Hit a doe last night

[bassranger]

Well I skipped out of work early yesterday, my tree stand was calling me and I had a good feeling about it. This was my first time sitting in this stand sense I moved it to a new spot. Was in my stand at 4:30 and around 6:00 I saw a doe feeding on the grass at the edge of the swamp I was over looking heading towards me, then saw I saw a second doe behind the first one moving in the same direction. They came almost into a shooting lane then decided to head up the hill. The fist one headed up out of sight but the second one decide to turn and head back towards me. She stopped behind a hemlock 30 yards out. I drew back my bow, she needed to take two steps so I could put a shot on her. She did and I let a arrow fly. I believe my arrow nicked the hemlock branch but still hit where I was aiming maybe a little high, she let out a grunt and staggered I thought she was going to drop right then, but she got her bearings and toke of I could see my arrow still in her it only went about half way in. I stayed put for as long as I could then went to where she was standing when I shot. I found the top half of my arrow about 20 yards away it must of broke off on a tree. I decide to go home and call a friend to help me look for it we waited about a hour and a half and went back. We found blood not a lot at first, but where able to track her. then we found the other half of my arrow covered in blood and she was bleeding good. Then the bleeding slowed down and we where having a hard time finding it decided to come back this morning and look. We got to where we last saw blood and only found a couple more small drops than no more blood, we circled the area and turned up nothing. I have no idea where she went and we never found her. now I am at work and its getting warm out. I don't believe this deer lived and the weather is going to spoil the meat. There is nothing I hate worse the hitting a deer and not recovering the animal.  I was sure I put a good shot on her but without a blood trail we couldn't find her. I am totally bummed about this but I don't think there is much else I can do we spent 6 hours looking with no sign of where she went.

[caroga kid]

Not sure where you live but in NY, they have volunteers with licensed tracking dogs for recovering lost deer. Maybe they have something similar in your area, it's worth checking into. Hope you find her...I know the feeling....

[bassranger]

I don't think NH has anything like that and unfortunately I have to give up on her. even if I found her, at this point with the warm temps the meat would be no good

[pipes18079]

Sorry to here about that. I almost shot tonight it would of been my first deer with the bow. The doe came out of some thick stuff at about 620 straight at meI was fulldraw waiting for her to turn but she didnt like something and bolted to the right.

[upstatehunter]

There is a possibility you hit no mans land if you hit high. Over the lungs and under the spine. Deer have and can live after this shot. My friend shot one with a bow last year, hit it high, we looked all night and half the next day. Another hunter shot her in muzzle loading season, hole was still visible but healing up nicely. She may have just stumbled because of the arrow slowing down so much after hitting a branch. didn't pass through. Also I know a couple guys that have dogs that travel all over finding animals for bow hunters. They go to other states quite often.

[bassranger]

   Yeah I was thinking the shot probably went above the lungs. It would be nice if she made it. I hate wounding deer and not finding them but it is part of bow hunting. I have had it happen before and I am sure it will happen again.  I only take shots when I feel I can put the arrow where I want it, but sometimes it just doesn't work out,  it doesn't take much to send your arrow off course. The branch could have deflected it up or she may have ducked when she heard the arrow coming or it may be possible I just shot a little high. I'm going to give that spot a few days to calm down I know there's deer there and they'll be back. I,m just going to shoot em' in the head next time that way I don,t have to worry about it

[bbkyle35]

My dad shot a six point bull several years ago and found a broadhead with part of an orange shaft in it above the lungs. it was encased in scar tissue completely healed. So he saved it and the next year saw a bowhunter with orange shafts and it was the same guy!!! Now he has a souvineer of what probably continued to haunt him.

[knurren]

Man, that's too bad.  I've heard of similar things happening before though.  Duck Doctor has a story about a deer he chased all day that seemed to be hit well, but they kept spooking him where he bedded down and he just wasn't bleeding much.  The other thing to consider is that if the animal dies, it won't go to waste... there are plenty of things in the woods that will clean up and benefit.  It's a shame that she isn't in your freezer, but like you said there are more of them out there and it's only a matter of time.