Broadhead question re: blood trial or lack there of.

[Legacyhunter1]

1st time poster, long time hunter (26 years bowhunting).
A few things to set the stage : I am in no way trying to say I am some great hunter - FAR FROM IT. However, I do have a fair bit of experience & will say I am better than average Tracker.

Last night I was doing some doe management on a friends property. Large adult doe (guesstimation = 175lbs on the hoof). 20 yard slightly quartering away shot. Complete pass thru, double lung - arrow was really difficult to pull out of the ground -blew right through her. Shooting a Mathews Legacy 55lbs - shooting Magnus Stinger 100gr. Deer piled up at 60 yards. Very little blood at the spot where we recovered the deer -very, very little. Exit wound looked a bit on the small size. Blade was intact. Honestly the shot was perfect - You couldn't ask for a better shot.

Here is the kicker that my hunting partners & I can not get over :

ABSOLUTELY NO BLOOD TRIAL - blood at shot site & at recovery site, but nothing in between.

The body cavity was so filled with blood I thought perhaps the exit wound got plugged from the inside, but after inspection today the exit wound was so small I think I need to think about a different broadhead (1st year using the Magnus & first deer with them).

Very perplexed - Would love to hear some thoughts.

Thanks.

[Lwapo]

Want a bloodtrail?

Get Rage broadheads.

Blind people could track your deer.

FYI!

[don]

Are you using the bleeders with the two blade head?

[Kelly Johnson]

Next question is were you on the ground or from an elevated stand?

Clip the top of the lungs from ground level and the cavity fills as the lungs shrinks. I think the blood actually crushes the air out of the lungs quicker but it makes for a weird track job.

[Legacyhunter1]

Thanks for the replies.

The Rage is actually the broadhead I am thinking about.
Yes, I was using the 2 blade with the bleeders.
Slightly elavated stand (about 10 ft.) So the exit hole was substantially lower.I guess I am just suprised on how small the exit wound was & how little cutting was done on the way out.

[elvis]

What did the arrow look like? Blood?

[bucksrus]

Same thing happened to me last year with the Stinger 2 blade with bleaders. Perfect shot and NO blood until a little towards the end. Doe only went about 60 yards though.

[ART]

Sometimes you get deer that just don't bleed much outside the body cavity.
I have found the biggest reason is the leg is in an odd position- far forward or rearward at the shot. Then when the leg returns to a more normal position, the holes in the skin and body don't line up anymore.
For example, a deer standing with far leg back, and hit high in front from an elevated position. the exit holes won't line up, and the cavity would have to fill up before it will bleed out the top. A deer can run 60 yards and die before the blood reaches the top.

[Backwoods-Savage]

I've hit them with bullets with the same results. Just have to look a little more for the deer but usually find them soon.

[2PawsRiver]

[QUOTE]Sometimes you get deer that just don't bleed much outside the body cavity.
I have found the biggest reason is the leg is in an odd position- far forward or rearward at the shot. Then when the leg returns to a more normal position, the holes in the skin and body don't line up anymore.
For example, a deer standing with far leg back, and hit high in front from an elevated position. the exit holes won't line up, and the cavity would have to fill up before it will bleed out the top. A deer can run 60 yards and die before the blood reaches the top[/QUOTE

An interesting concept, and makes good sense..........36 years of hunting and still learning......thanks Art:)

[Legacyhunter1]

Thanks for all the replies - definately food for thought.

In response to "How did the arrow look ?" Good blood from tip to nock. First response from the two other hunters with me for tracking was - Great Blood - Good Hit !

Thanks.

[srconnell22]

I'll back up the Rage 2 blades...two deer so far, and I havent bent over to look for blood yet...following the blood trail is like your walkin' to your car getting out of work, hopin you can get home in time to get to your stand for the last two hours of light!

[deathfromabove]

1st time poster, long time hunter (26 years bowhunting).
A few things to set the stage : I am in no way trying to say I am some great hunter - FAR FROM IT. However, I do have a fair bit of experience & will say I am better than average Tracker.

Last night I was doing some doe management on a friends property. Large adult doe (guesstimation = 175lbs on the hoof). 20 yard slightly quartering away shot. Complete pass thru, double lung - arrow was really difficult to pull out of the ground -blew right through her. Shooting a Mathews Legacy 55lbs - shooting Magnus Stinger 100gr. Deer piled up at 60 yards. Very little blood at the spot where we recovered the deer -very, very little. Exit wound looked a bit on the small size. Blade was intact. Honestly the shot was perfect - You couldn't ask for a better shot.

Here is the kicker that my hunting partners & I can not get over :

ABSOLUTELY NO BLOOD TRIAL - blood at shot site & at recovery site, but nothing in between.

The body cavity was so filled with blood I thought perhaps the exit wound got plugged from the inside, but after inspection today the exit wound was so small I think I need to think about a different broadhead (1st year using the Magnus & first deer with them).

Very perplexed - Would love to hear some thoughts.

Thanks.

The debate will go on for fixed or mechanical.........but the one thing I notice about deer especially this time of year.. is the amount of fat the deer carry all over thier bodies....

I've seen some great shot placement....only to find marginal blood trails.....often finding fat and tissue hanging out of exit holes at recovery.......can't blame the head for that.....

[Joe Archer]

What kind of angle was the deer when you shot? Did you exit behind the far shoulder, or did you go through the shoulder? How low was the exit hole? These are all factors that will affect your blood trail. Also, the deer piled up very close to where you shot it. My guess is that the deer took off like a bat outa hell when it was shot. Running deer almost always reduce what you see on the ground.
<----<<<

[Legacyhunter1]

Again thank you for all the replies & good info. You can always learn something .

When I dropped off the deer to my butcher we were discussing the lack of blood trial & he was very suprised as he uses a very similiar broadhead.

Picked up the venison & the butcher said he has never seen a deer with this much fat all over it. The fat filled & sealed the arrow holes alomost like wax. Not sure it would have mattered what broadhead I was using.

I had the deer aged at the DNR check station, she was 4 years old.

And yes, I believe Back Straps are on the menu tonight.

Thanks again.