Shoulder hit

[abell3]

Last night shot a buck was quartering away and I believe I hit him in the shoulder area but not sure. Watched him walk away with my arrow in him for about ten Minutes. Then he had a bad limp while walking away. Then after ten minutes he shook his head and ran into think cover.. I'm thinking the hit wasn't lethal as I believe the arrow didn't get enough penetration. Going to look this afternoon. Any of you guys have a similar situation?

 

[LYON]

How hard was he quartering away? My guess would be you may be in front of the vitals if you stuck him in the shoulder on a quartering away shot. Hopefully you can at least find your arrow to know for sure how much penetration you got. Initial guess is he lives to see another day but you never know.

 

[Sligh1]

Quartering away and hitting shoulder means you hit really far forward thinking about it. How much penetration would you guess and what type of broadhead just outta curiosity? I wish I had my chart handy to ask "where on deer did you hit". Anyways, if higher, could be one lung, dunno. Hard to say BUT hopefully you either find him (doubtful but possible) or he gets arrow and broadhead out or healed and you see him again. Sucks, it happens though to everyone. good luck

 

[Hardwood11]

I have hit bucks in the shoulder. There is usually a lot of blood at first, gets your hopes up...then it becomes next to nothing. The only thing you can do is track and track and then at some point, either you find him, lose blood, or realize he is fine.

Good luck

 

[HorseDoctor]

Muscle hit will bleed pretty good at first but plays out within a few hundred yards. There are some big vessels under the shoulder blade. If you hit one of those he will bleed out but may make for a long tracking job. Follow the blood as far as you can. Good luck!

 

[meyeri]

Did the same thing to a doe last week and she limped off on three legs. Never recovered her. First time in 5 yrs I haven't recovered one and it made me sick. You hunt with a bow long enough and it's bound to happen though.

I just listened to a wired to hunt podcast on blood trailing this week and the 80 yr old tracker they interviewed said that with a shoulder shot you should immediately pursue that deer. Best case you got heart and the deer will be dead; worst case is that it is a muscle/bone hit so you need to push the deer so the blood keeps flowing. This was news to me as I always thought waiting longer was key, but it makes sense.

 

[meyeri]

Also, how much penetration?
Expandable or fixed head?
That deer will try to pull that arrow out depending on how good it is lodged in there. If it's an expandable, there is a chance the blades float and stop cutting, fixed will usually still cut as he moves around, tries to pull it out, or bumps the arrow.

 

[Trapshooter1]

I shot a buck square in the shoulder with a thunder head last year. (Not quartering away) little different situation. Its probably wasn't a lethal hit.

 

[IowaBuckSlayer2013]

Had same thing happen to me Saturday . Shot high shoulder he ran off with my arrow limping after 300 yards lost blood no deer or arrow . . . Made me sick. Rage 2 blade original .