Help - Hit deer but no blood trail

[Siwulat]

Hunting in savage this morning. Stuck a small buck. I am 100% confident I hit him because I saw the arrow sticking out of him. 27 yards broadside. The hit looked a little high. I can't find any blood whatsoever. I know it wasn't a pass through. I heard him run off and have searched that general direction but found nothing. I did not hear the "hollow pumpkin" sound when my arrow impacted. Kinda struggling here. Scapula hit? Non fatal? Again I don't even have a drop of blood to go on. Help!!

Breaking news - As I was sitting on the ground by the impact area I saw my arrow yards away. Got about 4-5 inches of penetration. Thoughts? 

Edited October 30, 2015 by Siwulat

[leechlake]

I'd guess you hit into "no man's land" that area above lungs up by spine.   I'd go have lunch and come back later in afternoon either way.

 

[nofishfisherman]

If I had to guess I'd say you missed lungs. With only 4-5 inches of penetration and likely missing lungs it might be a nonfatal hit but can't really say for sure. 

Give it some time and see if you can get on the trail of the deer.  Keep in mind following blood is only one way to track a deer.  Look for tracks, disturbed leaves on the ground, broken twigs, matted grass, etc.  

 

[Siwulat]

Backing out. Finding my arrow at least gives me a starting point. 

[ozzie]

mark the area and come back this afternoon with a fresh set of eyes and grid out from the last spot u seen him.

[CCGinMN]

Find a buddy with a dog that has a good nose.  This has worked for us quite a few times before.  Bring your bow because it probably isn't dead.  Fun to watch the dogs lock up and get scared (hair raised on their backs) when they catch up to the deer.

[Siwulat]

Feeling sick right now. Hate to have a wounded deer that is likely not dead. Man that's a sick feeling. Everything felt good too. 

I'm going back this afternoon to give it a go. 

[Cheetah]

I would guess that you hit the spine or upper shoulder blade, but the bones stopped your arrow without severing the spinal cord.   

 

[nofishfisherman]

I guess I'd rather have a wounded deer that recovers versus a dead deer that I never find.

What did your arrow look like?  Any blood?

 

[Siwulat]

Yes there was blood on the arrow. Certainly didn't look like lung blood. Just run of the mill red. Replaying the shot in my mind and seeing the arrow, I am guessing that I hit the shoulder blade. 

Ill be back looking this afternoon. 

[O.T.C.]

Had a bullet explode in a deer once a bit of a high hit and he didn't bleed, no exit wound, he ran about 50 yards and was toast, the blood was all pooled up ahead of the diaphragm or that skin you have to cut away to get to the heart/neck area. The field dress job was a mess with that 1. Good luck hope you find him. 

[96trigger]

Go back with a friend.  You took the shot and are already second guessing yourself.  I can't tell you the number of times I have helped recover a deer for someone that said the exact same things you did.  You hit the deer high, and you never got a pass through.  You could hit a rib bone and have that happen, the deer won't even start dropping blood until the lungs fill up. Might be 50 or 100 yards away.  Many times the shooter gets negative and starts 2nd guessing the shot, that other person generally keeps the positive attitude.  I have been on both ends of the spectrum, the friend helping to track, and also the one that took the shot.

The last thing I'll mention is that in just about every instance where I have had to get help, or had to help in recovering the deer, the deer doubled back.  Do not overlook the fact the deer could be in the exact opposite direction from which it ran.  In most of those cases, as soon as the deer was out of sight, it doubled back.  

[O.T.C.]

Follow 96triggers advice and agree a fresh set of eyes and legs covering ground with you will help a lot, another ex. of why I wish you could leash up a dog to help, he'd either likely jump it and you'd know or he'd find it and you'd know and if alive you could at least check it's bed out for sign or see it's condition maybe as it runs off.

[Majestic]

Yep, they either like to double back or head toward water when they are wounded.

[Siwulat]

Heading back out now. I'll keep you guys posted

[nofishfisherman]

Good luck, hope you find him.  It would be nice to hear a nice success story from one of the "I hit him but can't find him" threads.  

[Siwulat]

I grid searched the entire area and did not find any sign. Its a tough pill to swallow, this being my first ever lost deer. Not too happy at the moment. Thanks for the support today everyone. 

[leech~~]

To bad and the weather looks like it's not going to be helping with some rain later tonight. Here I'll throw in the "Nothing in nature is wasted" saying for you if it helps. Not!

[Siwulat]

Gave it another go this morning to no avail. Fairly positive the animal survived. I feel better having exhausted all options in the search. 

[eyeguy 54]

c rap happens...   you gave it your all.  go stick another one.  

[Siwulat]

Saw the buck again tonight. A slight limp but otherwise looked healthy. 

[Boar]

Cool!!

 

[eyeguy 54]

stick him again grasshopper

[Siwulat]

stick him again grasshopper

I will given the opportunity! No shot tonight though.