Got my EAB Doe...strange tracking

[dlist777]

Out in Zone 8 yesterday afternoon.  Around 2pm this doe comes behind me.  She presents a bunch of times but I'm waiting for a perfect shot.  I also keep checking to make sure no fawns are around.  I confirm she's alone.  She finally presents complete broadside at 20 yards.  I shoot her right around 3pm.  This is my 4th season and my 3rd doe (got skunked the first year, one a year since)....so I'm still pretty new at tracking etc.  

 

I'm pretty sure it's a good hit.  I can tell by the sound it hit her solid.  She runs in a zig zag pattern for like 15 seconds, goes into the thick stuff and I don't hear her anymore.  I don't hear a crash either...just nothing.  

 

To be safe, I wait a full hour and get down around 4pm.  I find my arrow right away.  Solid blood...appears pink to me.  But I can NOT find any blood trail whatsoever.  I follow where I think she went (but it's hard to tell once you get down from the tree) and I can't find anything.  Nothing at all.  Its so weird.  It's thick where I hunt and I'm pretty sure she's close.  I'm thinking:  "Man, you did everything right but if you don't find this deer soon it's going to be a waste in this heat!"  I was starting to get depressed.  

 

Anyway, I finally just resort to a grid search and find her not 30 yards away.  But not a drop of blood on any leaf until I see her body.  When I field dress her, I see that I got both lungs and her chest is absolutely full with blood, but very little made its way out.  Odd (at least bsaesd on my limited experience).  Maybe she collapsed so quick it didn't have time to come out?  There was a decent (though not huge) exit hole.  Anyway, glad I found her and now I can try for that buck.  

 

BTW, took her to Tom the Butcher.  There were 6-7 deer already (on a weekday) there and he said he had well over 100 so far.  

 

 

[JHbowhunter]

if she was only 30 yards away, you should have heard the tell tale "Crash".   Deer rarely open up and bleed much within the first 30 yards or so. I am sure there are a few drops here and there, but she died right around the distance that she probably would have started to gush blood.   You have to stay focused after the shot and mark the direction they go, and of course listen intently after the shot.  Looks like a decent size doe - congrats!

Edited September 16, 2016 by JHbowhunter

[NorthNJHunter]

Great job! Congrats!

[dlist777]

if she was only 30 yards away, you should have heard the tell tale "Crash".   Deer rarely open up and bleed much within the first 30 yards or so. I am sure there are a few drops here and there, but she died right around the distance that she probably would have started to gush blood.   You have to stay focused after the shot and mark the direction they go, and of course listen intently after the shot.  Looks like a decent size doe - congrats!

 

Good info.  I probably wasted too much time trying to pick up a blood trail right by the arrow.  Who knows about the crash.  I probably heard it but was too excited...I still get pretty pumped, even for a doe.  Gotta stay calm and watch them as the run.  

[JHbowhunter]

I do try to get my arrow first, but I generally start tracking by the last spot I saw the animal and mark the trajectory/direction it was heading. Also - you can read blood splatter to tell what direction the deer is heading. A running deer will have droplets of blood splatter "toward" the direction it's heading.. You can easily visualize a splash of any liquid that is moving forward, doing exactly that.   You made a great shot. My preference is to NEVER even  have to blood track.  Had it not been so thick, you would have seen it drop. That's always my goal - drop in sight, no tracking required.  Be proud of making such a lethal shot that put her down very quickly with no suffering.

[Rusty]

Congratulations.  It could be that in your excitement you just never found the actual blood trail.  It happens when the adrenaline is pumping.  Again, congratulations on your deer and making a great shot.

 

Experience is the best teacher.  Each time you go out you will learn something new. 

[rackemup]

Congratulations!! Nice Doe!!!

[rgw]

like rusty said you probably ran ahead too quick and never got on blood trail, rookie mistake. when I am looking for pin drops it may take me a hour to search 20 yds on my hands and knees. first blood location is key, tells the whole story. if your deer didnt bleed you better find new heads. all new people I recomend carrying toilet paper so you can mark each blood location, then when you loose blood you can look back and get a better idea of travel dirrection

[MTH]

From the look of the pics you hit her well. A poor blood trail often results from a dull broad head. While a factory edge may feel sharp to you it may not be sharp enough. Sharpening a broad head to "shaving fine hair sharp" is something I've come to appreciate over the years. The sharper the blade the more blood and less clotting. Full blades cause jagged rips which clott quickly

[not on the rug]

Congratulations.   Nice doe.

 

I agree with everything that Jack said.  Next time you shoot a deer, before you climb down, mentally mark a spot EXACTLY where you last saw her.  Retrieve the arrow and then make your way to that spot.  You can begin trailing there if you don't see any blood before then.  Be sure to remember that exact spot though.  To the right of the big oak tree, next to the yellow bush, she stepped over that forked limb and went to the left of that rock.  Be precise because once you get down, things tend to look differently.  Also, things look differently through a headlamp and flashlight so you need to know exactly where to go to

[BowhunterNJ]

Nice doe!  I've seen the same, very little blood in that first 30-40 yards.  not on the rug said exactly what I was going to say

[smoking gun]

Jack's right they don't shoot out alot of blood where you shot at its usually several feet away always Mark the spot she went the direction they spray alot usually a jugular hit or a heart hit they spray faster good job and congrats

[MackofallTrades]

Congrats!

 

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[hemlock]

Nice doe Congrats!

[DRBetz]

Nice looking deer, congratulations. I am glad you found it.