# Did I Miss?



## Devilray (Jun 26, 2006)

This is my second year to bow hunt. I've shot several pigs a javelina, but this is the first time I have shot at a deer. I always hear of deer "jumping the string" I think that happened today.

I had a spike at 25yds, when I released it felt & looked high. I did not actually see the arrow strike but caught sight in mid flight. I found trail of disturbed dew and dirt for 40-50 yrds, but no blood. I also did circles to see if I could pick up any blood trail, nothing. When I have shot pigs I pick up on the trail within 10- 15 yrds at least. I think I missed, but just wanted a second opinion.


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## Hoggerjls (Jun 5, 2006)

Was there any blood on the arrow?


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## DCW (Aug 3, 2005)

you most likely missed. I always aim a bit low on a deer. They don't jump up as jumping the sting but actually duck down.


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## Devilray (Jun 26, 2006)

I did not find the arrow. I found where the arrow might have hit the ground & either buried or ricochet. 

My understanding was that "jumping the string" was an oxymoron as you described and actually a duck.

I just wanted some reassurance I did not leave a dead or wounded animal.


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## OL' LUNGBUSTER (Mar 3, 2008)

Sounds like a complete miss to me...try aiming lower next time to ensure a good hit.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Sounds like a miss. That arrow is a big sign I always look hard for it. It will also give a indication where you hit the deer if you didn't get a good view or it.


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## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

I have to agree with the wise hunters above...it was almost certainly a miss from what you have told us.

Fishin Soldier gave you some good advice...you need to look really hard for your arrows if you are not sure. It will tell the story. Todays compounds and light carbon arrows shoot so fast that is very common to not see what happened. Especailly in low light and you are looking through a peep.

If you had shot completely through the deer you would probably have found your arrow past where the deer was standing.

Every deer doesn't not leave a good blood trail, even when well hit. You can not look for 50 yards, find no blood and assume it is a miss.

Everyone does things differently, but let me tell you what I would do it your story happened to me. First, look for the arrow, even if it takes an hour....let's say the arrow can not be found no matter how hard we look.

Look for blood for the first 50 yards like you did, if none is found....I go for help. I get two or three guys from camp and we do a grid search for about 200 yards. If still nothing is found, I would probably give up and call it a miss.

One of the most important parts to recovering an animal is what you do from the second you fire to the five minutes after. Observing where the animal was hit, exactly which route it took (not just that general direction), how it acted as the arrow struck, body language as it took off, sounds as it crashes away, etc...all these things play into the recovery.

I know it is hard to concentrate because you are full of adrendline and excited....but if you can stay focused...you will have shorter searches and know how long to wait before taking up the search........good luck with the next one.


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## Charles Helm (Oct 22, 2004)

I owe Chunky some green, but I am backlogged at the moment. Much of what he says goes for rifle hunters too.


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## Soapeddler (Jun 18, 2006)

My experience, having shot hundreds of practice arrows, is that the arrow makes a distinctly different sound when it hits a deer that when it hits a target. I know I've made a solid connection when I hear that "thump" or "thwack" sound. It's easy with pigs because they squeal, but deer don't, so all you have to go on usually is the sound of the arrow hitting the deer.

So, in addition to what the others said about looking for arrows and blood, I would try to remember if I heard that distinct sound.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Chunky is exactly right I posted short because I was in a hurry. The color of blood on your arrow can help you distinguish between lungs, heart, brisket, or guts. Pink frothy blood=lungs, Lots of timesthere will be bubbles on your fletchings. Dark thick blood usually means heart. Bile, and bad smell is the gut. There are always exceptions to all for that but your arrow is always the best start. Remember arrows can hit the grass and travel a ways under the carpet. If your arrow didn't exit cleanly you will probably see it in the deer as he runs off. Also, like SP stated the sound is very distinct of deer or soil. Hope this all helps and eases your mind. 

Quick story My second deer with bow I was 13 and I shot a doe double lung. She ran off quickl Found my arrow and what looked like buckets of blood then it started to trickle off. I backed off and waited an hr then picked up trail again. I lost blood about 20 yards later. Went got step-dad and buddy. We searched on hands and knees finding "Specks" of blood. Like size of pin head. All the while step-dad questioning me you sure you hit her double lung? I was adiment (sp) yes! Well long story short we found her 200 yards past that I had cut one lung in half and the top part clogged up the hole. When I opened up that cavity I think every bit of her blood had filled that chest cavity. Sometimes it is all perfect. I have also had deer take the arrow and never run just start walking off and 40 yards later start that leg wobble and crash in the trail. Its all differant. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. With bowhunting any little variable can change the outcome drastically.


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## Whitecrow (May 26, 2004)

Really need the arrow to tell for sure if it was a hit or miss, but a high hit can result in absolutely no blood trail at all. When I first started bowhunting, I hunted off the ground a lot and even a high lung hit would produce very slight or nonexistent blood trails. I like sitting up high so my exit wounds are low enough for blood to exit the body.


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