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Understanding Injuries
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  • I hit a doe in the dead spot under the spine; will she die?
    jonah from NC asks:
    i shot a doe last saturday i saw the arrow stick i her i think above the lungs but below the spine where the "deadspot" is we tracked her for about 150 yards good blood but no deer idk why do you think she will live? or die also if a 6 point was hit by a car and was on your property would you take him to piut him out of his missery or let coyotes take him down in the spring? hes limping bad and his jaws like 5 times its regular size!!!he can barely eat also
    Winke Responds:
    Jonah, If you hit that spot, she will likely live. I have seen it happen a few times. They seem no worse for wear. You need to check the regulations. You can't shoot a deer in Iowa, for example, that you don't intend to tag. Guys have been ticketed for mercy killings in the past. You might also be amazed by how resilient they are and what they can recover from. If you want the deer and have a tag, go for it. If it is mercy killing then I would say you better not shoot. Good luck. Merry Christmas. (12-22-11)
  • I dropped a doe with my muzzleloader but she crawled off and then got up and I can't find any sign of the hit (no blood trail). Will she die?
    Kyle from KY asks:
    I recently shot a doe while hunting froma ground blind. When hit she jumped immediately dropped to the ground in what I would refer to as a flop. Before I could get the muzzleloader reloaded she attempted to get up and could not. She crawled into the woods on her belly and appeared to be unable to use her back legs. Will the deer survive? I was unable to loact any blood trail or sign of the hit and only have her behavior to know I hit her.
    Winke Responds:
    Kyle, It sure sounds like you hit her very high above the shoulders and shocked her spine by hitting close to it (again, I am guessing above). It would likely say that since it is probably a flesh wound she will survive. Merry Christmas (12-19-11)
  • Do you think that a hard quartering toward shot can be ethical?
    Cory from WI asks:
    Hey bill!! love the show! I've been following you for years. It's pretty amazing how your shows have changed over the years. Awesome! My question has to do with shot selection. Over the past few years I have had opportunities at old mature deer. I get one chance a year if i'm lucky and i want to make it count without wounding deer. Is it an ethical shot to shoot a hard quartering towards deer in front of the shoulder leading back into the vitals? I have had 2 different bucks come in and both were quartering towards leaving only a shot just in front of the shoulder leading back into the vitals. I passed on both shots not knowing if it would be a kill shot or not. I shoot 70 lbs and shoot an easton axis arrow with fixed blades. My bow is not the fastest bow but both deer were only 15 yards away. Thanks for any help.
    Winke Responds:
    Cory, I believe that would have worked for you. I have killed many deer that way. It is not a shot for everyone as you have to understand the anatomy well enough to know exactly where to aim. It is critical in this shot that you are focusing on where you want the exit hole to be and then adjusting your aim point accordingly. If you do it the other way you are more likely to miss the vitals. Make sure you get at least one lung and the liver. That is ideal. Do not take the shot if you are likely to only get one lung and not the liver. Be very sure on that before you release the string. Good luck. (12-8-11)
  • Shot a buck through lung and liver and he went 1,000 yards before we found him.
    Todd from IN asks:
    Bill, I saw a post down further that stated he thought he got liver and one lung. I just had the same thing happen to me with a better ending. I knew the shot was back but the deer was quartering away at 34 yards. I waited three hours to track. We found the arrow with dark red blood but the blood trail was very difficult. He went over 800 yards before he bedded. I jumped him up and my buddies saw him walking real slow towards our lease. We let him go overnight and found him the next morning. I Google earthed him and he went 1000 yards. I had cut the bottom of the liver and one lung. Great show!!
    Winke Responds:
    Todd, Man, that is a long ways for the buck to go. I am very surprised he went that far without bedding. Your persistence really paid off on that one. I am very impressed and you should be very proud not only of the buck but the tracking job. Congrats. (12-5-11)
  • Hit a buck back I think; he got away. What do you think happened?
    Joe from WI asks:
    Bill, Very informative website. Last Friday I shot a good buck but was unable to recover the animal. The shot was 36 yards broadside. My initial reaction to the shot was too far back. I stayed on stand for two hours then left the woods. Came back in afternoon to track. Found arrow right away..dark red blood. 40 yards after shot he stopped where there was dark red blood...with bubbles. We had snow on the ground and were able to track blood for about 80 yards..very little blood. I searched for two and half days...I was thinking 1 lung with liver. No exit wound. I hate the fact that I wounded him...what do you think?
    Winke Responds:
    Joe, Not one lung with liver. You would have found him. There are exceptions, but it is very hard to run an arrow through the body cavity of a deer and not kill it. I am not sure what happened on that one. I suppose it is possible you hit part of a lung and the edge of the liver or something like that, but I still think that would have killed him within a couple of hours and normally within about 100 yards or so. He would have laid down fairly quickly. That is a strange one. It is also one of the reasons I like video. Sometimes your eye can fool you, but the video doesn't lie. Would be intersesting to know what you hit. If I had to guess I would say it was a high hit. Sorry to hear about it though. Good luck. (11-17-11)
  • Will hitting a buck high in the the back affect his antler size the next year?
    Josiah from IL asks:
    Bill, on the second of october i shot a buck that i had been watcing all summer. Unfortunately the hit was high through the back. The deer is ok, he has been seen chasing does. He is a main frame 6x5 probably in the high 180's. My question is i think he healed well but will the hit affect his rack the following year? I really hope i have not screwed him up for someone else down the road.I really enjoy the professional manner that you run this site with it has been a pleasure watching you.Thanks for your time, Josiah.
    Winke Responds:
    Josiah, I doubt it. You really need to jar or break a bone or joint to have that kind of affect. I hit the G5 Buck high last year and he came back a lot bigger this year so the one you are after should be just fine. I am sure it didn't hurt the rack. Good luck. (11-16-11)
  • I hit a buck, he fell but before I could get to him he jumped up and ran off; very little blood. Have you heard of anything like that before?
    Matt from WI asks:
    First off, I just want to say that I love your videos and blog and look at it every day. Ok so my question is this: I was hunting last Monday evening (11/7/11) in central Wisconsin when I had a nice 8-pointer come to a bleat. I had an open 40 yard broadside shot so I took it. The buck tipped over motionless when I hit him. He didn't move at all for a good 30 to 45 seconds. I climbed down my ladder and as soon as I took a step towards him he popped up and took off running but he was running very badly. I went to the spot where he was laying and found about 5" of my carbon arrow shaft with my broadhead, the remainder of the arrow was in the deer as it ran off. We tracked for hours and hours and had a very thin blood trail. We never were to recover the buck. Everything happened so fast, but I thought I put a good shot on him. I am wondering if you have ever heard of such a story. My only theory is that he ducked the string and I hit him high and close enough to the sp
    Winke Responds:
    Matt, I think you hit him a bit high, just under the spine and shocked his spine. Deer can recover from that and the high hit is not enough to cause much bleeding or to kill the buck (in most cases). That would also explain why the broadhead portion of the arrow was there. I am thinking you got less than full penetration (from hitting the back strap and heavy tissue of the high hit) and he broke it off when he went down. My guess, the buck will reocover fully. Tough break, but I do think that is a live deer. Good luck. (11-15-11)
  • One of the guys in our party shot a buck in the shoulder. Not much blood and the arrow came out. Do you think he killed it?
    John from WI asks:
    This weekend someone in our party shot a buck quartering to directly in the shoulder. There was a loud crunch and alot of arrow sticking out as it ran off. 15 yard shot from a 15 foot ladder stand. There was not much penetration but the blood was enough to follow and half the woods is standing water so every 5 feet it went from wet to dry and back again. Around 100 yards we started to see some really good blood, the deer zig zagged 3 times quickly and right after that we found the arrow in one piece and with the blades closed. The broadhead was very clean but when opened has blood and some meet under the blades. We had 10 inches of blood pretty solid on the arrow and some splashings covering the rest. We lost the trail just yards after we found the arrow. No one thought the deer could be dead, but im not convinced. Im just wondering if we do a body search or if this deer just has a bit of a limp. Have you ever seen an arrow penetrate in and back around the shoulder in one piece and
    Winke Responds:
    John, Ten inches is a lot of penetration if it went into the chest. My guess is that it did not go into the chest or if it did, it went in at a sharp angle. It is possible the arrow got one lung and the deer will die. If it didn't get one lung, you are probably right, he will just have a limp and then likely recover. The fact that the arrow came out in one piece tells me it wasn't embedded into anything too solid. Not sure what to make of it exactly. I hate to guess, but a quartering toward shoulder shot sounds like a glancing hit to me with the penetration being into muscle and maybe along the ribs. The meat under the blades also seems to suppor that. I would definitely try the carcass search in case it got into one lung, but I am guessing not. Good luck. (11-23-11)
  • Hit a buck high in the shoulder; will this kill him?
    Curtis from IA asks:
    What an awesome story, thanks for sharing and congrats! You mentioned high hits again today and this is my question. I hit a monster Sunday morning. He was quartering away and at 40 yards I hit him right behind the scapula. On video I watched him walk with the arrow in him. Every time he stepped the arrow would push up and spread the wound open. We tracked and didn't find him or the arrow. If he doesn't get the arrow out will he die. I would guess about 4 inches of penetration. He can't reach it with his mouth because it was sticking almost straight up from the scapula pushing it. Thanks
    Winke Responds:
    Curtis, He will get that arrow out eventually. Otherwise, I suspect he will break the arrow off on a tree or some brush. I doubt he will die as a result of the hit unless some dirt gets into the wound and it gets infected. They are pretty tough. Good luck. (11-21-11)
  • I hit a deer that stopped bleeding, bright red blood. He finally stopped bleeding. Do you think he will live?
    aaron from PA asks:
    i hit a buck with a bow dont no where tracked it about 1/4 mile give or take a little and it was bleeding good bright red blood at the begining and it slowed down the longer we went. it went up small hills no steep ones and it climed up a small rock ledge and bedded on top of it there were a few times he blow out a couple blood clots after he bedded down we could not find no more blood do you think he will live (never saw him either)
    Winke Responds:
    Aaron, That sounds to me like a muscle hit. I would say he will live. They can sometimes die of infection, but arrows are fairly clean compared to antler tines and thus the risk of infection is lessened. However, that is just a guess on my part, but it has the sound of a muscle hit to me. Good luck. (11-11-11)
  • How long will a buck live with a broken front leg?
    Zach from IA asks:
    How long can a buck live with a broken front leg? Well my new number 1 hitlist buck has changed. I have a large yard with about an acre of timber that runs out of a state wildlife preserve. I have had a couple sightings of this monster 10 pointer in my yard. today at 1:30 in the afternoon he actually walked across my yard. He has made a couple of large rubs in my timber whereabout 8 does bed just about every day. Today I did notice, however, his front right leg is completely broke. He barely puts any pressure on it and he actually fell to the ground a couple times when he walked across my yard. I was wondering if he could make it through this winter without dying and maybe the rest of his life? Thanks!
    Winke Responds:
    Zach, Some of them recover and some of them die, depending on the severity of the winter, the number of coyotes and whether the break is compound and gets infected. Either way, he will likely last a while longer so you should try to kill him if at all possible. Next year he will have a mess up rack - almost guaranteed. Good luck getting this buck. (11-17-11)
  • Hit a buck a bit high and a bit far back; good blood but no buck. Any idea what happened?
    Brian from WI asks:
    Hi Bill. I just can't get enough of MWW. Better than any show on cable. Anyways, I hit a nice 8-point buck a little high and back at a broadside shot at 15 yards. His hind legs bucked up and then he ran 75 yards and stopped and just stood there for a few minutes. Then I heard him run full speed until I couldn't here him any more. The arrow was saturated in blood and where he stood was a two foot round puddle of blood. We have searched the woods for two days now and can't find him. I was hunting in the National Forest in Northern Wisconsin. Any guess what happened and or suggestions of what to do next?
    Winke Responds:
    Brian, Sure sounds like you killed him, but there is a spot there that is non-fatal, so it is possible that you hit the no-man's land just under the spine. It happens and that is a very frustrating hit. If you hit him there, the odds favor a full recovery. That is your best hope now. Good luck and keep your chin up. (11-16-11)
  • Hit a buck high in shoulder; will he survive?
    Rusty from AL asks:
    I shot a big buck last Monday in Northeast Missouri and I thik I hit him high in theshoulder. The arrow penetrated 7-8 inches and broke off in the buck. I found zero blood and looked for him for two days with no results. Do you think this deer will survive or is he dead?
    Winke Responds:
    Rusty, I believe he will survive. The main cause of death now would be infection. It can happen but an arrow is pretty clean compared to other things they encounter in nature (like an antler tine). Sorry to hear of the problem. (11-8-11)
  • My dad hit a big one low behind the heart; is this a lethal hit?
    Joe from WI asks:
    Hey Bill, quick question about a deer hit. My dad shot a world class buck yesterday morning(Sunday Nov 6th). The buck was quartering away slightly and it hit him about 4 or 5 inches back from what a heart shot would be. we tracked him about 200 yards and jumped him another 200. we let him sit for about 4 hours (8 hours from being shot) and jumped him again. He was still bleeding at this point and we know where he ran into. Any advice on what we should do or if that is even a lethal hit?
    Winke Responds:
    Joe, There is a spot behind the heart and under the lungs where it is not a qiuck kill. My gut says he is dead but it is possible that you hit a non-lethal spot if it was low enough. I still say he is likely dead. Treat it like a paunch hit. Good luck. (11-7-11)
  • I hit a buck in the shoulder blade; will he survive? Will he come back to the same area?
    Josh from WI asks:
    Hey Bill,love your show and website try to soak up as much info you give as possible. Well I can definatly say things have cranked up a notch up here in northwest Wi. in the past few days. I had an encounter with a 150" ten the other night and could'nt get a shot,and have seen numerous 150" to 180" deer out in the fields shining at night.Then last night i hit about a 140" eight pointer, but after hours and hours of tracking could not find it. Found my broken off arrow and very little blood, I think I hit it in the shoulder blade. So here's my question. Do deer survive a hit like this, because i'm absolutly sick to my stomach about it, and will they come back in the area where they were hit? Thanks Bill, all the wisdom you share is very much appreciated.
    Winke Responds:
    Josh, Sorry to hear of it, but yes they can definitely survive this hit. I would say that many more survive it than die from it unless you get a lot of penetration. I doubt he will come back there any time soon. That has been my experience. I would look for him elsewhere or find a different buck. He may be back by late season or by next year, but likely he will give the area a wide berth this year. Good luck. (11-6-11)
  • Hit a giant buck back, what are my chances of finding him?
    Curtis from IA asks:
    In your experience do I have a chance? On my first day out I rushed a shot on a 160-170 class typical 10 pt. buck I couldn't get stopped from walking. I shot him low and a ways back, the intestines. After I shot him he just walked very slow for 30 mins and thought he layed down. I left and came back 10 hours later in hopes to find him but no success. I had a small blood trail of 200 yds. I have 2 years of history with him along with sheds from last year and this is the first year I got day light photos of him. I have great neighbors who will help. Combined we have aprox. 1000 acres of land. My arrow have very fine food residue and white hair. He also walked right to a fence and changed directions, I think he was in some pain
    Winke Responds:
    Curtis, I realize this may be a few days late but I think he is dead. If you cut the intestines, they almost always die within a day or two. Sorry about the poor hit. I sure hope you find him. Good luck. (11-5-11)
  • Will a buck recover from a single lung hit?
    Husky from PA asks:
    I hit a 150 class buck high behind the shoulder and only hit 1 lung. Had heavy blood for almost 500 yds w air bubbles in it. Then just like that nothing. That was Oct 5th. I searched countless hrs and took 10 guys up that Sat the 8th and nothing. Question is can this buck recover from that? I dont thk so. Cant bring myself to hunt again this season. Great show and awesome website. Thanks Husky
    Winke Responds:
    Husky, They have been known to recover from it. I have personally seen it happen more than once, so there is some hope. If you looked far and wide and didn't find him, you have to assume the best. It does really suck. I know the feeling and don't have any good advice for you. After a few days you will start to move on. Stick it out. Good luck. (10-30-11)
  • My ffriend hit a buck and probably got just one lung. We didn't find him. What can you tell me about single lung hits?
    Andy from IA asks:
    Hi Bill, We are having trouble recovering a deer my friend shot. He thought he made a perfect shot, it passed clean through. There was a lot of blood and a lot of bubbles in the blood. But the deer is still going (we think, it was 9 hours after it was shot anyway). The shot was at a fairly steep angle and we are thinking maybe it hit one lung but not the other. Any thoughts on if one lung is going to be enough? Obviously it missed the heart passing through the chest cavity. Any info might be helpful as we resume searching today. Thanks, Andy
    Winke Responds:
    Andy, I have seen single lung hit bucks survive and I have seen them die a couple of days later. I think it depends on exactly where it hits the lung and maybe even if the buck is exhaling or inhaling. You need to go back and search any areas you didn't look the first time (hit everything within 1/3 mile - look in places like CRP fields, etc.). That would be my advice. If you don't find him, you have to assume he survived. It is possible. Good luck (10-30-11)
  • It is a better ot have a pass-through or have the arrow stay in the animal?
    Jon from PA asks:
    When hunting whitetails what is better, a complete pass through of the arrow, or the arrow to actually stick in the deer? Every deer I have shot has been a complete pass through and when I watch shows it seems like most arrows stick in the deer. I pull 70lbs is this too much?
    Winke Responds:
    Jon, A complete pass-through is better for sure. You get two holes and two places for the blood to come out and create a good blood trail. I know there were some who felt it was best for the head to stay in there and keep working, but I would rather have it take out everything it can and then give me a second hole for the blood trail. I would not change a thing. Good luck.
  • Shot a deer on opening day with what seemed like a good hit; blood tapered off. Where do you think I hit it and will the deer survive?
    kaleb from MI asks:
    I hit a deer on opening day and thought that I hit it good, but just to be sure we waited awile. When we picked up the trail there was good lung blood,but after about 200 yards it began to taper off to not so good looking blood but sometimes we would get a little lung blood. We think that I hit it a little far up in the shoulder. would this be a good guess and what are our chances of finding this deer? Also my arrow penetraded about 6 inches and the brodhead is still in it.
    Winke Responds:
    Kaleb, Six inches of penetraion high in the shoulder may not have killed the deer. If you did get a single lung, then you may have killed it, but if not, I would say the deer will recover. Good luck.
  • I hit a deer and the bolt didn't have blood on it, just hair and membrane. What do you think caused this?
    Jerry from NC asks:
    Bill, I shot a doe this weekend which I thought was a good shot. There wasn't blood on the bolt (crossbow), but hair on the fletching and membrane on the bolt. I looked for blood didn't find any was about to give up. Then 10 yards from where I shot I found blood. Tracked for 300 yards after letting deer sit for 3 hours. Along the tracking job, there were 3-4 places where blood was just spewing. The blood was bright red so seemed like it would be a lethal wound. What's your take on this? I tracked 150 yds. on to neighbor's property, and got permission to go there, then went to another property. I honestly ran out of time to track as I had spent 3 hours tracking the deer through THICK stuff. Just want to make sure it doesn't happen again. I assume if the shot is perfect then a deer won't go 300 yds? What's the farthest a deer will go on a good shot?
    Winke Responds:
    Jerry, Sounds like a muscle hit. If the arrow wasn't covered with blood or other matter, it didn't go through the body cavity so that means some kind of muscle hit. I am not sure what the membrane could have been (muscle fiber?, fat?). I would want to know about that. I have seen muscle hit and brisket hit (lots of fat on the arrow) deer leave some pretty funky blood trails. The farthest I have seen one go on a good hit was about 200 yards. Usually, it is much less. I once had a guide who was a veteran of thousands of blood trails once tell me that when they go past 250 yards the hope of recovery drops off fast. Good luck.
  • Agrees that one inch cutting heads can be lethal, produce less shock to the animal so they don't run as far.
    Tracy from IA asks:
    Hi Bill, just a comment for the guy asking about the 1" cutting diameter broadheads. I agree that they may not be as effective on paunch-type hits, but with a good hit they are extremely lethal. I used Rocky Mountain Turbo's one year, with a 1" diameter, and shot a buck with them, and it was the shortest tracking job I've ever had - he ran about 50 yards and fell over dead. My theory is that they can actually be more effective than broadheads with large cutting diameters on good hits, as they don't cause as much shock to the animal on impact, and so they don't run as far. Could be wrong, but it makes sense in theory anyway. Tracy
    Winke Responds:
    Tracy, You may have something there Tracy. There is no question that a small head will slip through with less shock. However, when it comes to sheer killing power, the big heads will do better, all things equal. In other words, if you can get the penetration on poor hits to heavy tissue with the large heads, they are definitely the choice. The only problem is that you can't. So there will always be tradeoffs. Personally, I like the more conservative end of the tradeoff spectrum. Others have other ideas. That is fun of archery, lots of ways to personalize. Good luck and thanks for the thoughts.
  • My dad's friend shot a 160s buck high and a bit back. We tracked him 500 yards. Do you think he is still alive?
    kaden from IA asks:
    Hey Bill, My dads friend shot a buck on our farm this year that was in the 160's. He shot high and a little back. We tracked him for about 500yds, and he never bedded down. There wasn't alot of blood because of the high hit. Do you think the deer is still alive?
    Winke Responds:
    Kaden, I think it is a coin toss. They can die later, for sure. However, we have seen first hand that many bucks can easily survive a high hit and never lose a step. They are tough. So, I would say 50-50 on that one.
  • I hit a buck three weeks ago in the back ham. Not much blood, trailed him for 700 yards. Do you think he is dead?
    Daniel from MO asks:
    I shot the biggest buck i've had in bow range a about 3 weeks ago but i couldn't find him.I shot him at ten yards on the ground but he took off running as soon as squeezed the release and i hit him in the rump.There was good blood for about 150 yards but after that is barely any blood and we tracked for about 700 yards which there mostly tiny specks and couldn't find even a speck of blood after that.Do you think he'd live?It's 190" class deer so it gets to me every day.Also i love your show.Thank You
    Winke Responds:
    Daniel, The only thing that will kill that deer, if he dies, is infection. Compared to the other things that gore and gash deer in the wild (like antlers from other bucks) an arrow is very clean and not likely to present as much of an infection risk. However, it is impossible to know for sure. Assume the best. I am going to say he is still alive.
  • Hit a buck with what looked like a great shot and have not been able to find him. Where do you think I hit him?
    Dan from MO asks:
    Shot a buck the other day and for the life of me I can't understand why I didn't recover this deer (YET!!). Came in about 40 yards which I'm comfortable shooting that distance. Just slightly quartering to. Let it fly and saw the arrow go in his shoulder area (complete pass through). He ran like 20 yds, stopped then swayed back and forth as like he was gonna fall over. He then just walks off. Found my arrow which had good red blood tip to tip. No foul odors so I didnt' his paunch/guts. Good bright red blood trial from the impact sight. Its was almost 2 hrs before I started to track. Basically a walking blood trail for like 400 yards. Several spots of like dinner plate sized pools of blood. Found 2 beds after about 400 yards. After he left his bed I found one dime sized drop about 20 yards away and that was it. Did a carcass search and as of yet turned up nothing. Still gonna look for him but in my mind he is a dead deer. Where do you believe I hit this deer? Heven't lost a deer for over
    Winke Responds:
    Dan, I have had some very stranges ones over the years that I couldn't explain myself. I once hit a buck in MT on camera that looked like a center punch liver. We tracked him a good long ways, then got a group of guys together and tried to round him up. He was alive and well, running out across the open country when we last saw him a day later. Very strange. If it was not a video, I would not have believed it. If I had to guess from your description, you probably got the back of the nearside lung and slid between the liver and the off-side lung. That may or may not kill the buck depending on many things (his health, infection, exact place of hit, etc.). Good luck.
  • Shot a buck with only one antler and a broadhead wound; did the broadhead wound cause the other antler to be stunted?
    Alex from WI asks:
    First I want to say MWW is by far the best site on the entire internet. Bar none. im only 18 and i feel like I have 20 years of hunting expierence under my belt. keep up the good work! I have a tricky one... On thanksgiving morning during the Wisconsin gun deer I shot a would be 10 point buck but it seems the left antler never grew the past spring. As I was field dressing it, I found a broadhead that was located on the right side of the deer on the opposite side where the anter did not grow. The arrow seemed to have penetraded near the spine above the lungs but did not hit any vitals. Do you think the arrow wound and the stunted antler on the opposite side have any correlation? Thx, Alex
    Winke Responds:
    Alex, That would be my guess. It is proven that serious wound will have affects on the antlers the next year and I am certain that one near the spine would certainly qualify as a serious wound with some nerve response. Congrats on the buck, by the way!
  • Got a lot of blood but no deer; do you think it was a flesh wound?
    Sam from WI asks:
    Hi bill, I recently shot a little 8 pointer 15 yds broadside down a hill and couldnt recover the deer. The arrow was coated in blood and it looked like a bucket of red paint on a nearby tree. I thought it was a slam dunk and backed out for a few hours. When i came back with some help we only found two drops of blood on the ground and never found or jumped the deer. What we came to was that the extreme angle of the hill rendered my arrow only hitting flesh and nothing vital. What do u think happened?
    Winke Responds:
    Sam, Usually you don't get that much blood from a flesh wound. My guess is that it was a low hit near the brisket. Those can produce a lot of blood but no deer. Good luck.
  • Got a deflection and found white hair, non-bloody arrow. Where did I likely hit him? Will he come back?
    brent from KY asks:
    After getting down and looking for a deer I had shot, I reallized I hit a small limb also. I found white hair, small piece of bone, and nonbloody meat. It looked like meat that is on back of hide when skinned. Found not one speck of blood anywhere. I think limb made shot just glaze him low. What is your take? He came in after rattling in hot area. Any chances of seeing him again
    Winke Responds:
    Brent, Tough luck. the white hair suggests a low hit, probably brisket area. Could have also been the inside of a leg. If he was resident buck (and not just passing through) you may see him again, but he may be shy of that stand if he knows what happened. I would try to hunt him elsewhere in the same general area. Good luck.
  • Shot a buck that was facing me at 8 yards and didn't find him. What do you think happened?
    Jim from IA asks:
    Bill, i shot a buck at 8 yrds facing me, i shot him between the neck and shoulder. i waited an hour before doing any tracking we had good blood for 75 yards and then spoty for 100 yards probablly. We started to search the farm and found a deer limping and what seemed to be trying to lay dwn by a tree. it was dark so we decided to backoff till morning. We went back to that exact tree and no deer and no blood. We grided the farm for 3 hours and no buck. I never found my arrow either. what do you think? P.S. love the show watch it all year and every episode on yours and the iowa shows
    Winke Responds:
    Jim, I am guessing that you killed him. Not sure why he wasn't in that bed by the tree. I would say from the shot angle (assuming you were in a tree stand) that you may have only gotten one lung. It is always hard to tell exactly where the arrow went at such close range because it gets there so soon. If the arrow truly did go where you think it went, my gut tells me he is dead. Good luck.
  • I hit a buck in the shoulder in heavy rain and got 12 inches of penetration. With no blood trail, I never found him. Do you think he died?
    Josh from MO asks:
    Hey Bill love the website! My question. On Friday morning Nov 12 in the pouring rain, so no blood! I arrowed a 140 class 10 point that i have been hunting for two weeks now. I thought it was a chip shot at 40 yards held tight to the shoulder but my arrow only went in 12 inches and broke off. i think a direct shoulder hit. im shooting a mathews switchback 70 lbs. easton epic 340 and 100 grain slicktrick with new blades, searched all day hard cant find him. gun opener is tomorrow and this peace of public gets pounded by gun hunters so cant really search for him tomorrow. so do you think he died or by some chance live? Thank you for your time.
    Winke Responds:
    Josh, If you hit the shoulder and got 12 inches of penetration one would think that you killed him. That should have resulted in a double lung hit and an easy recovery. You may have hit him a bit high or else you would have found him quickly. If it was a high hit, there is about a 50-50 chance that you killed him. Some high hits result in a single lung hit while others in that area are simply above the spine (it dips slightly in the shoulder area) and the deer recovers. Hopefully it was just a non-vital hit. Good luck.
  • Hit a buck in the hams and lost him; will he survive? What could I have done differently?
    Chris from MO asks:
    I hit a buck yesterday in the back hams. I bleated to stop him and at the moment of release he stepped forward as he was following a doe. My arrow was completely in tact and covered to the nock in blood. As he stayed on the trail of the doe I could see blood running out and down his hind leg. Waited 4 hours to start trailing and jumped him in a creek. Went back 4 hours later and tracked him to a pond in which I jumped him a second time. This was approx 1/2 mile from original spot that I shot him. The first 100 yards was paint bucket blood then a fairly decent blood trail which had air bubbles in it which was suprising based on the hit. I guess my question would be do you think this deer will survive? If I would have left him for 24 hours would I have found him in his first bed? Just curious if you have ever had a similar circumstance and your opinion. Thanks! Chris
    Winke Responds:
    Chris, I don't know whether he will survive. They can die from wounds like that over time due to infection or from a tough winter and even from being weakened and having another buck come and kill them. It is a coin toss, unfortunately. Typically, on pure muscle hit deer, leaving them will not increase your chances. With pure muscle hit deer, the best strategy is to get on them fast and hard and try to run them down (they tire easier and you can sometimes get a second shot). Obviously on an evening hit that is not possible. If you had gone after him right away and stayed with him when the blood was flowing well, you might have gotten him, but there is no guarantee of that either. That is what I would have done in that situation.
  • Had a marginal hit, buck running on three legs; any idea where I might have hit him?
    Jim from MI asks:
    Bill, just wondering if I may pick your brain about a bad hit on a buck. Three days ago I had a nice 3 1/2 buck follow a doe into my shooting range (crossbow/25yds). The doe was feeding on acorns not paying much attention to him and she walked behind me as the buck approached my shooting lane. As soon as he got past two good-sized maple trees he picked me off (20 ft) in my tree. He was slightly quartering to me and I let the arrow fly. I didn't see where I hit the deer at, but I had the dot/pin behind his shoulder. He carried his entry side front leg as he was running away. He ran off on 3 legs. I got a pass-thru and had white hair, fat, & blood on my arrow. Followed good blood for 350 yards, then it petered out. It rained an hour after I shot him, so I couldn't give it too much time before getting onto the blood trail. Never found the deer. Any ideas where I may have hit him?
    Winke Responds:
    Jim, My guess is that the arrow hit the leg and then cut the brisket. That would account for the long but good blood trail. Those brisket hit deer can leave a really good blood trail but then not die. Just a guess, but I would say he is still alive.
  • How can a good blood trail just stop?
    Jamie from IN asks:
    Bill. First of all i have to say i never miss an episode. I am a self taught hunter, and discovering your show has helped me so much. Last year during early bow season my girlfriend shot a doe with her bow. The dow kind of jumped a bit then trotted a short distance, stopped and looked around, then she began limping hard core. The doe then trotted off. We waited over an hour to track. There was some good blood here and there for about 150 yards then it just stopped. This last saturday i had the same problem. I think i hit my doe a little low, but the blood was good and the last drop i found was about a half inch in diameter then there was just no more blood. I tracked her for almost 200 yards with a constant flow of blood out of both sides. How can the blood just stop?
    Winke Responds:
    Jamie, I really appreciate your support. Thanks. Not sure on her hit, leg I guess. Yours sounds like a brisket hit. I have made a couple of those over the years and they leave a great blood trail at first but then they just stop. I think that area clots quickly, or something. Because all of a sudden it is just gone. Usually you find a chunk or two of coagulated blood before it stops. When you see that, you pretty much know you are in trouble. Good luck.
  • I hit a branch and deflected my arrow into the back part of the animal; what do you think I hit?
    Tim from MN asks:
    mr winke, i shot a nice buck last weekend but due to a twig deflecting my arrow he was hit near the rear end. i have heard of many deer bleeding well and dying because of shots like this but all i found was my busted arrow and one very small portion of blood and what looked like a white fat making it virtually impossible to track i began making circles from where i found my arrow and searched for hours and found no more sign, any thoughts as to where i might have hit this deer and why there was no sign?
    Winke Responds:
    Tim, That is too bad. Sorry to hear. You probably only caused a flesh wound in an area with little blood flow. I am not sure exactly where that would be, but possibly somewhere along the back of the ham. It is really hard to tell from only the sign found so really almost anything might have happened. Obviously, you didn't hit the femoral or make a body cavity hit or the deer would have bled out fast in the first case and the arrow never would have broken in the latter case. My guess is that he will recover given this limited information.
  • How fcan you find a deer without a blood trail?
    Tristin from IN asks:
    What are some clues to find your wounded deer when there is no blood?
    Winke Responds:
    Tristin, It gets really tough when there is no blood. When that happens you may be able to trail a short distance on tracks if the ground is soft. After that, about all you have to go by is a grid search, where you break up the area into manageable sized chunks and then search each chunk very thoroughly before moving on to the next one. Typically, a broadhead will produce at least a decent blood trail for any fatal hit, but that is not always the case. Sometimes you have to look for the animal - just don't give up on the blood trail until there is absolutely no hope of finding the next spot. Good luck.
  • I am in a bad slump - hunting depression disorder - after losing a deer last season. Can you help me?
    Jimmy from MO asks:
    Bill, I said before that you were in my top three favorite writers but if you help me here you would be the clear leader. I am in a terrible slump the last couple years. I have lost a few deer after what seemed like perfect hits. Last year a doe was about 5 yards closer than I thought ( I thought 23yds she was 18) and my arrow side to side was tight to the shoulder, but a little high. After two days of tracking no doe. That was early in the season last year and since the wind has been knocked out of me. Maybe "hunting depression disorder." Can you shed some light as to why this shot was not as lethal as I thought, and how to beat the mental funk it put me in? I have had other bad luck prior, but this one broke the camels back. Thank You So Much. Jimmy
    Winke Responds:
    Jimmy - you're killing me with this top 3 stuff. You gotta do better than that. But despite my relative position compared to the competition, I will still try to answer your question. See if those other two will help you. Didn't think so. OK, here we go: I have had these slumps. I missed two really good bucks one year - simply missed them with no excuse. It took a toll on my confidence to be sure. A high hit typically doesn't kill the deer. If the angle is sharply downward, it may clip one lung. A single-lung hit will often (usually) kill the deer, but it can cover a lot of ground first and be very hard to find. Missing happens. The very best fix is to get out there and kill something with your bow. The next doe that comes past is a good choice, but given the timeframe, maybe you should look for something in the small game family (as spoon as those seasons open) to get you started off as soon as possible. If you have woodchucks, a good groundhog kill would also be good. A squirrel or groundhog would be great. If you can kill one of them, you will be fine on deer! Don't be picky. You need to get a couple nice clean kills under your belt to get that confidence back. It is that simple. It is what I did back in 2002 when I was struggling. I killed a couple of does for the freezer and I was right back in the game. Good luck. It is part of the sport. You are not alone. We are all pulling for you. Now who's number one!
  • I got 2 1/2 inches of penetration on a doe; could I have killed that deer?
    Justin from VT asks:
    Hey Bill. I'm gunna get right into this one and try to shorten a very long story. My first time ever bowhunting (3 years ago) I had a doe come in just before dark. I missed the first shot at 20 yards. Missed the second shot at 25 yards. Then she got real sick of arrows flying at her and ran out to 35-40 yards. I shot my last arrow and heard a loud crack and she took off. She ran maybe 50 yards before I heard her stop. I thought I'd missed, but I found my arrow laying on the ground with blood on it. The arrow had only penetrated 2.5 inches at most. I presumed a shoulder hit as there was very little penetration. My step dad, cousin and I trailed where the deer ran off, but never found any blood other than two drops by the arrow. I had school the next day and my step dad had to work so we never trailed further because the wound probably wasn't bad. Could I have killed this deer? My pin was on the shoulder. My draw weight was at 55lbs and I had a 90gr muzzy 3 blade broadhead. Thanks.
    Winke Responds:
    Justin, I doubt you killed her. With just 2 1/2 inches of penetration about the only place you could have killed her would have been a major artery hit and you didn't get that or the blood trail would have been very short. No other vital organs are that close to the skin.
  • I hit a buck in the liver last season and he got away; what do you think about that?
    drew from WI asks:
    Bill, I hit a large mature 9 point last september before dark, he was twenty yards completely broadside when I shot. Everything looked good and felt good just like many times before, followed the pin up the leg about two inches back from elbow of shoulder and halfway up the body released the arrow and watched it hit where I aimed found the arrow completely saurated in dark red blood. I left and came back with help four hours later. to find a blood trail that lasted no more than 80 yards and no deer no bed nothing. I was using small diameter broadheads which I never before had a problem with though always making a solid double lung hit. The land the deer last entered was very thick lowland scrub brush and grass which I covered very thouroghly to no avail. I am sure the shot was just behind the lungs through the diaphram and or solid liver hit. I was wondering what your insight may be on this situation because I am completely lost I did switch broadheads after that.
    Winke Responds:
    Drew, We have seen some amazing things once we started to film our hunts. It is easy for the eye to be tricked by quick movements. It may look like the arrow hit one place, but actually hit a few inches away. As you know, a few inches makes a huge difference in some cases. I even got fooled a few times and I have literally shot hundreds of deer and other big game, so I have a lot of experience. It can happen to anyone when the animals are starting to move as the arrow is coming at them. My guess is that the arrow didn't hit exactly where you thought. With a solid liver hit, he would have died within a couple of hours (three at the longest), I have never seen an exception. My guess is that the hit was higher than you thought. That kind of blood trail kind of sounds like a possible high hit. I could be wrong. He could be laying out there dead somewhere from a liver hit and you just never tripped over him in the thick cover. However, if you felt that you really searched well for him, likely the hit was higher than you thought.
  • What was wrong with the buck Mike shot in Episode 17? Will injured bucks always die during the winter?
    Heath from KS asks:
    Great shows, thanks for showing everything. It really helps us learn, thank you again. Any chance that Mike could tell what was wrong with the deer he shot, bullet wound, broadhead, hit by a car, broken bones, deer fight? What were his chances of making it throuth the winter? What about the other wounded deer, will he make it? Thanks again.
    Winke Responds:
    Heath, I doubt that deer would have died. He likely got jabbed when fighting that day and took a tine to the shoulder. We didn't find any broken bones. I think if he had been shot or hit (Mike saw him healthy that morning) he would not have been out feeding so soon. Mike would not have known this, but at least 1/2 the mature bucks on the farm are limping around at the end of the rut. They get banged up pretty bad. Some die, for sure. I am not sure what percentage. Most would die from infection to the wounds. It is possible Mike's buck would have been one of them, but I certainly wouldn't assume that automatically just because he was limping. Most deer that are limping at the end of the rut recover. Some don't. I hope that helps.
  • What do you think caused the injury to the buck named "Gimpy" in Episode 17?
    Gregg from IN asks:
    I really enjoy the show and reading your articles in my hunting magazines. After watching Episode 17, I was wondering if it was determined what caused the buck nicknamed "Gimpy" to limp so badly. Good Luck with the rest of your season.
    Winke Responds:
    Gregg, I appreciate the comments. Thanks. I bet Gimpy got buggered up by another buck during the rut. I am going to hunt him hard over the next couple of weeks and see if I can connect with him. I hope he doesn't get infection. I have seen bucks die from antler wounds to the shoulder. That would certainly be a bummer in this case.
  • How do you think the buck Mike shot on Episode 17 got injured?
    jake from TN asks:
    On episode 17, Mike shot a really nice 8 point. Did they ever figure out what might have caused the deer's injury. Was it shot by another hunter or did it just get into a major scuffle?
    Winke Responds:
    Jake, My guess is that it was injuured fighting. Given where the buck lived and the fact that Mike saw him perfectly healthy that morning suggests he was injured in a fight.
  • Did you ever figure out why the buck Mike shot was limping?
    Keith from WI asks:
    Hi Bill Great site keep up the good work. I check every day for new episodes. The only problem I have with your site is I spend too much time watching it instead of doing the things I'm supposed to do. My question is about the injured buck that Mike shot. Did he ever determine what caused the injury? I'm just curious, was it injured fighting, or hit by a car, or a bad shot. I agree with Mike taking the shot for the reasons stated and glad it all worked out. A great deer like that doesn't deserve to go down to preditors or starvation. Thanks Keith
    Winke Responds:
    Keith, We never concluded, but from where the buck was living, and the fact that Mike saw him fine that morning, I am pretty sure it got injured fighting. It happens all the time. They take a tine in the shoulder or neck on a very regular basis when fighting over does.
  • Can a single-lung hit buck make it 400 yards?
    AJ from NY asks:
    Well I took some advice from you that you gave in a different Q&A and moved my morning stand deeper into the hardwoods on friday afternoon near some pines they bed right along a rub line. By 7:30 am saturday morning I had seen the #1 buck on my hit list and shot the #2. I thought I made the "perfect shot" on him. Gave him an hour then went after him, never found him, lost him in the deep swamp and the bottom of the hill 400 yards away. Searched all day and into the night. I'm up 26 feet and shot him at 10 yards, at that steep of an angle is it possible I only hit the bottom of one lung. He ripped the arrow through him about 10 yards into the tracking. Would a deer hit in one lung make it that far?
    Winke Responds:
    AJ, It is quite likely that it was a single lung hit. I don't like those higher stands for that reason, the close shots tend to offer a bad angle. When that happens, you have to wait until they are walking away and angle through the liver into the lungs from the back. That is a very quickly fatal hit. A single-lung hit deer can live for up to a couple of days. Some have been known to recover completely, but generally, they will die. That means he is probably dead out there somewhere - unless you are wrong about the hit. I know that is not what you wanted to hear. I am sorry it turned out that way.
  • Is a shot too far back in the body a fatal hit?
    mike from NY asks:
    I stuck a 130 class 10 pt tonight at 4 pm. He bedded down 60 yards from my stand. I hit him on the left side back too far. the exit was low on the right side. I would say I was 4 inches behind his liver. I snuck out trying not to disturb him. Do you think that area will be fatal? I have hunted this buck all year and feel bad about the shot. He deserved a clean kill.
    Winke Responds:
    Mike, I realize you probably have the answer to this as I have not been answering these immediately given the fact that I am hunting alot. But, yes, I feel that is fatal. It is rare that you can put an arrow through a deer's body cavity without killing it. So, I suspect he is dead. Good luck.
  • Can you relate body language to the type of hit that occurs?
    Chris from MO asks:
    Bill, Just wondering what kind of tips/information you can give on location of a hit as it relates to body language after the shot. Thanks!
    Winke Responds:
    Chris, That is probably a full blown article. I'll remember that one and place it in the articles once the rut lets up a little. But in general, if they mule kick it is usually (not always) a good sign. If they hump up it is usually liver or gut. If they bust out like their tails are on fire, that is usually good too. If they run a short ways and then stand around, that is usually not too great - but can signify a liver or gut. I'll come back to this later.
  • Should I aim for the deer's shoulders with my muzzleloader?
    Ryan from NJ asks:
    Hi Bill, In the muzzleloader shows ive watched, whenever a deer is shot broadside through both shoulders in the center of the body vrticsl wise, the deer locks up and drops in its tracks. What is the reason for that? should i aim directly through both shoulders and not just behind the shoulder?
    Winke Responds:
    Ryan, The spine kind of runs along the top of the shoulders. A high shoulder or high lung hit will shock the spine. However, I would still not aim there for a couple of reasons: it gives you a smaller margin for error (if you miss high by a little you will graze the animal) and you spoil too much meat. I would shoot for center lung every time. That will definitely get the job done too, even if the deer runs a short ways.