The best and worst day of my hunting life. I am Sick!!!

[buckeyehunter]

Well, Friday morning I went to the deer lease and got in my stand at about 6:00am. It was 30 degrees and signs of rut were everywhere. I put out a little doe in estrus and climbed into my 15ft ladder stand. Around 8:30am I decided to do a doe bleat. Out of the left comes the biggest deer I have ever seen. I kept calm and grabbed my bow. He circled around and stopped broadside at 20yards. I pulled back and put the pin on his vitals then pulled the trigger. This monster dropped back and dropped down and I shot him in the shoulder. I found the arrow and it went in about 6 inches with a Rage broadhead. No Blood Anywhere!!! A friend and I looked for over 2 hours for this deer only to find nothing.
I am absolutely sick and all my thoughts are nothing but this deer and what I could have done different. I have beat myself up about this pretty bad. Even my buddy said to go ahead and cry because he knows he would...

I hope the deer lives. I hate to injure an animal but the thought of him dying on someoneelses property and me never finding him is killing me. Hopefully I will get him on my trailcam if he is still running around.

What should I do? Help!!

[buckeyehunter]

This is the best pic I have of him on the trail cam.

[tmurray]

He may live, we had a guy shoot a deer right in the shoulder a couple years ago and not get much penetration like you explained. We ended up killing the deer 3 weeks later out of the same stand. You could see the wound in his shoulder too. Good luck in your search, I'm sure you will be kicking yourself for a while... I know I would be.

[Bustin' Scales]

He's dead somewhere. DONT GIVE UP. Probably bleeding internally with a high entrance. walk circles and you'll find him. 6" is alot of room for damage with a rage! Good Luck

[TX kyleboy]

What a monster. Hope he makes it and gives you another go.

[Mayhem]

sorry to hear this..

[Fishndude]

TTWBG...but it doesn't mean you have to like it. I'd cry for sure!

good luck in the future.

[nck]

sorry to hear that, I hope he lives to give you another shot.

[Boomerang]

If he is dying, look under vines and thick stuff. They will bury up if hurt or laying down...hard to make a call, but worth looking.

[Rockpit TX]

I shoulder shot one a few years back, he showed up later and was taken in Gun season by someone else. I learned to pull back from the shoulder bout 6" towards the ribs. Seems to let the Air Outta em Better. Hope you find it.

P.S.- Dump the Mech. BH's.

[buckeyehunter]

I am going back out next weekend. Hopefully I either see buzzards or he comes back in.

[Bily Lovec]

look near water, Ive found lost, wounded animals near creeks, in creeks, under low trees near water.

good luck to you.

[buckeyehunter]

TTWBG.... what does this mean?

[PondPopper]

Call in a tracking dog. They will amaze you.

[bsills]

I am going back out next weekend. Hopefully I either see buzzards or he comes back in.

If he's down it wont take the buzzard a week to find him, maybe a day. Did you call a tracking dog?