Has This Happened To You? Blood Only On Second-Half Of Arrow

[Hubbs]

Hey Guys - I'm still trying to figure this one out, and I'm interested in your thoughts. Sunday morning I was out hunting and had a nice buck come into range (30 yards). I have not yet taken a shot at a deer yet this year, and have passed on several. I felt confident on the shot, and as I saw the arrow hit the buck, I thought I was money. Got out of my stand and started looking for my arrow - but it was not where I hit the deer. I found blood within 20 yards of the shot, and found the arrow another 10 yards later. When we picked up the arrow, however, only the back half of the arrow was covered in blood. The broadhead and the first 8-10 inches of the arrow had specks of blood, at best. It was almost as if the first half of the arrow had been washed in water, while the last half had been dipped in blood. We tracked the deer for several hours, but with no luck. The blood trail dried up and we believe he'll be sore, but made it. Any idea of where the shot was placed to cause only the back half of the arrow to have blood? My thought was that the buck was extremely lucky and the broadhead caught only meat, and while he was running the back half (while stuck in him) washed around in blood before it was pulled out by a branch. Thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

[spooledbseries]

:confused::confused::16suspect

[SuperHunter18]

Is there any chance you hit low? We had one hit low in the brisket earlier this year and it sounds pretty much identical. Only blood on the second half of the arrow, my guess is because no vitals were hit so there isn't INSTANTLY blood. Did you find any hair?

[Cedar Swamp]

Sounds like just above the vitals and below the spine or a brisket shot

[srconnell22]

the doe I shot earlier this year had that...but she fell over on top of the bottom half of the arrow and I'm pretty sure the blood came off on the ground/hide.

[Benny]

had an arrow that looked like that 3-4 years ago, I had shot kinda back (hit only liver) and the arrow had not gone completely through but was sticking out the other side pretty good. We figgured he pulled it out with his mouth and in trying to do so cleaned off the front of the arrow.

[Joe Archer]

Were you in some heavy brush? Since the arrow was sticking out of the deer for at least 30 yards, a lot of the blood can be wiped off when moving through brush.
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[Hubbs]

Yeah, it was a thicker area of the woods, but not thick enough to wipe an arrow almost entirely clean. That crossed our minds, though. No hair was found - I'm thinking the brisket shot may have been it even though it was broadside??

[Joe Archer]

You wrote that you saw the arrow hit the deer. Where did it hit, and how was the deer positioned?
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[Hubbs]

The deer was broadside, and the arrow, if anything, I thought hit low. However, it happened pretty quick, and the deer ducked as the arrow was en route - something I always compensate for.

[Joe Archer]

Any idea how far between the shoulder and last rib?
Would you have expected a pass through. so maybe hit the near shoulder?
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[Hubbs]

Yeah, it's very possible I hit the shoulder. At a 65# draw, I would have expected a pass through, which tells me somewhere I hit bone. Rib or shoulder, I do not know though.

[wolfgang510]

We had the exact same thing on a low quartering in shot near the shoulder earlier this year.

[Joe Archer]

Yeah, it sounds like a near shoulder one-lung hit.
30 yards is a longer shot than I am comfortable with as well.
In any case, all you can do when you are not sure if your shot gets both lungs is to play it safe and wait at least 2 hours before tracking.
Jump a one-lung hit deer and they go farther than a gut shot deer before they stop again.
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[Cedar Swamp]

Brisket shot I say...They will bleed pretty good and run for a day or so.