Broadhead Not Deployed?

[2B4Him]

On December 31, late in the evening, I arrowed a buck we had determined needed to be eliminated from the gene pool. It was a 20 yard shot and the arrow entered just behind the right leg a little over a third up the body. The arrow did NOT pass through, but appeared to hit the offside shoulder, leaving the remainder of the arrow sticking out the right side. The buck made a long guttural groan and headed off.
I waited only about 15 minutes and got down from my tripod because it was starting to get pretty dark. There was not much of a blood trail and some buddies helped me try tracking as best we could in the dark. It was pretty cool, so I figured I’d try again in the morning when I could see better.
The next morning, I trailed the scant blood about 550 yards and it petered out. I couldn’t find anything further. (Yes, we had a dog purported to be a good tracker try to help find it.) We also never found the arrow (which has 6” reflective wrap on it).
Depressed and disheartened, I fretted about the deer dying and never being found.
This past weekend, game camera pics at another feeder show the buck eating regularly with a nasty wound on him. The pictures show where the arrow hit him, and the rest of the area is either torn up flesh from him trying to get the arrow out, or maybe matted hair, etc. from laying in blood recovering.
The first ‘after shot’ pics we have are from 1/3, and the latest were from 1/6. He seems to be doing well.
In any event, I can’t imagine him surviving if the mechanical broadhead deployed as it should. But it also seems like both lungs would have been hit even if the broadhead didn’t open up as it should and that he would have died anyway. (BTW, I use NAP Spitfire broadheads.)
Any thoughts on this situation?

[texan16]

Man, thats some bad luck. Unless he gets a bad infection it looks as if he should make it.

[bugleboy]

My first thought is the hit was actually on the high side of the wound you see in the pictures. Non lethal, and it's draining downward making the wound appear lower in the chest cavity than it actually is.

[MnM]

Ouch!!!

[2B4Him]

My first thought is the hit was actually on the high side of the wound you see in the pictures. Non lethal, and it's draining downward making the wound appear lower in the chest cavity than it actually is.

The arrow hit where indicated in the first picture.

[stickfigure]

I wonder if the deer rolled away from the shot and the arrow deflected off of the ribs and stayed out of the chest cavity. A picture of the other side of the deer may tell more of the story. I saw a deer several years ago a week after it was shot and it was evident that that was what had happened. There was a hole right where yours was hit and a hole out the top of the back.

[Chance Love]

I wonder if the deer rolled away from the shot and the arrow deflected off of the ribs and stayed out of the chest cavity. A picture of the other side of the deer may tell more of the story. I saw a deer several years ago a week after it was shot and it was evident that that was what had happened. There was a hole right where yours was hit and a hole out the top of the back.

I like this this guy’s theory.



In my opinion, there is no way a Spitfire didn’t open.

[RCDuck]

I wonder if the deer rolled away from the shot and the arrow deflected off of the ribs and stayed out of the chest cavity. A picture of the other side of the deer may tell more of the story. I saw a deer several years ago a week after it was shot and it was evident that that was what had happened. There was a hole right where yours was hit and a hole out the top of the back.

This would be guess based on the pictures... deer rolling away hard or arrow deflecting upwards...or both

[Matador]

This

My first thought is the hit was actually on the high side of the wound you see in the pictures. Non lethal, and it's draining downward making the wound appear lower in the chest cavity than it actually is.

or This

I wonder if the deer rolled away from the shot and the arrow deflected off of the ribs and stayed out of the chest cavity. A picture of the other side of the deer may tell more of the story. I saw a deer several years ago a week after it was shot and it was evident that that was what had happened. There was a hole right where yours was hit and a hole out the top of the back.

In my opinion if you hit that deer where the arrow is and it went straight through he would be dead even if the broadhead didn't open.

[engnman]

Maybe a low briquet shot and hurt himself running after?

[Huntindad]

I'm in the camp of rolled. Had it happen here at the house and once on a buck I was 10' up and he was 27 yards away. the exit wound was higher than the entrance. Was shot a few weeks later by another hunter.

Also don't see how the spit fire didn't deploy. I like those heads.

[2B4Him]

The buck has a good sized lump on the opposite shoulder, as can be seen.
When the arrow entered, it stayed sticking (pretty much) straight out. So, if it deflected, I would guess it would have broken off the first 6 or so inches that went up into the shoulder on the opposite side. There was no exit wound.

[Hammerdown]

After seeing the lump I would imagine the arrow traveled through no mans lands.

[HogHunter34]

To me that middle picture the wound looks higher than the arrow indication of the top picture. You mentioned tripod but depending on elevation and distance shot could have been a little higher than originally thought & if he did roll out like mentioned might not have been a lethal hit. I'm with others on the the spitfire most likely it deployed. That's been a solid head for me over the years.

[adam_p]

Hit is clearly high.