shuballs

well i went hunting this morning at my club in sussex. I posted on one of my ladderstands which is on the edge of a field and has saveral trails running by it. I got on the stand around 6....and about 6:10 i had a doe pass by me about 50 yards out. I started calling, using the primos can and about 15 minutes later i notice a spike walking up the hill behind my post. Instead of continuing on the trail to my side. he turned and started to walk towards the other property, not presenting me with a shot. I turned my head to the left for some reason and notice another spike! He was in the field next to me, workin his way to the edge of the hill and i had to catch him b4 he crossed into the woods near the first buck. They both came from different directions and both appeared out of nowhere, they definitely came into the can call. I quickly drew my bow back and stopped him, I estimated he was about 25 yards out and i squeezed the trigger. To my surprise the arrow hit a bit low, it passed completely through and went deep into the ground. The deer then jumped back, turned around, tucked his tail between his legs, and hunched over. I knew wut i had done. I must have gut shot him. He slowly walked towards the edge of the woods, however, he wasnt flicking his tail aorund, but it was down between his legs. He stood on the edge of the woods for about 5 minutes, then slowly dissapeared from my sight, into the woods. I then got down and checked my arrow. To my surprise the arrows was bright red, and competely covered in blood. It did have a faint smell to it, but not bad at all, and there was no food matter or green stuff on it, all red blood. I backed out and went to the cabin for about 2.5 hours. I returned to take up the blood trail, and to my surprise I saw a tremendous amoutn of bright red blood where he had stopped and stood for a few minutes. I was confused because hunched back means gutshot, however no green on arrow and a great amount of blood. So i start follwing the blood, not even 25 yards into the trail and i see the deer jump up in front of me and slowly run about 15 yards. I crouch down and grunt at him, he stops waits a minutes, and then lays back down on the ground. I back out once again. I return 2 hours later, convinced i would find him in the exact spot, dead, due to the amount of blood i found. I go to where i saw him bedded down earlier and b4 i get 35 yards away he jumps up and slowly runs forward and down the hill, this time, he doesnt stop. His tail is still tucked between his legs and he looked to be hurting, however i lost sight of him and didnt see where he ended up. However, i assumed he would go a short distance and then bed down again. I walked up to where he was laying b4 to find another large pool of bright red blood. I go back to my cabin and now wait 3.5 hours b4 i return to the hillside. I follow the blood trail for a bit, but it has dried up and disappears shortly. I walk the whole hillside back and forth several times checking every square inch. NO DEER. I have no clue where he went. I never kicked him up again. I dont know where he could have dissappeared to. It just dont know wut happened because there was a lot of blood, which is strange for a gut shot. Also i had given him about 8 hours total to expire, and who knows if he is dead or not. Nowhere to be found. SORRY for the extremely long post.but does anyone have any ideas/input. Im just very confused, all help would be great.

shuballs

I know its a long story, but can anyone gimme any info??? thanx

Copper31

Could you have hit him in aleg?

Howler

Possibly a liver shot!
Did you take your bow with you when you returned to track him. If so, did you not have a chance to get another arrow in him the first time you jumped him?

Killer_Primate

Go find someone with a dog to help you look. That is what I'd do. Where do you hunt?

BobCo19-65

If you thought at all that you could have had a stomach hit, minimum time to wait is 12 hours, for intestine 24 hours. YOu didn't mention if the blood had any bubles in it. Could have been a single lung, in which case you could have gotten onto it immediately. Only problem with the type of hit is identifying it which is difficult. But the blood would have had bubbles (no froth). You can elimate double lungs or heart. Which leaves a muscle hit. Muscle hit blood is crimson color (bright red). The way the deer reacted for you though seems to indicate a stomach/intestine hit. The blood also seems to indicate that along with the slight smell on the arrow.

You may want to get the book "tracking wounded deer" by Trout. It's a very good informative book.

Greg / MO

Yep, those are my two thoughts as well: Reaction says stomach/intestine; color of blood indicates muscle. I've seen muscle-shot deer stop bleeding and go on to live another day. If he's hit in the stomach too, though, I would think he's dead somewhere around there. Check for slight dips, valleys, drainage ditches as well as the thickest briars and brambles it could get into -- especially if around water.