[chesterflick]

Shot my first deer today. 20-25 yards out. Felt I hit it good. Found blood and the further we went the more blood we saw. Then nothing, the blood stopped. Looked high and low and could not pick the trail back up. Any thoughts?

 

[ronn]

do circles around the last blood but i'd first find someone that can track well and knows what they are looking at in the way of blood.

 

[huntr-]

keep making circles , going out further until you pick up the sign again. Becareful and only have one person so you don't trample any sign. If you have a helper stand them at the last point of sign. Good luck.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

if you found blood and it got more notable as you tracked it then you probably have a dead here close by.
Got a friend that can help you track? get to the last spot you saw blood have your helper stay in that location as you check in cirlces at 7-10 yards out, Deer often leap left or right with long bounds to try to throw trackers off, I've seen deer leap out to 14/16 feet don't give up on the search.
Good Luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[spiker]

this sounds like a muscle hit to me.they bleed profusely at first and then nothing.anyway good luck and i hope im wrong.

 

[Hunting Man]

It helps to use floresent tape to mark the blood trail and you can then project the travel route by looking back. Look for nearest water and thick stuff. What color was the blood? I know red right? Just kidding, the actual color will say a lot where the deer was hit. Dark blood liver, bright red muscle, bubbles in the blood, lung. Was it a pass through, blood on both sides of the trail? Did the deer ever stop and form a blood pile?

 

[chesterflick]

I did a through search with a friend who knows and found no deer. The blood was red and stopped. Did not pick up any more blood and looked every where.
It was the first deer I ever shot. Everything happened so fast and I have to admit I was shaking as well.
The shot was a 25 yard shot and I have decided to keep my shots at 20 and below until I get some more experience. I feel that I shot well but a live target with adrenaline rolling is a little different.

I did go back out to the same spot in the afternoon and saw more deer. It was a group different from the ones on the morning hunt which was a long spike guy a nice size doe and a smaller buck with a growth of some sort hanging off it's head, that's the one I shot (could have been a broken antler from rubbing off velvet maybe?). The group this afternoon was a small 4 point and a small doe. I decided to watch instead of shoot. I did not have anyone with me to help look for the deer if I did hit it and I did not want the same thing to happen as in the morning so I watched in the blind. I was able to watch these deer for 45 minutes. A few times I even drew back my bow to practice bringing it back under hunting conditions. I put the pin on the deer and tried to stay steady. After doing this a few times I was not as nervous and was sure I could take a good shot without fear of missing or making a bad hit. I was able to pin the 4 point at 7 yards but I did not shoot.
This area I am hunting have a lot of deer and the home owner wants them gone due to the damage they are doing to their gardens.
There does not appear to be BIG deer just a lot of small ones and 1st year types. I am stuck on whether its an ethical thing to shoot the fawns post spots of course or should I just shoot them as they come under my sight. I am hunting for food for myself and others .
I am new to hunting. I want to do the right things and be able to make a shot and find the deer. I want to be a good hunter. I feel bad I could not find the one I know I hit. I want to make right decisions
Tell me what you think please.
I will not be able to hunt for a few weeks due to my work schedule but the first chance I get I will be back in that blind ready to shoot.

 

[timberghost]

It happens to all of us one time or another. At least you tried your darndest to find it.

 

[gfdeputy2]

Second that TG
I will say I am also a meat hunter Racks don't mean a lot to me so Archey season I will take a smaller deer (No milk moustache or spots) once I have meat in the freezer I will be pickey
also try a bottle of hydrogen peroxide spray makes blood bubble so you can see it easier

 

[spiker]

the most important thing in bowhunting is at the moment of truth you want to slow things down.develop a shot process(routine)that you go through if you practice this enough during shooting you will go on autopilot when you see a deer.remember always pick a spot.DO NOT AIM AT THE WHOLE DEER.not remembering the shot shows you got a little too amped up,dont rush the shot nothing good will ever come of it.as you gain expierenence the shot will break and the shaking comes after the shot.good luck.

 

[Buckshot]

There is no ethics involved as long as it is a legal harvest. If you process your own and the owner wants the deer thinned out take a small doe( tender and tasty) If you pay a processor you will not get much for you money.

spiker makes some good points. Also a three D target will help you place shots and calm the nerves some.

Better luck next time.

 

[tator]

There does not appear to be BIG deer just a lot of small ones and 1st year types. I am stuck on whether its an ethical thing to shoot the fawns post spots of course or should I just shoot them as they come under my sight. I am hunting for food for myself and others .

This early in the season, you aren't going to see many BIG deer (bucks) out during daylight.... You may be surprised later in the season...

 

[spiker]

if you never taken a deer with a bow the only way to become proficient with it is to take animals.every deer you take or attempt to take will teach you something i.e. when to move,draw,how to get small in a tree,positioning for a shot etc.take the 1st deer you would be satisfied with.any deer with a bow is a trophy and its the only way to gain essential knowledge.

 

[Hunting Man]

Also visualize the arrow exit and where that takes place at any given shot angle. This is the surest way to make sure you're going through the boiler room. Pass up all risky shots that way you limit wounded deer.

 

[burley]

do circles around the last blood but I'd first find someone that can track well and knows what they are looking at in the way of blood.

+1 and if you are having trouble, get down on hands and knees and go slow and mark the found blood with whatever you can (tape, arrows, sticks broken to 90 deg, etc)
I have lost one deer in over 25 years. My fault. Was a bad shot (too far forward on the shoulder) and he swam across the Osage river in Mo. We had tracked him a 1/4 mile and he had turned and went to the water. My uncle took a boat across and tried to pick up a trail but never could.