This is my first year getting back into bowhunting.  I may be a little rusty on tracking.  Or maybe just a complete lack of experience with a bow.
I shot at a buck a few days ago at 15 yards.  I've spent alot of time practicing before the season started.  I concider myself an accurate shooter at 25 yards.  I took a less than desireable shot at it.  It was a completly open shot though.  I aimed for the center of his throat at the bottom near the top of his chest cavity.  After I released the arrow the deer ran off.  I was sure I hit him.  I got down and looked for blood.  There was none.  There was also no hair.  So I looked for the arrow.  Couldn't find it either.  I waited an hour and a half and had a small search party help me.  One guy is a real experinced tracker.  After several hours of searching a couple hundred yard radius we gave up with no sign that I even took a shot.  Is there any chance that the deer only bled internally?  If so, wouldn't I have at least found hair?  If my shot was true, the arrow would likly stayed in the deers body but it would have hit vitals I would think.
Any suggestions on what happened?
 
Thanks,
Ed

did you hear the arrow hit the deer? Were you on the ground? Don't have all the facts but sounds like a clean miss.
 
Highstand

I've only personally arrowed one deer, but I have witnessed and tracked many deer.  I'm going to agree with high stand and say that it sounds like a clean miss.  As for the whereabouts of your arrow that's a tough one.

I was in a stand about 15 feet up.  I heard something but don't know what the whack sound was.  Assuming it was a hit, it was the first one I arrowed.  Assuming it was a miss, that was the first time I shot directly into the ground.  So I'm not sure either way what the sound was.

Ed

I wouldn't think that an arrow would be able to completely get buried in the ground unless your hunting over something very soft.  If you had that arrow it sure would help answer the questions.  I'd go out and look for the arrow again.

Quote from: SuperMagI wouldn't think that an arrow would be able to completely get buried in the ground unless your hunting over something very soft.

I agree and I'm not hunting soft ground.  I could be overlooking the obvious or looking to hard for the arrow.  Kind of like when you have your glasses on your face and can't find them.:D   I will look again for the arrow.
I hunt a real small area of public land.  I hunt it all the time with my beagle and my squirrel dog.  I also know several people that hunt the area with beagles.  They can keep an eye out also.  There is a chance that I will find him in the late fall when all the vegitation dies.  At least I'll have an answer.
 
Ed

I've shot 1 deer in the neck before and she only ran about 40 yards before she died. I didn't find hair or blood I just marked the direction she ran and went on paths that had fresh deer prints. It is possible if your shooting one of those broadheads that opens it might not have deployed the blade and might not be inside cutting the trachea or any arteries. Another thing is you could have very well missed that shot. if you and the search party didn't see the arrow I doubt it but you never know. If you can go in the direction the deer ran and follow the paths with the least amount of bushes and stuff in the way you could still find it if its dead.

Willy Wonka you crack me up. In the Would you shoot thread you ramble about ethics and how you cannot believe people would take such a shot. You got a little upset with people but in this thread you say you took a neck shot. You my friend are a hypocrit! The vitals running through the neck are small yet you took the shot????? you need to get a book on hunting ethics so you do not contradict yourself in posts!
 
Highstand

It was not a mechanical broadhead.  It was a 3 blade Muzzy 125 grain.

Ed

Ed...sounds like a clean miss or a "meat shot"......Finding the arrow would solve problems...arrows can "skip" a long ways if they hit the ground just right and will be found on the ground in a totally different area from where you shot.....is it buried in a tree?.....maybe it is in the deer?.......You were not shooting those glow in the dark, tracking device arrows?.......:)

Quote from: GmoneyYou were not shooting those glow in the dark, tracking device arrows?.......:)

I'm not even sure what one is.
 
Ed

Hey Ed B. keep at it, you'll get it back, Now I'm no bow hunter, put I'm pull'n for ya;)
 
:D Hey Highstand, I'll just repeat the words of Hank Hill, "there's something wrong with that boy":D

Quote from: HighstandWilly Wonka you crack me up. In the Would you shoot thread you ramble about ethics and how you cannot believe people would take such a shot. You got a little upset with people but in this thread you say you took a neck shot. You my friend are a hypocrit! The vitals running through the neck are small yet you took the shot????? you need to get a book on hunting ethics so you do not contradict yourself in posts!
 
Highstand

Maybe you oughta think about what I said I have only shot 1 deer like that aka when I was like 14 years old thats 5 years ago pay attention before you speak! Before you start calling people names learn how to spell them too ok its hypocrite. And comparing the vital areas in the neck of a deer their not that small you got all the main neck arteries that allow for quick bleed outs and the trachea which if you hit any of these allow for a quick death. I'd rather take a shot at a standing deer with no obstructions in the way of the shot aka the stick across the chest of the deer in the WOULD YOU SHOOT thread. I also merely stated that a head shot is not a 100% sure thing you can't always hit perfect theres to many variables.

:) Now let's be good,;)

he's the one who is calling me a hypocrite when if you try to find out all the facts maybe he'd be a little smarter. And its kind of funny that in the other thread he's talking about they all also need to learn what their talking about.