Bad news

[Ethan]

Yesterday I shot my first deer with a bow and i shot it and it was a touch back we went and found my arrow it was a clean stomach shot we tracked her for about 100 yards and we an out of blood it was dishearting to lose her it was the first deer i ever lost.

[DANNY-L]

I recently read that you should give a known gut shot deer 12hrs before looking and they will useually be within 50yds into the woods. Where I live in NNY the coyotes would have it way before then. My nephew did the same thing this year,gave it over night and found it less than 100yds,it was half gone. I came to the conclusion years ago that before anyone goes bowhunting they need to understand that sometime you are bound to loose one. But as long as you gave it 100% effort to find it you did the best you could do.

[snapcrackpop]

When gut shot you want to back out quietly and wait 6+ hours.  Then sneek in slowly and get ready for a second shot.  Never follow up right away on a gut shot with the bow.  Gut shot deer will usually bed down quickly.  If you "bump" them your chances of recovering it go way down.

If I can pick my shot for bowhunting I would aim straight up the leg.  The shoulder blade and leg bone form a sidways V, and that's where the main arteries are.  If you miss a little back you still get lungs, if you are high, low or forward...you hit bone and the deer will survive.  Much better than gut shot.