Absolutely disgusted

Last night I shot a nice buck hit a bit high, didn't think it was to high tho 30 yards behind the shoulder or here's where it gets sketchy. I waited solid 25 or so min climbed down looked for blood at the shot no blood no hair found my arrow about 20 feet away with about 8" broke off the back (fletching part) arrow had meat and a grease look to it no blood. So I left head hung low absolutely disgusted looked at every diagram online read every story I could thought about the shot all night. We go back today 15hrs later looked in a 40 yard circle for hour and half no blood no hair ,like literally no blood! I don't get it even a flesh wound bleeds we looked around the area for 2 more hrs no sign biggest buck iv had a chance on and I blew it I'm tore up really bad. But I'm gonna go back with few more guys and look some more through the thickets I owe it to the deer. Did I hit that high? What happened? Why is there no blood? I heard the fatal smack and watched arrow hit and he bolted. I thought I surly hit one lung on the opposite side? What do you think I really wanna hear some opinions. I think I just shot high and he's gonna live but idk it just don't make sense!!!! Area is blown now my archery Season is done I'm about to just sell my bow and give it up iv never cried and puked at the same time .

Found bh never the back with fletching I was using a drt fixed blade they fly great for me ,I just don't get it we looked again no sign I think he survived Idk maby I'll see him in rut I'm hunting ducks till then I need a break

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There's no blood because you didn't hit a vein/artery or organ and from what you are saying about fat, your arrow must have hit much higher than you thought.  I am a bit confused about the arrow at this point, am I correct you have not found the knock end of the arrow and it may still be sticking in the animal?
 
Also, if in fact the distance was 30 yds, what draw weight are you shooting, arrow, weight of broad head, crossbow, compound, noise of the bow.  Not that all that is vital to why there is no blood, I'm just curious as to why there is no pass through based on the missing section of arrow.  Hitting bone can cause the situation where a portion of the arrow passes through then gets broken off.
 
I ask about the type of bow you are shooting because of the mistakes people make when and after they release the arrow, like picking ones head up to watch the arrow, dropping the bow too soon after release, not practicing, etc.  Also the draw weight, arrow, and weight of the broadhead all affect speed.   Any noise or movement picked up by the deer will have that deer "ducking" or dropping which will cause a high hit.  It is said a deer can drop a foot in less then a second as it prepares to escape.  Let's not forget the height from the ground from which you were shooting, many times people get way too high and forget to add the height factor to the distance of the target.  For instance, shooter is 20 ft high in a tree and the target is 20 yds from the base of the tree; would the shooter use a 20 yd pin or the 30 yd pin?   (The distance the arrow will travel is 28+ yds.)
 
Also, the angle to which the shooter is to the target is important because a deer standing broadside, will allow for a direct shot to let's say the heart but, that same deer facing away at a angle will need the arrow to penetrate behind the heart to assure hitting the heart.
 
As for your search, you said forty yards making circles but you didn't mention if you marked the spot of the hit or the last place you saw the deer.  It is a known fact without an initial marker and follow up markers to guide one by, any search is hap hazard at best.  Plus, forty yard searches only count if you here the animal go down, deer are known to cover a square mile over the course of their travel.  Break your searches down into grids and look for a dog curled up in the smallest of places.  You will either jump the deer and assure he is alive or you will by now find a half eaten carcass.
 
Last but not least, if in fact your story holds water, put the duck gun back in the case and go find that deer, dead or alive you owe it to him. 
 
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
 
Edit; Sorry Tuna I most forgitted, kudos to your son, that is a dandy Buck and his smile is worth a thousand words.
 
 

Actually now I think about it I went a year with crossbow did not get a shot...then 5 out of 6 years.
I figure the bad shots with compound I was tensing up from excitement of live target...was good in back yard with target.
 
WCW

That Rage hole in my son Pa. buck is more than a slit. It's a freaking gaping hole. Two blade chisel head. Great heads just got to hit deer right. Any broadhead will work when put in the right place, I killed 26 deer with those old mini blasters. Not many pass throughs and little blood,but they worked. I'd never go back though.

I feel with you Thunderpole. About ten years ago I smoked a fringing unbelievable huge monster 10 pts in Ohio. I've seen some big ones but he was the king. Well into the 170 class, did even worse,bumped him out of his bed. Then never a drop of blood. Looked for a dead body that whole season never found him or heard anybody taking him. It's a learning lesson.
 

Watched an arrow hit high some years back in similar circumstances- Same thing, greasy arrow with no blood-had also seen the arrow tip an unseen twig on the way to the deer. Hit further back than I wanted and quite high. That greasy stuff is from the thin layer of fat along the back and likely closer to the rear end of the deer where its a bit heavier- IMHO.
 
Tracked VERY slowly for some time and then saw 3 deer in the distance and one of them rolled onto its back and twisted all over the place. Kinda like a bear might rub its back on a tree while standing.
After they moved off I went over there to find NO BLOOD but lots of hair where the deer had rolled over and rubbed.
With that hit its likely not dead but carries a non life threatening wound- keep looking though.
 
A friend hit a fine buck early morning last season and the arrow appeared to him to be mid body and a bit far back. Little to no blood and the Deer ran off looking fine- He tracked for hours and looked all day. Was as disgusted as you are.
 
Several days later from the same stand he took that same buck as it chased a doe.
It had  HUGE open wound on a rear quarter that ya would think woulda laid him up and gave him no toughts what so ever of chasing does.
This guy has taken dozens with the bow and had no idea he had struck so far back. Swore it was mid body.
 
Remember their nervous system is nowhere near as advanced as ours. Some wounds that would lay us up for months, they are marginally aware of.
 
Understandably ya feel lousy but don't give up on never seeing that deer again.
 
Too bad , but loosing one is a part of the game we play and it happens to most everyone sooner or later.
We are the predators.
BTW have see it take much more than 40 yds to start bleeding- sometimes nothing and then suddenly a torrent- especially with a high one lung shot.

I'd say your bows out of tune iv never had issues with gage blood runners rages muzzy steelforce montecs or these drts ,if your bow is tuned correctly any bh will fly true

You can hit them high over the lungs but under the backbone and get very little blood and the deer will live to fight another day. I shot one that way with a thunderhead the 4th week of season one year and killed him during rifle season chasing a doe. If you don't get pass through  most of  the blood stays in the body cavity even if he is lung shot.

Which one I've been debating it myself.

The pin is on a dovetail you can change sized and color by sliding it ,when I seen it it blew my mind

Few days I'll be out again

Glad to hear that Thunderpole...it happens unfourtantly ...but the story aint over!
Good Luck-and do not forget to jus ENJOY the time away from THINGS...WCW