give me your thoughts

[LeanMachine]

I shot a doe this evening. The the shot was low but I couldn't tell exact placement due to low light and shooting through a small hole in the brush. She circled around and blew and blew and blew. She would go a little further and blow some more. I waited a while and got down to check the arrow. Front half of arrow was on the ground where I shot her. No blood on broadhead but some blood and hair on shaft. I thought I must have just grazed her. Looked for blood in the direction she ran. No blood but found back half of arrow about 15 yards away. No blood on ground near arrow. I knew she crossed the trail I walked in so I went there to check for blood. There was a large area of blood on the trail and a good blood trail leading the way she ran. We followed a very easy blood trail to the property line. It began to lighten near the property line. We had to go get permission to continue tracking. Across the fence she went into an open field. The trail definitely lightened and was more difficult to follow due to it being just sand and grass. Eventually the trail ran out. We had tracked about 200 yards at this point. We did see a healthy acting deer in the field when we first entered the field after getting permission. No idea if it was the same deer but it was about 75 yards from where we lost the trail.

So what do you think? I'm guessing it was a brisket hit. I was suprised by how much blood was on the trail. My thinking is that if it were a mortal wound she would not have stood around and blown. I also don't think she would leave cover to cross an open field. I also can't see the broadhead not being bloody if it hit vitals.

[WolfKat]

Sounds like a brisket hit to me, too

[elkbowhunter]

How far away was the shot and what broad head

[LeanMachine]

20 yard shot. Homemade broadhead. Same profile as Magnus stinger except single bevel and and the trailing edge is sharpened. The broadhead did its job. I just didn't do mine. Plenty of blood on the ground, just not from the right place.

[Snakelover]

Are you certain that the doe you shot is the same one that blew at you after the shot?. You mentioned you were shooting through a small hole in the brush... and in low light. Could there have been another doe in the brush that circled around and blew at you while the one you shot was busy leaving that bloodtrail? Just a thought. Wouldn't be the first time a hunter has mistaken two animals.

[elkbowhunter]

Sounds like you had a small window for a shot. real hard to say on this end. Sounds like you did your best. Sorry it got away.

[LeanMachine]

I can't 100% there was not another deer present. However she came in with still fair light. I just had to wait a while for a shot. I saw no other deer. It's not that thick there. I just had to shoot through the top of tree that I left for cover. The blood trail followed the exact path that the deer took that was blowing. I hope to see a deer with a scar on camera. Id hate for her to go to waste but I did all I could to confirm it was a non fatal wound.

[Snakelover]

The reason I asked... generally speaking (and I realize there is always an exception to every rule)... a wound that generates a bloodtrail that can be followed for 200 yards is normally a pretty substantial wound, not superficial. Something like a liver hit can bleed a lot, be fatal, yet allow an animal to travel great distances before they die. That said, I hope you're correct about it being a non-fatal wound. Deer are tough. In any case, this stuff happens to all of us at some time or another. You did what you could.

[LeanMachine]

It all happened so fast. But the hit did not appear back at all. Tight to shoulder but low. Quartered away. I wasn't even sure I hit her. I thought I shot under her. I've never inflicted a serious wound to a deer and had them stand around and blow for 5 minutes.

[Brett C]

Are you certain that the doe you shot is the same one that blew at you after the shot?. You mentioned you were shooting through a small hole in the brush... and in low light. Could there have been another doe in the brush that circled around and blew at you while the one you shot was busy leaving that bloodtrail? Just a thought. Wouldn't be the first time a hunter has mistaken two animals.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[175gr7.62]

You might have caught the leg on the opposite side. Leg hits bleed alot. I find it hard to believe you punctured the chest cavity if she sat out there and blew over and over.

[tkuehn5410]

I'd go look again this mornin. She probably fed and crunched up in the field last night.

[LeanMachine]

I would also say an off side leg hit was a good possibility.

[AndyRealtree]

Good luck in the recovery.. Deer are always surprising me by how tough they are. Hope ya find her