# Deer shot in the shoulder, little penetration



## Shane Whitlock (Sep 23, 2012)

My buddies son, Austin was hunting with me last night. He shot a doe in the shoulder, from what I gathered was little penetration. No arrow or blood found. His bow is a 45 lbs  recurve and he was shooting a 3 blade 125 grain thunderhead. All I can fiqure is that he stuck her in the leg bone. I  believe that she will most likely live, but be disabled. Anybody ever have this happen? The shot was 12 yards from a 12 foot ladder stand. He has taken this really hard since this was his first archery deer.


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## BkBigkid (Sep 23, 2012)

I have never had this happen personally.
I have read several stories over the Years of this happening and seen some trail cam photo's of deer with arrows sticking out of them years later. 

With a hit like that you will not find much of a blood trail till the arrow comes out. as it will be blocking the entry hole.  Look around for the arrow I am sure she has broke it off already.


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## Al33 (Sep 23, 2012)

Hasn't happened to me that I can recall. I would suggest he shoot a sharp two blade cut on impact head from anything less than 50 pounds. The Thunderheads are great broadheads but have the chisel point. A two blade head may or may not have made a difference but normally they do penetrate better from the less poundage bows. In this young man's case it might have been enough to get the heart.


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## Mudfeather (Sep 23, 2012)

Your "disababled" is probably way to strong of a word...

hows this??

Shot late Oct..






Finnaly killed Thanksgiving weekend


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## Mudfeather (Sep 23, 2012)

A better pic of the first results of a shot she ducked...


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## Mudfeather (Sep 23, 2012)

Completely wrapped in scar tissue and completely covered in hair.  Saw a bump on her shoulder and thought it was some kind of cancer or something..began cutting it open and found my broadhead from a shot about a month earlier..lol


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## Shane Whitlock (Sep 23, 2012)

Mudfeather, thanks for the reply with photos. Hopefully this will help him feel better about this. I watched him grow into an awesome shooter and I hate this happen. I gave him those broadheads a few years ago, but told him he should shoot 2 blades for better penetration. We looked hard, and I just knew we would find a broken arrow, but no luck.  I have seen arrows in deer and once saw what appeared to be a broken car antena, but have never known anyone to get the results he did. They have a very strong will to survive, I hope he gets a second chance to.


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## OconeeDan (Sep 23, 2012)

I too, have seen a deer killed that was carrying a broadhead from a previous season.

For what it's worth, poor arrow flight = poor penetration.  Not only hitting a bone will stop an arrow.  Also improperly tuned arrow (wrong spine), poor release, twig, etc.
Keep trying. Dan


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## hogdgz (Sep 23, 2012)

Tell him not to feel bad, it happens to all of us, I lost a doe this weekend, hit her kinda high, had good blood but never found her. Its gonna happen and it sucks when it does, but tell the young fella not to give up and stick with it.


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## Apex Predator (Sep 24, 2012)

45# is plenty with the right arrow/broadhead combo.  Unfortunately, a thunderhead ain't it.  Certain shoulder hits can stop any combo!


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 24, 2012)

Shoulders can be bad business on any animal. This is a pig I shot at close range and didn't get penetration through the shoulder with a Woodman BH. While looking for sign the next day I come up on a pig bedded up against a log and put an arrow behind the last rib. She takes off for around 50 yards. While quartering the sow up in the rain I find out that this is the one I shot the afternoon before. mIkE


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## woodswalker (Sep 24, 2012)

Same thing happened to me earlier this season. Felt the same way, but all the guys on here made me feel better about mine so maybe it will do for him aswell.


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## Barry Duggan (Sep 24, 2012)

The first deer I ever shot at I hit in the shoulder, except it was the rear shoulder, as in hind quarter. Was so locked in and it moved as I was releasing, but I didn't. Stood there with my mouth gaped open and watched that pie balded buck run off with my arrow flopping. Got little to no penetration. 
Jimmie (jamboga) shot a doe in the shoulder, with a heavy arrow, out of a  63# Quillian Canebreak and got very little penetration.
Moral of both stories...pick a different spot or hit the spot you picked.


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## Killinstuff (Sep 24, 2012)

Is he really pulling the bow back far enough to make 45#'s?  First deer I shot I was 14, it bounced right off the shoulder. 45#@28" Shakespeare Wonderbow, Easton arrow and a Satellite 3 blade broadhead.  Bled good for 25 yards and that's it. At 14 I was maybe drawing 25" or 36#'s.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 24, 2012)

Killinstuff said:


> Is he really pulling the bow back far enough to make 45#'s?  First deer I shot I was 14, it bounced right off the shoulder. 45#@28" Shakespeare Wonderbow, Easton arrow and a Satellite 3 blade broadhead.  Bled good for 25 yards and that's it. At 14 I was maybe drawing 25" or 36#'s.



I had 8 kills last year w a bow I was pulling to 39#s. 5 on video. 44@28"


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## Killinstuff (Sep 24, 2012)

Did you punch through 8 shoulders with a cone tipped 3 blade?


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