Advice needed!

[GSP]

Hi everyone, I hit a deer with my bow tonight. 26 yards, shot was a bit high, and the deer ran off with my arrow. He looked to be hit fairly well, but I didn’t get great penetration (it happened too fast to be sure). I backed out, but I’m wondering if I should go back tonight. I use a lumenok and would like to see the nock. What are your thoughts?

 

[Allen]

I would absolutely go back. I hate when a deer sits and rots in the countryside, and if you got a good hit as you suspect, that arrow will kill sooner rather than later.

 

[ItemB]

I would go out there and listen for coyotes in the direction he ran to for sure. Was there any blood around the spot you shot him? If there was blood I would wait 3-4 hours and get some good lights go trail. If not much or any blood at sight were you shot him I would wait till morning.

 

[jpv]

I like your thinking with being able to see the lumenok in the dark because that was my plan with my wife's buck she shot last Saturday evening. She hit hers high in the guts and he took off with her arrow so we left him alone until 5am the next morning and went out to look for that lumenok in the dark with no luck and couldn't find any sort of trail since it had been raining since around 10pm. Long story short we found him Monday evening and when he tipped over he fell on top of the lumenok and part of the snapped off arrow so we were looking for something that wasn't there.

 

[GSP]

I’m just trying to decide if I should go out tonight or wait until the morning. I’m 100% going after this deer, just didnt know if it was best to wait until morning or not. Maybe i should wait and go back about an hour before sunrise?

 

[5575]

Was it a fixed or mechanical head? If it's fixed I'd go looking as the head was tearing things up as he ran off. If you think he's hit well no matter what give him 4 hours and start looking. Lanterns help.

 

[GSP]

Its a mechanical broadhead (Rage hypodermic) I found a couple spots of hair before i backed out, but I didnt want to pressure him, so i didnt look too hard for blood.

 

[dukgnfsn]

if you only found hair and not any blood I would wait until at least 0400 and try some where between 0400-0600 and still have the help of darkness but give him enough time in case he is bleeding internally only. What area of the state are you in, if near Bismarck and want some help in morning and see this before 1100 tonight let me know and I would help you if needed. dukgnfsn

 

[GSP]

Just outside of Minot, but i appreciate the offer! I’ll get out there early and see what i can find! There’s a small slough that it looked like he was headed to, so I’m hoping he’s in there

 

[dukgnfsn]

ok, GL and hope all works out whatever you do. dukgnfsn

 

[shorthairsrus]

Take a shorthair (dog)or two. They will find em. I don't if it's illegal but worth it no matter what

 

[GSP]

Thanks! My dog (shorthair mix) wont do anything for deer, but I’ll see if I can round up a dog

 

[ejolliffe]

I'm in Minot. My French brittany has found 2 deer the last two years. Willing to help if you need

 

[KDM]

If you have a good flashlight, I'd go now. Over my 30 years of tracking deer I've come up with the rule of thumb that I don't track a deer for 30 minutes after it's been hit and then if I think I have a good hit I follow the blood until I find either the deer or where the deer bedded down. If I even think I may have a marginal hit I wait 2 hours, then track. If I find a bed without a deer, that means the deer had enough strength to get back up with whatever hit I made and THAT means I need to back out. Based on your OP, 3+ hours is plenty of time and the deer should be dead by now and the more time you wait, the greater the chance of you finding a coyote tore up deer. If you find a bed without a deer in it, at least you will have mucked around enough to give the coyotes a bit of pause to hunt for a meal elsewhere. Good Luck!! Let us know how it goes!!

 

[tinker]

prob a shoulder shot? they like to go to water if he does get far. good luck!

 

[Davey Crockett]

If you have a good flashlight, I'd go now. Over my 30 years of tracking deer I've come up with the rule of thumb that I don't track a deer for 30 minutes after it's been hit and then if I think I have a good hit I follow the blood until I find either the deer or where the deer bedded down. If I even think I may have a marginal hit I wait 2 hours, then track. If I find a bed without a deer, that means the deer had enough strength to get back up with whatever hit I made and THAT means I need to back out. Based on your OP, 3+ hours is plenty of time and the deer should be dead by now and the more time you wait, the greater the chance of you finding a coyote tore up deer. If you find a bed without a deer in it, at least you will have mucked around enough to give the coyotes a bit of pause to hunt for a meal elsewhere. Good Luck!! Let us know how it goes!!

This

 

[dean nelson]

Were you on the ground or up in a tree? High hits are definitely better from a tree since if you got more then 6 inches in with arrow the far lung will get punched. Like was asked was it a shoulder hit either on the close shoulder or the opposing one. I've had arrows look like they didn't go anywhere only to find that they still hit the far side and ripped the hell out of the deer but didn't bleed much with the only hole and that one was being plugged by the arrow. With a high hit your deer is going to likely not be the best blood trail for those same reasons even if he is hit hard so don't necessarily think the worst if you don't find a lot of blood this morning.

 

[GSP]

Thank you all for your help! I came back this morning at 0600 and couldnt find blood or the arrow. I found him dead in the tree line about 0745. Thanks again!

 

[huffranger]

Pics ?????

 

[GSP]

I’ll get some up here shortly. My photographer (daughter) is on her way out.