badshotbob

You hit bone, that's why you didn't find the deer. He may even still be alive if the arrow didn't penetrate too far beyond the shoulder blade and into a lung. If you wouldn't have hit the shoulder blade, you would have more than likely taken only one lung and guts on a pass through shot. Good luck trying to find a one-lunger! Like the others have said, don't take this shot again, learning is a good thing.

Broadside or 1/4 away. Stick with that. JMO because that's what I do.

Bulzeye

Here is another link that has different views of a deer's vitals from both the ground and elevated positions. Reading the explanations that accompany them, you will find that the "quartering toward" shot is not recommended with a bow.
I personally, will only take broadside or quartering away shots with my bow. Anything else gets to walk away and only get logged in my journal.

Bow/gun shot placement, with angled view and explanations.

jimpok61

Sorry about your lost deer/learn from it. You will get another chance and when you find him, gut him and drag him out remember about the lost one. It will always keep your shot selection within your skill level.

vtbuckrulrss

now wait a minute, let me clear a couple of things up! this is not my first rodeo, i have shot deer before with my bow, and found them quite easily. in this case, the deer knew that something was up, because it had seen me coming through the trees, it just didn't know exactly where i was, or what. this deer was ready to run. if given the same chance again, the thing i would do differently is place the shot just a little farther back, so that it went diagonally through the vitals. if i thought that it was going to go back to feeding, however, i would have waited for a different shot.

Dubbya

if you try to place the shot further back, the second lung is nearly completely covered by the front shoulder, and you risk once again the one lung shot.
[RacHunter]/[A good bowhunter can be judged by the shots he passes on... not the shots that he takes.]

wimp

So because you felt that was the only chance for a shot, you took it. That is no reason to force a bad shot.

Bulzeye

You gotta stay away from that shoulder bone, man.
An arrow is no match for it.

It can be done, but the chances are slim and it won't be clean, quick, or sure.
It's no reflection on a hunter's shooting skill.
It's all about choosing what shots to take and when to let them walk.

With a gun it's a fine shot, but with a bow, well, youv'e seen what happens.

GVDocHoliday

Kinda reminds me of a retarted buddy I had who shot a deer in the neck, saying it was the only shot he had. Deer ran off with an arrow sticking in his neck, never recovered. I no longer hang out that retarted kid...mainly because he does retarded things.

Shooting farther back wouldn't have helped you any. You would have totally missed the vitals in that regard and ended up with a mile long track with a gut shot.

Find yourself some anatomy photos of whitetail deer, elk, horses or anything with four legs...they all are pretty much constructed the same...study those pictures...then think three dimensionally. Where will the vitals be in relation to a quarter too shot, a quarter away shot, etc. We live in a 3-D world...you can't aim for the 10 ring on quartering shots because you won't put it down quick.

BobCo19-65

Hmmmm, place the shot a little further back on a quartered at you deer. Now, you will definetely only get one lung and probably liver. But, do you think that is very ethical with a bow? Although it is lethal, I would never intentially take a liver shot. I am agreeing with what others have said and would highly recommend that you get to know the deers anatomy better. If you need any good sources let me know and I can direct you to some excellent sources.

The Champ

with a gun i try to hit the shoulder, a lot of people dont think it is a great place to aim for though. I shot a deer this year a few inches to far back and he ran at least 300 yards, but he was in a big old field so i could see it.