What went wrong on my shot?

[2ndResponder]

I've been carrying around my bow for years now, and just got my first arrow through an animal.. and couldn't recover him. Quartering away shot on a Whitetail this morning sub 10 yards. I waited for his near leg to step forward and aimed just behind the armpit. I heard what I assume is a good thump and he bounced away crashing into some willows at 100 yards. I didn't hear him move through the willows or cross the river. I waited an hour to be safe. In the meantime I checked my arrow (picture attached). Thin layer of blood from (fixed blade) broadhead to nocks. Light red, possible bubbles but not clear. I'm confident that I hit where I was aiming and would assume that I got 1 lung, if not 2. I should have exited out of the brisket if I hit where I was aiming so maybe only 1 lung. I attempted to blood trail and hardly found any blood. The plants turning maroon right now don't help. I gridded the whole square mile and especially focused in on where I saw him go. At this point I had to call it because I have no leads. I know that archery doesn't have as much room for error as rifle hunting but I am at a loss for what to improve for next time. Can anyone tell me what I did wrong?

 

[Truaxdw]

Any hair to match arrow impact? Like brisket hair

 

[RMM]

IMO you were aiming too far forward. I always aim for opposite shoulder on a quartering shot

 

[Antares]

Any tracking dog groups in your area? Maybe check FB.

 

[ODB]

IMO you were aiming too far forward. I always aim for opposite shoulder on a quartering shot

I think so too. And possibly very deep in the chest - especially if shot from elevated,

 

[2ndResponder]

Any hair to match arrow impact? Like brisket hair

The hair was very light brown so maybe matches brisket hair.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Think about the vitals as a basketball. I always aim for my shots to go through the middle of the basketball, not a spot on the animal, per se.

This reads like you’re in front of the basketball.

 

[2ndResponder]

IMO you were aiming too far forward. I always aim for opposite shoulder on a quartering shot

I think you are right. Somehow my brain didn't take into account how sharply quartered he was.

 

[2ndResponder]

Think about the vitals as a basketball. I always aim for my shots to go through the middle of the basketball, not a spot on the animal, per se.

This reads like you’re in front of the basketball.

Good point, back to the 3d range for me.

 

[2ndResponder]

Any tracking dog groups in your area? Maybe check FB.

Good idea! I am worried that the meat is already spoiled because it was warm today. Worth a shot though

 

[2ndResponder]

Thank you everyone for your quick replies. Now I can stop feeling sorry for myself and improve my skills

 

[N2TRKYS]

Don’t get discouraged. Bad shots happen. Sometimes it’s our fault, sometimes it’s not. Good luck.

 

[rlmmarine]

Go back with a dog and see if he. Gets on the trail some times it doesnt have to be a known tracking dog and they do great. If you know someone with a beagle your probably golden

 

[2ndResponder]

Go back with a dog and see if he. Gets on the trail some times it doesnt have to be a known tracking dog and they do great. If you know someone with a beagle your probably golden

My German Shepherd ran me in circles for 2 hours so either she has a bad nose or wasn't sure what we were looking for haha!

 

[MattB]

Another thing which may be relevant is that your arrow starts out below your line of sight and raises up and will meet your 20 yard pin at about 10 yards. If the distance to the animal was much less than 10 yards, your arrow may have hit lower than you intended.

 

[Silvereagle50]

Almost any dog could possibly be a tracking dog. I once had a Boston terrier that went to deer camp with me, the wife and the daughter. He learned from seeing the deer hangin on meat pole what was up. After that he would even go out to meet any truck that came into camp and fall in behind it to smell if there was a deer in it.
That dog found one deer for us and helped on another occasion. Actually he probably would have found the deer, but I didn’t believe that the deer went where he was trying to go and I pulled him off the track.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dennis]

My thought is you might not have actually gotten into the chest cavity. Have seen shots with sharp quartering away angles basically slide along the outside of the ribs and under the front shoulder. The shot looks good and can be caused by the deer dropping and spinning at the shot. It can also be caused by aiming tight behind the near shoulder. The arrow can pass through and sort of looks like the arrow came out the center of the chest. A deer's chest is narrower in the front than behind the shoulder. Somewhere I have a picture that shows what looks like a great shot, but the arrow never actually entered the chest. The deer was only recovered because the broadhead did cut an artery under the shoulder blade. Aiming at the far shoulder or at the center of the basketball are all good suggestions. Here is a view that might help you see what I am talking about. Good luck!

 

[2ndResponder]

My thought is you might not have actually gotten into the chest cavity. Have seen shots with sharp quartering away angles basically slide along the outside of the ribs and under the front shoulder. The shot looks good and can be caused by the deer dropping and spinning at the shot. It can also be caused by aiming tight behind the near shoulder. The arrow can pass through and sort of looks like the arrow came out the center of the chest. A deer's chest is narrower in the front than behind the shoulder. Somewhere I have a picture that shows what looks like a great shot, but the arrow never actually entered the chest. The deer was only recovered because the broadhead did cut an artery under the shoulder blade. Aiming at the far shoulder or at the center of the basketball are all good suggestions. Here is a view that might help you see what I am talking about. Good luck! View attachment 327618

Thank you, that is a very good explanation! That gives me a much better understanding of where the vitals are set.

 

[Samdemarais]

Where I would aim. If you move that forward 6 “ into the triangle from that angle and you the front of the heart and lungs you could just hit muscle and brisket/chest meat

 

[Finch]

Were you in a tree or on the ground? I see white hair on your arrow. If you hit vitals, that arrow would be covered in blood. They can get cleaned off depending on exit but my first impression wouldn't have been good if I was in your shoes seeing that arrow. Kinda thinking you hit low. It sucks but it gets better. Keep at it!