Didnt expect to see much today but i hunt every thanksgiving so i went...a little 6 ive been seeing was my goal, just to fill the freezer... He came out a little farther out than normal but ive practic this shot when i get out of my stand because theres a bobcat that comes out right there sometimes i take the shot but as i do a tree branch falls next to me and he jumps the arrow but it still tags him a little back and what looks like right below the spine.... I wait 30 min and go look... No blood at impact, only pee... Arrow went through and fell 10 yards away... No real blood, just red fat found of fat next to it as well....walked up and down for an hour, no blood, no nothin... Im thinkin deer will live with back strap hit.... Opinions? Kicker is while im sending down my bow a huge 8 or 10 walkes out horns as thick as my wrist.... Damn

hard to say, but it sounds like a classic strap shot

If you put it through the backstrap, the deer should survive fine. A buddy's wife put an arrow through the backstrap of a cull spike this year, and I shot the same deer 2-3 weeks later. He seemed to be functioning normally when I shot him.

All is good, saw him this morning... Could see where i hit...he was real weary of the tree the branch fell out of, which is 15 yards or so to the left of me....tellin all his big buck friends, "somthin jumped up and bit me"

All is good, saw him this morning... Could see where i hit...he was real weary of the tree the branch fell out of, which is 15 yards or so to the left of me....tellin all his big buck friends, "somthin jumped up and bit me"

He will be just fine. I shot a doe the same way on opening weekend of bow season this yr. We still get pics of her on occasion. Wound healed up nice with a pretty scar.

pretty much

Deer are amazingly tough. Can you imagine getting hit like that and still functioning? I don't know how they do it, but I think your deer will be fine.

sounds like ya went out of your comfort zone just to take the shot. maybe next time you should hold off, vs sending a bad shot. are you using a range finder?

First I will agree with sprinkler; sounds like you were on the edge of your comfort zone. Second if a hit is ever marginal you need to wait a couple hours before you press to find them. on a good hit you wait 30 min to an hour. knowing this was not a good hit and you did not have visual on him you should have waited a couple hours. Just my two cents.

Deer are very very tough. On our ranch some of the guys rifle hunt and around Thanksgiving a guy shot a deer, high in the back. He went down then got up and hauled [censored]. 2 weeks later another guy saw him (huge sore on his back) shot at him, he went down then got up and hauled [censored]. Then this weekend another guy shot him. Huge sore that was healed on his back, a newer sore behind his ears/rack (second hunter is a head shot guy). This deer had been hit twice with bullets and was still fine. Third time was not the charm for him....

sounds like crooks dont have anything to worry about on your side of town

I do not see it fully the way the Sprinkler and Outdoorsman do. The OP said this was an a buck he had been seeing and it stepped out further than normal. Not outside his range. Also the OP said he had been practicing that shot since a bobcat has been being seen there. I do agree that more time should have been taken before climbing down looking for the deer. When a suspected marginal shot is made wait at least 2 hours before following up. Plus if had waited he would have still been in position when the Big one stepped out

OK here is a true story from this season.

First week in November, my oldest son shoots a 8 pt. and gets a complete pass through, although he hit him a little high behind his shoulder.

We waited until the following morning and could not find him.

Next week - same set up. My OTHER son shoots a nice 8 pt. But wait - it took him TWO shots! The first shot he missed and the buck startled and ran a little way, but came back and presented a second shot. My son shot him and he dropped within sight of my son.

We recovered the buck and discovered that he had a SECOND wound - a complete pass through high behind his shoulder! It was the SAME buck my oldest son had shot and not recovered the previous week.

This buck within a one week time frame took one complete pass through shot, was shot at and missed, and then was shot at again with a fatal shot. It took three darn arrows to get this sucker on the skinning rack!

Obviously not the most intelligent buck.

not really...he said he practiced the shot when he got down from his blind/stand. this is not the same shot as being in the stand!

I bet if he knew that he was not going to kill the deer he would not have taken the shot!!!!!

Sucks the freezer aint full! but you will get anouther shot at him, this time Im thinking you will wait a little longer..I allways wait three to four hours on any shot even if its a bobcat or racoon I dont wait over night like some just cuz the yotes will gettem first..I hit a racoon two weekends ago complete pass thru with a small game tip that thing cried in the bushes for an hour. My buddy shot a doe earlier in the season on public land he knew he had a hit one lung wasnt sure he hit both an hour into waiting in the tree a game warden walked by and spooked the doe she took off the GW was real nice and even helped look for her for several hours no luck...SA LA VE...

If I know I made a good shot I'm looking within 30 min. Marginal shots I wait depending on where I believe, or where the arrow tells me, I hit.

when I first started I did that to a nine point but he broke my arrow off I shot him with a gun about 3 or so weeks later when taking out the back strap I found my broadhead still in him i bet your deer will be fine

I had been practicing that shot from my stand, right before i get down....wouldnt say i was uncomfortable with the distance....father than what i would prefer ( id love them all to be within 30yards ) dont know if it was 30 min, but i was confident that i had hit bad and wanted to check the arrow. If it looked like i hit some guts i would have left.. And if a bad shot i continue to hunt.....