2010 Opener: Lost Arrow and Lost Buck

[8uck5nort]

Ok. Got my wish today. About 45 minutes before dark I had two nice bucks come within 15 to 20 yards of my stand. I saw them in plenty of time as they were sparring with each other on the trail I had set up. Could not ask for a better opportunity. My only mistake I can recall is I did not try and stop the bucks as they passed through my shooting lane. I settled my 20 yard pin in the lane and let the buck walk into it. I let loose with what I thought was a pretty good shot. The buck took off like a scalded cat circling back to the place from where it came, but I never actually saw it go down. The other buck took off as well but didn't take the same path.

Got down and started searching for my arrow, but could not find it. I didn't see it sticking out of the deer, but it turned the impact side away from me when it ran. I waited 15 minutes or so and then gave a search of them immediate area for any blood sign and found none. Now I have no arrow and no deer. I decided to back out and come home for the evening. I'll look tomorrow morning. We have our first frost warnings so it should stay cold enough to keep the deer if it did go down and I just didn't see it. Or I gut shot it and I'll need to walk the ditch banks and scout the water holes.

[Patriot]

Any idea at all where the arrow hit? 
 
My buddy Rick double lunged a nice buck last weekend.  First blood wasn't located until 50 yards up the trail.
 
My advice is to bring an experienced buddy/tracker with you tomorrow.  TAKE YOUR TIME.  Get on hands and knees if you have to.
 
Keep us posted.  Good luck to you!!

[MAXELM]

Last year I arrowed an 8 point with about 15 minutes of shooting time left one October evening. Like your situation the buck was walking, and the hit was a little high and just a little back. I watched where the deer went and got down after dark to look at the last place I saw him before he went into some weeds. I found no blood and I left the area, and returned the next morning at first light. I walked from where I last seen the buck and followed a well used trail after about 150 yards I came across the buck. He was dead in his last bed and the arrow still in him, well I dressed him and it was a good liver shot, also there was no exit wound also the meat was good. This deer went, I would say about 300 yards total from where it was arrowed and I didn't sleep too well that night, from what I remember. One thing about this is, I saw the arrow in the deer when he ran off and after all the tracking, I never found one drop of blood. So give it your best to find the deer and good luck to you.....

[8uck5nort]

Update.

Got my brother and cousinout to help search. We spent three hours and eventually found the arrow about 40 yards along the path the deer had taken. However, Mother Nature did not served up frost last night. We got rain with the passage of a cold front. Frost is forecast for tonight.

The arrow was clean. One lone white hair was found stuck to one of the vanes. No blood, no tallow, no undigested stomach contents were found.

I got on up in my stand and directed my searchers to the point of las sighting. Got doan joined them and we fanned out from there. Nothing.

We searched the ditch banks. Nothing. We got ahold of the neighboring farms who had any kind water and let them know to be on the lookout for a wounded or dead buck around their ponds. Some of them had been out already and said they had seen nothing.

With no directio to even began to track I called it off. I will be back in the stand again tonight. I bough some luminocks on the way home . It will not help with shotplacement, but at least I'll have a better visual clue to hwere my arrow ends up after dark.