Good blood, then nothing

[Jordan Selsor]

Rages have horrible penetration...I shoot them , just cause they fly well and give me the hollow point factor . I had a similar experience two years ago. I never found my arrow but I knew the penetration was bad. I ended up finding him dead next year spring turkey hunting. Why not get a crossbow and see how you like it. Killing mature bucks is hard enough.

Try the rage +P 125 grain. Little less cut and less drastic blade angle. I just punched through a shoulder blade this wk and was poking through the hide on the opposite side.

To the original poster. Your buck will be fine. I have hit two like you described and they lived. In my opinion if you are gonna shoot a rage you better have a heavy arrow to push it through. Or avoid the shoulder like the plague.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I went back out, got back on the blood trail for another 100 yards, good blood, then little blood, then good blood then none. We ended up on un known land and backed out. Figured it will still be chasing ladys, if the wolves dont get to him.

 

[Angus 1895]

I think your deer survived.


u might name him gimpy, or better yet lucky!

 

[Crimson n' Camo]

Here's a good example of where most of these shots are hitting ......

 

[buckdeer1]

I agree,usually hitting the joint or the thick edge of blade.If you hit the flat part and have decent broadhead and heavy arrow you should go deep enough to hit vitals.Give him a week and he will be back on camera

 

[4wanderingeyes]

With rifle season in a week and a half, he will probably be done then.

 

[yoderjac]

With rifle season in a week and a half, he will probably be done then.

Actually, you may have protected him. I'm guessing the injury will temporarily reduce his movements while healing occurs.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Actually, you may have protected him. I'm guessing the injury will temporarily reduce his movements while healing occurs.

One could hope, but up here, if they aren’t mobile, they end up coyote, bear, or wolf food.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

This buck was shot in the area by mee a few weeks ago. Shoulder shot with little penetration. He was found Saturday morning by a gun hunter on the neighboring property. This deer also did what you wouldn’t have thought after the hit.

Get a tracking dog and go find your deer!


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[Mortenson]

^^^ ouch

 

[4wanderingeyes]

The problem is crossing into other people land. We still had some blood, but we were getting to peoples land we have no idea who owns. And we got a half inch of rain last night, with another inch coming for today, and 3/4 for tomorrow, then some snow. I don’t think my chances are good anymore.

 

[yoderjac]

One could hope, but up here, if they aren’t mobile, they end up coyote, bear, or wolf food.

You may be right, and we won't know because we don't know how much damage was done by the shot. I was not suggesting the shot was immobilizing. Deer always have this algorithm running in those little brains that balances between food, sex, and security. I was suggesting that, when injured (not mortally) they favor security more, which may be protective against a rifle bullet. Certainly pack hunting animals could get on, even a healthy deer, and push it to death and an injured deer is more likely.

 

[cavey]

"The problem is crossing into other people land...." Its a universal problem these days; I never stop anyone from tracking out a deer - at least not the first time that being said I actually prefer they just go and stay on the trail its too easy to lose a deer due to time delays - rain weather and yotes. I will deal with any issues later. My only issue is I have had people take it to far and spend days in my property grid searching it far beyond any recovery for the meat. Not an issue when Im not hunting but when I am.

Doggies are a great and will extend out your tracking in poor conditions and help reassure you that your deer will more than likely survive, they work when they work and have a good nose - especially you all that hunt up in those big ole northern woods that just go on and on... I would say short of being a daniel boone tracker by the time you have brought a dog in you have done your part to get the deer... I just do everything I can to find the deer out beyond a 100 yards especially if there is no blood and well beyond and it sounds like you have done that...

The deer will likely live, might die - or something in between. Too many variables - he my sport a cool rack next year too post healing ???... It all happens, has happened to me. Live and learn if there is a lesson to learn - sometimes $#!# happens. I ve shot enough deer by now to know anything can happen.

Ive gone back to simple fixed blades nothing over sized blade wise - I like penetration and two holes for blood....

Target shooting discipline and range restraint are lofty goals but when the deer is there and you have to make a split decision - its always good to have good tracking skills especially when that primeval part of us screams "take him"

X bows are fine, what ever keeps you hunting is a plus to the sport - I had a shoulder injury so I have both, lucky enough to have been able to pick my bow back up. Kept the X-bow .... having both and being realistic about mass and kinetic energy I would just say IMO realize there are limitations to both, pros and cons to both and believe it or not X-bows have more than compounds. Range being the biggest. Great tool for killing deer especially in certain stand locations but though you can dart anything with them you simple dont have the killing range of a bow shot arrow - not an issue just a fact work with it and continue hunting its a good thing.

We got pounded for rain last night- I feel for you .... beer helps, just saying ....

 

[Angus 1895]

Four inches of penetration is that counting the broad head?

how high above the animal were you.

it was 20 yards from you.

was that on the flat or counting the angle of you being elevated.

how far did the arrow travel? Inside the deer?

did you find any hair on impact?

I am asking these questions to help you think about it.

I certainly ain’t one of them guys that qualifies to “ cast the first stone”.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I appreciate all the support, I do understand no one knows what will happen to this deer. I felt much better after extending the blood trail search another 100+ yards yesterday, and not finding anywhere where he laid down.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Four inches of penetration is that counting the broad head?

Yes, including broadhead

how high above the animal were you.

The platform is 14 feet, so standing, 19 feet up?

it was 20 yards from you.

It was a 19.3 yard shot, I checked it after the shot, and I also have mental marks of 20, 30 yards marked.

was that on the flat or counting the angle of you being elevated.

measured from standing in my stand, exactly the same as I shot

how far did the arrow travel? Inside the deer?

not far, I hit him in a wide open trail, and he walked into the tree line right after, and the arrow bumped a tree maybe 5 feet off the trail

did you find any hair on impact?

No hair, or fat on impact

I am asking these questions to help you think about it.

I certainly ain’t one of them guys that qualifies to “ cast the first stone”.

I have accepted I wont find this deer. I feel the arrow didnt penetrate deep enough for a quick kill. I have lost deer before bow hunting, and I never let it effect me like this. But this was a decent buck, and I really wanted it, and I didnt want it to die for no reason.

 

[Bill]

This buck was shot in the area by mee a few weeks ago. Shoulder shot with little penetration. He was found Saturday morning by a gun hunter on the neighboring property. This deer also did what you wouldn’t have thought after the hit.

Get a tracking dog and go find your deer!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ouch is right. Hopefully you got the rack.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Well this one on Missouri blood trackers this ev… titled “3 inches of penetration” maybe worth getting a dog!

 

[buckdeer1]

I haven't seen what poundage you were shooting.If you hit the shoulder and broadhead didn't break off I don't think there is anyway the broadhead went inside the cavity or it would have broke off.It was also an expandable and while some people like them and say "I blew through both shoulders" I want to see the skinned out shoulders because I doubt if most people shoot enough KE to do that with a fixed blade let alone a expandable.Keep an eye out for him.It happens and he's right beer helps.

 

[Angus 1895]

With the angle of the shot, the four inches wasn’t all penetration to the center of animal.

with the arrow falling out so quickly it didn’t wedge itself in any tissue/ bone.

i think it survived, I bet u see it again.

I also suggest re evaluation of broadhead used and study anatomy to learn.

I always use the analogy of a baseball pitcher…..

once they serve up a meatball….they gotta shake it off.

batter up!

best of luck in the future

and it would be sure cool to have a good dog huh?