# Question on a shot



## incoming (Jan 28, 2008)

I shot a deer last night and it kicked like a mule and ran off with its tail up. It was a complete pass through and the arrow was covered completly in blood. We followed the blood trail for a good 75 yards and it just disappeared in some really short grass. We searched for another hour and a half and couldnt find anymore blood. Going back today to look for him. Trying to figure out what happend?


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Where was it? Mule kick can be just about anything but usually signifies a body shot. What color was the blood? Blood on both sides or just one trail. Blood just stopped?


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

Yeah, we will need more info.

Any water nearby? They ussually head for water.

Start making small circles at end of blood trail gradually working your way out farther. Ussually when the blood stops there not too far away. Get some buddys to help you look.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

More info, what color was the blood on the arrow, any greenish coloring that would indicate gut shot? The blood on the ground, bright red and frothy, or dark red?

Go to the last place you saw blood and then start making circles around that spot, widening each time around, get on your hands and knees if you have to. Sometimes the drops of blood are small and hard to see when walking. I've tracked more than one bow shot deer on my hands and knees.

huntin1


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## incoming (Jan 28, 2008)

The blood was a darker red. It started out on both sides and kind of appeared to come out one side the farther we went. The only thing besides blood on the arrow was a little hair.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Dark blood usually signifies heart or liver. Liver blood is usually very dark, almost dark purple. If he's hurt, he'll head for the thickest stuff he can find.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Without seeing the blood I too would guess a liver hit. They can go a long ways when pushed. I'd be on my hands and knees at the last place blood was found, looking for more. Good luck!

huntin1


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Hope its not raining on your trail right now!

Either way, its tough to find a weak trail after 24 hours. Your best bet with a liver hit is get a few guys and look for a body. Head for the nearest water, gut/liver hits are infamous for heading for water. Have you and your buds walk a grid pattern through the area. Hopefully you didnt push him to hard and youll find him within a couple hundred yards.

Another question.....did you track him immediately after shooting him? If you did, you may have pushed him, and god knows where he could be. Liver hits are fatal, but it could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a day or two for them to die depending on how solid you hit the liver. Usually, if not pushed, they wont go far, theyll bed down, and usually die in that bed. But if you take off after em right away, they could go miles.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

barebackjack said:


> Hope its not raining on your trail right now!
> 
> Either way, its tough to find a weak trail after 24 hours. Your best bet with a liver hit is get a few guys and look for a body. Head for the nearest water, gut/liver hits are infamous for heading for water. Have you and your buds walk a grid pattern through the area. Hopefully you didnt push him to hard and youll find him within a couple hundred yards.
> 
> Another question.....did you track him immediately after shooting him? If you did, you may have pushed him, and god knows where he could be. Liver hits are fatal, but it could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a day or two for them to die depending on how solid you hit the liver. Usually, if not pushed, they wont go far, theyll bed down, and usually die in that bed. But if you take off after em right away, they could go miles.


Concur...


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

NDTerminator said:


> barebackjack said:
> 
> 
> > Hope its not raining on your trail right now!
> ...


Yeah, me too. Going to be tough, if not impossible to find a trail now. Get a bunch of guys and look for a body.

huntin1


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## incoming (Jan 28, 2008)

Thanks. We did a search yesterday and couldn't find him. We went and checked the slough with water nearby and another slough nearby. The only other place he could be is in the middle of the wheat field. Do you think the broadhead has anything to do with the blood trail....i've been using the eastmon broadheads and last year i shot a deer and there was no blood trail but we found him 150 yds away.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

incoming said:


> Do you think the broadhead has anything to do with the blood trail....i've been using the eastmon broadheads and last year i shot a deer and there was no blood trail but we found him 150 yds away.


Doubtful.

Sounds like shot placement problems. Practice practice practice.

Any broadhead will do the job with good shot placement, heck, a field point will do the job with good shot placement. Rarely does a broadhead pick up the slack on poor hits though (except involving bone, some do better than others when impacting bone).

Practice practice practice, know your limits and be patient for the best possible shot.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

I will tell you this, if you are doubting your broadheads, then switch. So many athletic things are coincidental w/ your mental state. If you are not confident in your head then it can throw off the entire process w/out you even realizing it. Because before you even shoot, your brain is going to tell you that it isn't going to work. Failure before you even shoot. Always have confidence in your equipment.


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## incoming (Jan 28, 2008)

Ok. Yeah the blades kept breaking on the ones i had so I bought some different ones today and am going to be practicing with those.


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

if they are the heads i'm thinking of from walmart i would't shoot a gopher with one. i bought 2 packs to try and they were very dull coming out of the pack. note-to all bowhunters, please. never use a head unless the blades are new(never shot at anything). sharp blades are critical for a good bloodtrail and quick kill. to all that are wondering what kind of heads to use, first find out how easy it is to find replacement blades. there are WAY to many heads for sale at stores that do not sell the replacment blades with them which sucks.


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