a good season I would have helped dude out

 

I hope he tries to contact you  before school gets out so you can meet him...

[smoking gun]

he said he got someone to help once I get out of shower I'll be wearing chuck Taylor's and jeans and off to get tying material I won't be in woods today

[hiking]

Plenty of great advice here and guys that are offering to help track, but the simple answer is to call Darren and get the dog on this trail, if he is dead he will find it

[kevinh9189]

_{just reading this now - lots of good advice. My two scents - if the arrow snapped off close to area of impact, that had to be the scissor action of the scapula/shoulder cutting it off. I can't see many other scenarios where any other part of the deer would cut the arrow that quickly. The most "common" scenario in my 32 years of bowhunting experience is you pinned opposite shoulder entering just behind the scapula, all it takes is one step to shear off the arrow. I surmise the BH is still in deer so be careful when you gut it!}

 

_{Ok that's just me being very optimistic, but if that is how it all went down, that buck isn't far and was dead within a minute for sure. Unless - you hit in the more forward part of the shoulder and away from the heart/lungs/arteries. The scapula is an arrow cutter, and if you place the arrow ahead of scapula it will shear just as well if you hit behind it. If you were on the forward side of shoulder, that deer will be hurting but may very well live for a while and possibly until next year. Not a scenario any of us would like to envision as I can't imagine how that must feel.}

 

 

_{Dark blood? As others have said, that does imply liver. However - I can't recreate many scenarios if any where a pure liver shot would A) bust an arrow and B ) not get full penetration..... Except possibly just this one scenario...... As Jay said, you may have encountered some spinal bone but not close enough to the spinal chord to paralyze him, but enough to impede penetration, and possibly were far enough back to catch some liver. That shot in of itself would never shear off an arrow, but running through heavy brush "could" snap it off further down the trail, which brings me back to my original question of "how close to the point of impact was the main part of the arrow found"?}

 

_{Good luck on the recovery}

Yes it was 15 yards from the location of impact

 

 

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