deer hit

hit a nice 8 pt tonight at 40 yards broadside couldn't really tell were i hit him alot of fat on arrow little blood and the first 40 yards had practicly no blood then started finding some but not a ton and arrow didn't smell like guts.
waiten to go after him till tomaro morn. was just wanderin what u guys think? for some reason i'm haven my douts

When in doubt back out!!!  You are doing the right thing by waiting until the a.m.  The last thing you want to do is put pressure on him. Good luck and keep us posted on your findings. 

sounds too me you pierced him just under the skin minor flesh wound

Good luck,hope you find him.

Sounds like high & back to me, infront of hams and above guts below the spine. 

At 40 yards, you should have definitely been able to see your arrow and you should have known exactly where it hit.  Otherwise, conditions were not optimal (perhaps brush, fading light, moving target... I was not there so I cannot judge what happened) but the shot should probably not have been attempted to begin with.  40 yards is a makable shot, but a lot can go wrong in that distance.  Punching paper at 40 and hitting double lungs at 40 are totally different things.  Lesson should be learned and hopefully your next arrow brings better results. Just stay calm and stay within a comfort zone that you are 100% sure will bring a quick and effective kill.   

if u see your arrow flying through the air 9 times out of 10 its going to be a poor shot bc u are looking for the arrow instead of the area of kill

ya but i'm also not using lumanocks and at 40 yards u see your arrow flying like its going perfect and disappear because it hits the deer and instantly it turns and runs not as easy as u ppl make it sound trust me it just happened its hard to tell if it hit perfect or maybe a lil high or a lil low i would know it just happened to me a couple nights ago to me

Chicken -- there is no such thing as a dead zone aka where nothing exists.  Perhaps the preachers' meat but not a dead zone.


This idea originated long ago, when a hunter layed a dead deer on its side, cut the skin and ribcage off to show what a deers' internals look like.  There was this "spot" at the back of the lungs and high, where nothing was there but flesh, also known as the dead zone.

Something not taken into account at this time was that lungs were deflated and the organs were dead.   If a deer is hit in the diaphragm, it will not survive.  You may not find it, but it won't survive.

Fellas -- shoot white fletching, wraps, and nocks.  You'll see the arrow everytime.

He is still out there alive. My perdiction is you will see him again in the Rut!  Trust me I have pussed up my share.... He will be back! Deer are amazing animals!

Your eyes should be focused on your target, unless you make a horrible shot the arrow will be hitting the target.  As a by-product of keeping your eyes on your target you are able to watch your arrow hit.  You are not technically "watching" your arrow but, you should be able to see its entire flight while staying focused on the target.   Every deer I have killed with bow I have watched exactly where the arrow hit.

I agree PA you are right, sometimes in the heat of the moment it makes things tough.  I should rephrase my original statement to that I almost always know where my arrow made its mark.  And after thinking about it I usually know the general location of impact not the exact spot.  After I let one fly that image of where it impacts is usually burned into my head.   

I agree with drake. Just hold the pin on the area you intend to hit, then release while still holding onto the target point and you can see in a whirr your arrow de-arcing and the nock heading to the spot. Much like shooting a gun, if you flinch to look you more than likely missed. In golf, if you don't follow through, your shot will end up off line.

He never said what time he hit it. I haven't shot as many deer as you, but know what you're saying is true. I have shot a few bucks 2 hours before dark. Maybe he should clarify what time and the light conditions. I have 20/10, no bull. And I have trouble seeing in that last half hour.

What time did you hit the deer??????